Top 5 things to do in Perugia during Umbria Jazz

1. Start your day with a cup of coffee at the oldest coffee bar in town, Pasticceria Sandri, which was founded in 1860. The historic interior is beautiful, especially the ceiling! It's also a great place for people watching. Many locals start their day with an espresso or cappuccino and a pastry at Sandri. Judges, lawyers, hairdressers, housewives, shop assistants... they can all be found standing at the counter. You see, Italians usually don't sit down for their daily shot of "caffè". (NB. don't ask for a "latte" when all you really want is a coffee with milk. Otherwise you will just get a glass of milk.) In summer Sandri has outdoor seating on Corso Vannucci. The best part though, is their shop window, with lots of beautiful cakes. During Umbria Jazz they even have music themed cakes!

2. Go shopping! During Umbria Jazz it's summer sale time in Perugia, a perfect opportunity to shop at the fanciest stores in town, which you'll find on and around Corso Vannucci. Are you looking for a pretty cocktail dress or an elegant linen suit? Paris Ricci is your place. For a trendy top or pair of jeans, Paris Loft is one of my favourites. Shoes by Prada and Jimmy Choo can be found at Forma. Intimissimi (part of a big international chain) offers affordable yet fashionable lingerie. In case you're looking for original, high quality souvenirs, take a look at the ceramics from Deruta on the steps of Perugia's cathedral. Oh and don't forget to stop by the Umbria Jazz merchandise stand for a mandatory t-shirt. It could well be the start of a new collection.

3. Enjoy the local food! Oh... where to start? La Bottega del Vino is one of the official venues for Umbria Jazz. Probably the tiniest, but also the coziest one! La Bottega del Vino is a wine bar that serves wonderful local dishes like chicken liver crostini, pasta "cacio e pepe", soups and salads. They're open for lunch, "aperitivo" and dinner. Reservations are in order! La Taverna is another great option. This is a fancy restaurant with international as well as traditional Umbrian dishes (from steak tartare to truffle ravioli, from gluten free to vegetarian options, La Taverna has it all). In case you don't want to break the bank or are dying for a pizza... Pizzeria Mediterranea is the place to be. Go early, or prepare to wait in line (outside) to get a table.

4. Go sightseeing! Perugia is a beautiful city with Etruscan, Roman, Medieval and Renaissance remains. Walk around town to discover how the different eras have influenced the city. Every corner you turn, there's a nice view, a photo opportunity, a memory waiting to happen. The must-see attractions are of course the famous Fontana Maggiore, a medieval fountain built between 1275 and 1278; the Pozzo Etrusco, an Etruscan well and the Arco Etrusco, a big Etruscan arch; the Galleria Nazionale dell'Umbria, the National Gallery of Umbrian art in Middle Ages and Renaissance and finally the Rocca Paolina, a Renaissance fortress (1540–1543) that is still open to the public! In fact, it has built-in escalators that will bring Umbria Jazz concertgoers to/from the Arena.

5. And last but definitely not least... listen to the music! Whether you choose to go to the free concerts in the city centre, or to buy tickets for the Arena or the Teatro Morlacchi, you can't go wrong. The festival offers such a big diversity in music styles, there's something for everyone. The younger crowd might prefer the Piazza IV Novembre (Alissia Benveniste & The Funketeers) or the Giardini Carducci (Patrick Williams & the Blues Express among others), in front of the fancy Brufani Hotel; true jazz connaisseurs will love the Morlacchi (Brad Mehldau Trio; Bill Frisell; Diane Reeves)! The biggest venue on the other hand, the Arena will host big stars like Lady Gaga & Tony Bennett, Chick Corea & Herbie Hancock, Caetano Veloso & Gilberto Gil, the Brand New Heavies and Incognito. Now all you gotta do is... show up on time! (Ps. Don't forget to bring your dancing shoes!)

