Author: Cristiana Pedrali

"Loving your job is the closest you can get to happiness on earth” (Rita Levi Montalcini) and “when real people fall down in real life they get back on their feet and carry on walking” (Carrie Bradshaw, Sex and the City): these are my two mantras. I’m a bit like this: I go through being serious to playful to help me manage a thousand different interests and commitments, keeping a smile through it all. I work in the tourism industry and on the web and every so often I look for some breathing space through reading and travel!

Sleeping in the Open Air: Tree Houses, Blubblehomes and More

Ever wondered what it’s like to sleep out in the open, under the stars? Well, someone did and went even further in designing and realizing homes that are purpose-built for sleeping in the open air in the woods. A room in the wood A few years ago, the Serpentine pavilion project in Hyde Park won the […]

Slow Travel: three itineraries by train in Italy

Why not try a slow travel experience? We selected 3 train itineraries for your next vacation: from the Alps to Sicily on special trains Speed lovers, stay away!! This post talks about long, slow train journeys through very remote parts of Italy and the small pleasures that can be found in breathtaking views (volcanoes, vineyards, […]

Can permaculture save our world?

Permaculture is a discipline whose main goal is the planning and creation of ecosystems intended to be sustainable and self-sufficient. This approach is slowly but continuously attracting people looking for a new balance between everyday life and the need to respect and protect our Earth. It proposes an evolution model based on a more balanced […]

Tips for an Ecological Holiday in Tuscany and Liguria

Laura and her family want to go on holiday. She has been working all year long and she is looking forward to have a break but she is not willing to give up the things that are important to her: respect for the environment, slow travel, limited use of the car, organic food and a quiet […]

Traveling the world with a backpack for 3 years

Traveling the world with just a backpack never boarding on a plane? Though difficult, it is not imposssible and this young Italian banker did over the last 3 years. Claudio Pelizzeni graduated at one of the best Italian university in North Italy and immediately landed a great job at a prestigious bank institution in Milan, […]

Ever thought of Brianza for your Autumn week ends?

Brianza is a small area just north west of Milan, Italy. Well known for its excellence in wood furniture craftmanship, few will consider it as an ideal place to spend these lazy September week ends in nature. How wrong we are. Ecobnb found 5 itineraries to add your last summer week ends a “green touch” […]

Bycicle and the city: how ten cities are promoting urban mobility on bicycle

The Guardian, the British newspaper, asked its readers what are the cycle friendliest cities. The result was a flow of images and comments from all over the world. Let’s start our tour and discover the cities which are promoting “bicycle” as a sustainable means of transport from Melbourne in the far Australia to Amsterdam, the […]

3 off beaten trails in Sicily: the wild East and Nebrodi mountains

The Nebrodi mountains, also known as Caronie, stretch from the northeast coast of Sicily to the park of the vulcan Etna on the south east coast of the island. The name seems to come from a Greek word meaning “deer” and it may refer to the numerous deer living in the area at the times […]

10 funny facts about Venice you did not know!

Do you think you know everything about Venice ? Here are 10 funny facts you need to know to say that you really know everything about Venice. 1. The wandering spirits of Venice Venice is the island of love, lovers and of the wandering spirits as well. They seem to have trouble leaving this romantic city […]

When women dream of a better world and biodiversity is at risk

“When a woman has a dream, she usually turns it into a project and copes with its problems in a very concrete and direct way. That’s exactly the approach the Yves Rocher Foundation is looking for.” These are the words of Marie Anne Gasnier, sposkeswoman for the Terre de Femmes Award. The Yves Rocher Foundation […]