One of the segments was on the Palio, the famous, twice-yearly horse race in Siena. Mayne gained insider access to the Leocorno (Unicorn) contrada to cover the race from mane (ahem) to tail. We learn about Leocorno’s rivalry with the Civetta (Owl) contrada, the pre-race ritual of having the horse blessed in the district church, and the strategies and intrigue that go into competing in one of Italy’s oldest sports traditions. Both the footage and the commentary in this segment were compelling, so I wanted to share the video with you.

Fantastic stuff, Mr. Mayne. Mille grazie!

Italy may not be the first place one thinks of for a golfing vacation, but it does have some terrific courses set in stunning locations, many of which are near the tourist routes of Rome, Florence, and Milan. So if you’re a golfer interested in hitting the links in Italy, you’re in luck!

Golf in Italy is still very much a wealthy (wo)man’s sport in Italy, but there are a number of public courses in Italy, too. As this is a travel site, this post is going to focus on some of the most beautiful golf courses in Italy, rather than the most challenging. Bear in mind that it can be difficult to obtain access to many of the private courses in Italy unless you are traveling with a golf vacation agency or are staying in the golf resort’s respective hotel. Ready to tee off?

Pevero Golf Club, Sardinia

Location: Costa Smeralda, Sardegna (Emerald Coast, Sardinia)
Architect: Robert Trent Jones
The Pevero Golf Club, commissioned by Aga Khan in 1972,  is nestled between the Cala di Volpe and the Pevero Bays of Sardinia. Although it is considered one of RTJ’s finest and most beautiful courses, it is also known to be challenging thanks to its rugged setting and occasional strong Mistral winds.
Area Info: Sardegna Tourism Board – Arzachena

San Domenico Golf, Puglia

Location: Between Bari and Brindisi, Puglia
Architects: European Golf Design
According to Fulvio Golob, Editor-in Chief of the Italy golfing magazine Il Mondo del Golf and author of Golf Around the World: The Great Game and Its Most Spectacular Courses, this par 72 golf course is “one of the best courses in our country.” It also boasts some amazing lodging options: Borgo Egnazia Resort, Masseria Cimino Guest House, and Masseria San Domenico.
Area Info: Puglia Tourism Board

Country Club Castelgandolfo, Lazio

Location: Castelgandolfo, a village in the area south of Rome known as the Castelli Romani
Architect: Robert Trent Jones
If God were a golfer, she’d probably golf here because the Pope would be her caddy! Castelgandolfo is famed for being the site of the papal summer residence. The club house at the Castelgandolfo Golf Course is inside the former residence of Cardinal Flavio Chigi, nephew of Pope Alexander VII, who purportedly entertained his mistress La Pavona (the Peacock) there.
Area Info: Province of Rome Tourism Board

Circolo Golf Villa d’Este, Lombardy

Location: On Lake Como, one hour north of Milan
Architect: Peter Gannon
One of the most prestigious golf clubs in Europe, kings and celebrities have played the links on this par 69 course. The actual villa of Villa d’Este, located about seven miles from the course, has long been acclaimed as one of the best hotels in the world. It even has a private helipad in case you want to drop in incognito.
Area Info: Lake Como Tourism Board

Photos © Golfers Delight, San Domenico Golf Club, Dan Petersen, Circolo Golf Villa d’Este

You must be thinking: there are two things wrong with this post. First, it’s too early to be talking about snow. And, second, how can you have a “staycation” in Rome if you don’t even live there?

I defer to a recent press release from onthesnow.com. In “The No. 1 Snow Sports Web Site Picks Top 10 Ski Staycations,” onthesnow says:

The newest buzzword in the travel vocabulary is “staycation.” It means staying home and still doing the things one loves to do. That’s difficult for skiers and riders who don’t live in tiny mountain towns and villages.

OnTheSnow.com’s 17 regional editors, based in alpine regions around the world, have selected 10 excellent ski and snowboard options, all within a tank of gas, from a metropolitan area. That’s staying, at least, close to home and still indulging in a favorite sport.

Coming in at number 4 on the list is Rome. The Gran Sasso subregion (listed as the San Grasso region in the release, unfortunately), with its Campo Felice ski area, is within about a tank of gas of the Eternal City and offers, according to onthesnow’s editors, “varied skiing and snowboarding experiences, and there are a surprising number of challenging pistes. The weekends get crowded, but there are 16 lifts. There’s not much nightlife at Campo but, after all, home is Rome.”

And to address the part about it being too early to talk about snow? Well, snow in August is not unheard of in Rome. In fact, legend has it that the papal basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore was built on a hill where a miraculous snow fell on August 5.

On a personal note, this talk about “staycations” gives me the opportunity to plug a colleagues newest book. Backyard Adventures may not be about travel in Italy. But, it just may give you some good ideas for activities to do while you’re planning next year’s trip to Italy.

Unlike Greece, Italy isn’t a land of islands. Sure, there’s Sicily, Capri, and the Tuscan Archipelago, which includes Elba. But there is also a small set of islands in the Tyrrhenian Sea between Rome and Naples that, according to Guy Dinmore of The Financial Times, “offer a safer and saner way to travel” for those who want a “sedate alternative to dashing around packed piazzas.”

