If you want to spend a few days of rest and relaxation away from the maddening traffic of the city, the luxurious Relais Ducale Spa&Pool at Pescocostanzo, Abruzzo, is the place to be. Here, surrounded by mountains and woods, you can unwind and enjoy the pleasures of life, with the five-star relais offering quality service and comfortable accommodation.

Ducale Spa&Pool boasts of 29 well furnished rooms mixing antiques with contemporary designs; each room features a unique décor created by Lilli Pagliari and Carlo Salvati, while the exclusive wallpaper has been designed by Michele d’Aquila. In addition to the above, the relais offers spa, indoor pool, sauna and a fitness center.

Continue reading: Luxury Hotels in Abruzzo: Hotel Relais Ducale, near L'Aquila

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Situated in the famous Parco Nazionale del Gran Sasso 1 200 metres above sea level, the Hotel Rigopiano offers a variety of amenities and services that are sure to make your holiday luxurious. The hotel also features a luxury spa and fully equipped fitness facility, so if you’re looking for a place where to relax and enjoy the beauty of mother nature (the surroundings are breathtakingly beautiful), you have definitely come to the right place at the right time! Yes - welcome to paradise!

Continue reading: Luxury hotels in Abruzzo: Hotel Rigopiano, Parco Gran Sasso

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Just a few days ago we published the backstage video of the much awaited Miss Sixty campaign for next spring, featuring Belen Rodriguez, one of the most talked about show girls on Italian television, today we have the pleasure to share with you the first photos from the above campaign, showing Miss Rodriguez at her sexiest!

Source | Miss Sixty

Belen Rodriguez Miss Sixty

Continue reading: Belen Rodriguez for Miss Sixty spring 2011, the first pics

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The video shows the trailer to The American, George Clooney’s latest action thriller, and after the jump you’ll find another cool video shows a scene with a scene in which Clooney takes on a bad guy while riding a Vespa. It’s kind of like a vintage car chase, Italian-style and the only thing missing is Elisabetta Canalis as a passenger. The American was filmed in Abruzzo, in the area of Castel del Monte, Aquila and so we can imagine it must have some stunning Italian landscape as its backdrop, too.

The film tells the story of an assassin who hides out in Italy and picks up a last assignment there in the quiet mountain town. It’s a classic action film from Clooney and we love the scene below - there’s nothing like a Vespa and a Fiat Punto to say it’s an all-Italian car chase.

Continue reading: George Clooney and Vespa car chase from The American

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This video shows 25,000 people walking the streets of the town of Aquila, hit by an earthquake a year ago on April 6 in the dead of the night. 308 people died in the earthquake, all of whom were remembered by name in services throughout the town, especially in the Piazza Duomo. The night torch parade took place from 1am to 3:30am, culminating in a church service at the Duomo in which the names of the dead were read aloud. Aquila is still struggling with reconstruction and relocation efforts of its citizens after the earthquake, although a year later hope is that things are slowly returning to normal. The memorial service has been more poignant in light of the other earthquakes in the world in Chile and Haiti in 2010 in which many more people died.

Source | YouTube

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After the awful earthquake which hit the Abruzzo region in April 2009, there are now signs of recovering and the most interesting ones come straight from the world of art. In fact from 6 April an important event dedicated to contemporary art will take place in L’Aquila; an event which will involve both young local artists and well known figures of the art world here in Italy. The curator Pier Luigi Sacco and the artist Mario Airò have meaningfully chosen April 6th to inaugurate the exhibition which, among other things, will highlight the artists’ thoughts and reflections on the disastrous quake which brought the city to its knees. The exhibition called “ Replace” (which is part of the project Il buio è singolare, le luci (anche) plurali Airò) is the fruit of a collaboration with the Academy Of Fine Arts in L‘Aquila; the illuminated installations and artworks on display will focus not only on the open wounds of the city and its altered landscape but also upon the future which is just waiting around the corner.

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Tired of the same old holidays? Searching for a change? A different experience? Then this will appeal to you, as indeed it will to wildlife and nature lovers: WWF Italy has prepared a list of more than 100 offers including specific programs for families and children with ages ranging from 6-11; 11-14; 15-17; from June to September more than 300 groups of people are expected to participate in this exciting initiative. In addition for people under 25 and school groups, WWF has organised a series of more adventure-based holidays which means long and fascinating walks on the wilder side of nature!

Prices range from 400 to 700 euros. The idea behind the project is to provide assistance to the Abruzzi region through tourism, which with its three National parks and 7 WWF Oases is without doubt one of Italy’s most beautiful areas. The initiative has been called ‘All Sold Out in Abruzzi’. For further information visit the WWF official website

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Pescara’s new Ponte del Mare, by architect Walter Pichler, is one of those civil engineering feats that combines practicality with tourism appeal. The long bridge offering a cycling and walking path, unites both shores of Pescara’s river. The two paths start together on the shores, and then fork either side of the huge pylon in the middle.

The new Pescara bridge is 440 metres long for cyclists and 465 metres long for walkers. It is lit up at night, providing an atmospheric touch, and the central pylon changes colour. To see more of the bridge, including images from its construction, see the Ponte del Mare website of Pescara’s city council. More building is to be undertaken in the area, including the “museo del mare”, or maritime museum, which should also be built in a similar modern style. You can reach Pescara by train, try the bus from Rome or fly direct to the Pescara airport, which now also flies Ryanair.

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The city of Rome is hosting an art exhibition dedicated to the artworks from the churches of Aquila that were partly destroyed during the earthquake last year. The exhibition is taking place at the lower house in Montecitorio with the aim of helping restore the town devastated by the quake.

21 historic artworks from the churches in the centre of Aquila are on display, and it is hoped that visitors appreciating the beauty of these works will contribute to the restoration of the centuries-old churches that were destroyed.

A couple of the noteworthy masterpieces include a wooden Pietà from the church of San Marco, attributed to Pompeo Cesura; a Madonna and Child in stone from the 15th century that was housed in the church of Santa Maria Paganica; and the adoration of the shepherds from the Santa Giusta church. The exhibition is open until February 26th and for more information, see the Camera site.

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When it comes to winter holydays in the snow or Valentine‘s day breaks, travel agents usually recommend resorts in the Alps or in the Dolomites, thus overlooking such beautiful regions as Abruzzo in central Italy. Located in the Appennine mountains (right in the heart of the Abruzzo region), the lovely town of Pescostanzo is a true corner of paradise. So if you are looking for a beautiful place where to spend a romantic weekend, you can’t afford to miss this offer by Relais ducale; their Valentine ’s day package deal includes a candle lit dinner in a beautiful chalet and snowmobile transfer from/ to the chalet (13 February). For further information go to the Relais Ducale website.

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