For more information please visit the Umbria Jazz website:
http://www.umbriajazz.com

You can also read some of my previous blogs:
Paris Ricci:
http://tarasdolcevita.blogspot.nl/2013/06/paris-ricci-perugia-italy.html
Paris Loft:
http://tarasdolcevita.blogspot.nl/2011/02/paris-loft-perugia-italy.html
La Bottega del Vino:
http://tarasdolcevita.blogspot.nl/2010/10/la-bottega-del-vino-perugia-italy.html
La Taverna:
http://tarasdolcevita.blogspot.nl/2010/12/ristorante-la-taverna-perugia-italy.html
Umbria Jazz Photo Diary:
http://tarasdolcevita.blogspot.nl/2012/10/umbria-jazz-12-photo-diary.html

La Dolce Vita is... drinking Moët & Chandon Ice Impérial

La Dolce Vita is drinking a glass (or bottle!) of Moët & Chandon Ice Impérial on the beach! It's special, delicious and refreshing. You can totally adapt it to suit your own taste, by adding either sweet fruit like strawberries and raspberries or giving it an edge with some lime zest and mint leaves. Perfect on a hot summer day!

Want to read more about this wonderful Champagne? Please read my previous review: http://tarasdolcevita.blogspot.nl/2011/07/moet-chandon-ice-imperial-ooh-la-la.html

Photos taken with a Samsung Galaxy S phone at Beachclub Doen:
http://tarasdolcevita.blogspot.nl/2011/09/beachclub-doen-scheveningen.html 

Kabana Resort Wear, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

A pink Pucci-esque kaftan, a turquoise bejeweled clutch, nude fringe sandals, handpainted coral earrings, a gold and turquoise cuff bracelet... I'm going crazy! I'm in heaven! This must be the coolest store ever...

The minute I walked in, Kabana Resort Wear became my new favourite store..... wow! Located inside the Conservatorium Hotel in Amsterdam, Kabana Resort Wear is decorated with bamboo furniture, colonial style shutters, a real palm tree and seashell decorations. It got me right in the mood for vacation.

Owner Kara Beck handpicked the most beautiful swim & resort wear collections on the market. Brands include Vix, Kiini swimwear, Bikinibiza, Melissa Odabash, Visconti & du Réau, Alice & Trixie and much much more. Whether you pick a classic coverup or the hottest bikini of the season (Kiini), you can't go wrong.

The majority of the garments is for women, but Kabana Resort Wear also offers some menswear (shorts, polo shirts, etc.). And if you're not going anywhere exotic -let's face it, Amsterdam is not the Caribbean- then the vast jewelry collection will satisfy your senses.

The only things missing.... are a pool and a cocktail bar!

For more information, please visit:
http://kabanaresortwear.com

Gitschberg Jochtal - Rio Pusteria has it all!

Italy or Austria? Summer or Winter holidays? Italian Dolce Vita or Austrian Gemütlichkeit? Spaghetti or Knödel? Apérol Spritz or Hugo? City or Mountains? That’s the question. But you don’t have to choose… you can find it all in South Tyrol! In Gitschberg Jochtal to be precise.

Last week I went to Gitschberg Jochtal-Rio Pusteria, Italy with a group of travel bloggers. Our local guide made sure we saw all the hotspots! We visited Brixen-Bressanone, Bruneck-Brunico, a cheese factory & museum, an organic wine farm, we went biking, hiking, swimming and (you know me) shopping.

But most of all… we tasted all the local delicacies: Kaiserschmarrn (Emperor’s Trifle), schlutzkrapfen pasta, apfelstrudel, schüttelbrot, tiroler speck, goat cheese and all the different types of knödel (bread dumplings) you can imagine! Thank God for the hiking activities, because otherwise I really don’t know how we would have burned all those calories…

Kaiserschmarrn by Hotel Nussbaumerhof
Knödel & Grand dessert by Hotel Rosenheim
Cheese platter by Bistro’ al Forte

Please stay tuned for many more photos, articles and travel inspiration. For now: a big thank you to Tamara of Gitschberg Jochtal-Rio Pusteria and Ilse of USP Marketing PR!