SHOPPING DESTINATION: A Piece of Past from Arezzo

By Jorge Jefferds May 5, 2019

     The Arezzo Antique Fair is the oldest event of its kind in the national territory of Italy. Since 1968 without interruption, every first Sunday of the month and the previous Saturday, in Piazza Grande (Big Square), and in the streets of the historic city center, the Fair entertains its visitors with a great variety of objects that constitute the historical heritage of the Italian identity, giving all attendees the pleasure of the "trouvaille", which is the discovery and the search for rare or curious pieces. Hundreds of exhibitors offer thousands of visitors from all over the world their art objects, furniture, jewelry and bijoux, watches, books and antique prints, scientific instruments and musical instruments, toys, linen from ancient times, and several kinds of collectables.

     But this is not all... for those who are not fond of antiquities; the Fair offers a vast assortment of modern antiques, vintage and quality craftsmanship. The Arezzo Antique Fair has always been and is considered "the largest and most beautiful" among all the outdoor antique markets, thanks also to the extraordinary historical and architectural context in which it takes place.

     Many years ago, during the whole maturity of his professional life, Ivan Bruschi gave life and form to the intuition that had always animated him, in which the union between love for antiques and for art turned materialized into an amazing event for his city. On June 2, 1968, on the occasion of the Republic Day, the Antiquarian Fair was born as the first show of its kind in Italy and still today the largest after so many years performed without any interruption in the dense monthly frequency between an edition and the other.

     Thus, after a period of abandonment and marginalization of the upper part of the city, also due to the bombardments of the Second World War that had destroyed many buildings, the Fair also brought life back to Piazza Grande which in the early 1960s had been also abandoned behind its historic fruit and vegetable market on Saturday. Under his conception and organization, the Arezzo antiquarian Ivan Bruschi found inspiration in the famous Portobello outdoor markets in London and the Flea Market in Paris. Comforted by the growing success of the Antiques Fair in the coming years, Bruschi also promoted a series of events that attracted the attention of the Italian and international public, consolidating the Arezzo market as the first in Italy.

     Step by step, thanks to the untiring enthusiasm and international connections of its founder, the Fair made its city famous, visited by illustrious personalities from great political parties, institutions, the world of entertainment and culture. Thus the antiques started to become a non-ephemeral component of the economic activities of Arezzo and brought vital lymph to the ancient foundations of the historic center, which reopened back shops, artisan centers and the progressive revival of activities. The legacy of the Antiquarian Fair left by Ivan Bruschi has been welcomed by the Municipality of Arezzo thereafter, which carries on investing energy and resources in the so-called queen of the city. The coming fair will be held on the first weekend of June (Saturday June 1 and Sunday June 2) between 9am until 7pm both days.

     

When arriving to the airports mentioned below, follow the instructions on how to arrive to the city of Arezzo:

From the Florence-Peretola Amerigo Vespucci International Airport, drive your vehicle on the A1 motorway towards Rome taking the first immediate exit to Arezzo. If you ride a train from the Santa Maria Novella station it is possible through the regional connection in direction to Rome. From Pisa Galileo Galilei International Airport, drive your vehicle taking the A11 motorway to Florence and then the A1 towards Rome turning to the first immediate exit to Arezzo. By train from the Pisa Airport station, take the line to Florence Santa Maria Novella, then a regional connection to Rome with a stop in Arezzo. For more information about the Arezzo International Antique Fair, visit http://www.fieraantiquaria.org/

ADVENTURE TRAVEL: Above in the Elbe Highest Peak

By Jorge Jefferds May 4, 2019

     The Elbe Sandstone Mountains, also named as the Elbe sandstone highlands is a mountain range straddling the border between the state of Saxony in southeastern Germany and the North Bohemian region of the Czech Republic, with about three-quarters of the area lying on the German side. The mountains are also referred to as Saxon Switzerland and Bohemian Switzerland in both German and Czech or simply combined as Saxon-Bohemian Switzerland. In both countries, the mountain range has been declared a national park. The name derives from the sandstone which was carved by erosion. The river Elbe breaks through the mountain range in a steep and narrow valley.

The Bastei Bridge

     The most striking characteristic of this deeply dissected rocky mountain range is the extraordinary variety of terrain within the smallest area. Unique among the Central European Uplands are the constant changes between plains, ravines, table mountains and rocky regions with undeveloped areas of forest. This diversity is ecologically significant. The variety of different locations, each with its own conditions in terms of soil and microclimate, has produced an enormous richness of species. The numbers of ferns and mosses alone is unmatched by any other of the German central uplands.

Brana

     Large parts of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains are under statutory protection. In Germany there is the national park region of Saxon Switzerland, which consists of two elements: the Saxon Switzerland National Park itself founded in 1990 and covered an area of 93 km²; and the protected area surrounding it that was founded in 1956 and covers 287 km². The German part of the range was also designated in May 2006 as one of the 77 most important national geotopes in Germany by the Academy of Geosciences in Hanover.

     In the Bohemian part of the range there has been a nature reserve in the northeastern region since 1972 called the Elbe Sandstone Protected Area with an area of 324 km². In 2000, the Bohemian Switzerland National Park was established with an area of 79 km², bringing around 700 km² of the range under protection as a natural and cultural landscape.

Königstein Fortress

     The Elbe Sandstone Mountains have been a popular destination among tourists for more than 200 years, and climbers for more than 100 years. In addition, it attains the popularity as recreation area for the nearby Saxon capital Dresden. Places of interest include the Bastei cliffs near Rathen, the Königstein Fortress, Pravčická brána, the Schrammsteine, Pfaffenstein, and the valleys of the Kirnitzsch and Kamenice rivers. There are some 14,000 climbing routes via which mountain climbers can conquer 1100 free-standing peaks. Visitors can experience the natural scenes on the asphalt Elbe cycle path, or on board a steam paddleboat that is part of the oldest fleet of its kind in the world.

The Elbe Bicycle Path

     The Elbe Sandstone Mountains have numerous facilities for cure and rehabilitation. The region has a tradition of many years. The discovery of ferrous and sulphurous sources in Bad Schandau in 1730 led to its development as a health resort and the building of swimming baths.

     Condor Airlines offers excellent rates to these amazing destinations around Dresden in Germany. For reservations, schedules, and even deals, visit https://www.condor.com/us.