In “Escape to ‘Alcatraz’,” Dinmore explores the Pontine Islands, which were once used as prison islands by the likes of Emperor Augustus and Mussolini. You can still take a tour of Santa Stefano, the main prison island, which is today uninhabited, or stay on Ventotene to visit its subterranean dwellings and Roman cisterns or go snorkeling. Dinmore also touches on Ponza, the most popular of the Pontines, and Ischia, which is not exactly a Pontine island but typically grouped with Capri and Procida.

Ponza, apparently, is having its day in the sun lately, as German In Style magazine included it among its round-up of party islands. In Style suggests the following Ponza haunts:

• Il Tramonto, a restaurant that has been dubbed “the most romantic spot in the world”
• Hotel Mari, www.hotelmari.com
• Hotel Limonaia a Mare, www.ponza.com/limonaia, owned by the sisters Fendi
• Ponza Diving Center, http://www.ponzadiving.it

Need more convincing? Check out these spectacular photos from the Pontine Islands on Flickr.

Photo by RonnyBas

You know that if you want to catch a glimpse of George Clooney, you’re more likely to find him in Como than in Hollywood. Now Jaunted.com reports that Clooney likes to hit the links at Como’s Menaggio & Cadenabbia Golf Club. Lord knows I’d let him play through…

Menaggio had its centennial in 2007. And though it appears to be a haughty, members-only kind of place, mere mortals (i.e., people other than Clooney and his cronies) can play here, with weekday greens fees starting at €60.

According to TripAdvisor, by way of Italy Magazine, the Tuscan town of Siena ranks 5th among the most-visited cities in Europe. No doubt, one of its allures is the twice-annual Palio, which takes place on July 2 and August 16.

This year’s first installment kicks off tomorrow (!) and you can watch a live feed (!!) from Piazza del Campo (the main square) on the official Palio website (in the left column, click on “Palio 2 luglio 2008 – video e diretta,” then on the following page “Diretta dalla Piazza.” We’re unsure if the live feed will be available during the race itself, but you could give it a try.

An article today in the New York Times on Swimming Vacations inspired us to see if there were any swim adventure tours in Italy. In fact, one of the companies profiled – Swimtrek (located in London) – offers a one week swim trip around Sardinia’s Maddalena Archipelago. The tour features:

Swimming from Maddalena to Spargi.
The crossings between the three northern islandsof Budelli, Santa Maria, and Razzoli are inspiring.
The swim down Caprera’s eastern shoreline is a great delight, ending at the beautiful beach of Tahiti (named after the South Pacific island!)
Enjoying the abundant flora and fauna as we make tracks across the archipelago.
Savouring the delights of the main town of La Maddalena.

For this season, there are still two dates available – June 14-20 and September 27-October 3. If you’re a swimming enthusiast, this is a wholly unique way to see Italy. As an added bonus, each day you’ll have a chance to work off all that pasta you ate the night before!

The 2008 Giro d’Italia – Italy’s answer to the Tour de France – kicked off in Sicily this past weekend. And, before it’s all over on June 1, pro cyclists will have traversed a big section of “the boot,” riding along the west coast up to Civitavecchia, then over to Tuscany and the Marches. You can learn about the various stages and read live spectator comments on Eurosport’s Giro coverage. Additionally, steephill.tv and versus tv offer live video, photos, and news.

Touring Italy by bike is a great way to see the country, and there are quite a few companies that specialize in cycling tours. To learn more, check out cicloposse.com, ibikeitaly.com, ciclismoclassico.com, and vbt.com.

At the end of this month, from April 24-27, Vespa enthusiasts from around the world will gather in Cefalù, Sicily, for Vespa World Days. This annual event, held in a different city each year, brings together thousands of the iconic Italian “motorini” from Piaggio in one place. Participants not only have the chance to meet up with other scooter fans but ride their scooters into Palermo for a parade on the 26th. Registration for the event has long since closed. But, if you plan to be in Sicily during the event, watch out (or listen!) for swarms of “wasps” zooming down the street.

Apparently, the hotbed of Italian baseball is in Nettuno, not very far from Rome. According to ESPN, Nettuno and a few other Italian towns (e.g., Grosseto, Parma, Rimini) “play three games a week against the same opponent. The first game is played Friday at 9 p.m., and then two games are played Saturday, one at 4 p.m. and the other at 9 p.m. At least three umpires call the game (usually four); seven during the playoffs. Tickets cost about 7 Euro.”

It’s safe to say that you won’t get MLB-caliber play at these ballgames. But if you’re in Italy over the summer and craving a bit of the American classic, a trip to the ballpark isn’t a fantasy. Lord knows, with the way the Yankees are playing this season, a little bit of Italian baseball may be a breath of fresh air.

More information:
Italian American Sports Hall of Fame
Nettuno Baseball
Federazione Italiana Baseball Softball

Photo by Ilesino