News

Luke Combs’ “What You See is What You Get Tour” coming to Appalachian State May 2, 2020

As part of his 2020 tour highlighting his new album, the country music star will be performing at Appalachian State’s Kidd Brewer Stadium this May!

Combs, who is from Charlotte, went to Appalachian State in college so he is honoring it by making it the venue of his first outdoor stadium show. This should make the concert a very special and festive spectacle.

In addition, special guests Ashley McBryde and Drew Parker will be featured as well. Put together, it should be an incredibly fun night for those of all ages to enjoy. 

Black Bears on Grandfather Mountain

Bear Photo Trail
Hopefully this is the only bear you’ll encounter along a trail!

There’s more to do on Grandfather Mountain than hike the trails. One of the most enjoyable activities on Grandfather Mountain is visiting the environmental habitats. Environmental habitats are large enclosures built around the natural habitat which enable visitors to view animals in natural settings. 

One of the most impressive animals found in one of the habitats, and all throughout the mountain, are black bears.

Black bears are the smallest, and most common bears in North America. They have better sight and hearing than humans. And their sense of smell is seven times greater than that of a dog.

Their diet primarily consists of various kinds of vegetation. Their animal diet normally consists of  insects such as birds and ants. They do in fact like to eat honey. On the pacific coast where salmon are abundant, they will fish for them at night as the salmon are able to see them otherwise.

Enjoyably on Grandfather Mountain, there is a wildlife habitat just for Black Bears so you can view them safely in their natural environment. So next time you’re visiting Grandfather Mountain take some time to visit the bear habitat!

Ice Skating

While many enjoy coming to Boone for skiing and snowboarding, many may also be looking for other winter activities which are less strenuous or as a break from skiing. What the ski resorts in the area offer in addition to skiing fits that billing: ice skating rinks.


Beech Mountain has an 7,000 square foot outdoor ice rink located in the Resort Village. It is family friendly and is open to those of all ages. The skating sessions are 2 hours which cost $18 on the weekdays and $20 on the weekend. This includes skate rental. The sessions start every 2 hours and tickets can be purchased at the site 2 hours before the sessions start. 

Appalachian Ski Mountain also has an outdoor ice skating rink which had a refrigerated ice floor and is fully lighted for skiing at night. While the ice skating rink is normally open from noon till 9pm, on New Years Eve and President’s Day Saturday, they are open till 11:30.

Beech Mountain has a 10,000 square foot outdoor ice rink located near the “D” parking lot. Sessions are 1 hour and 30 minutes at length and begin at 10am and every 2 hours after until 8pm. Tickets go on sale 1 hour prior to the start of session.

Boone in Winter

You may not consider areas in the South when planning your next skiing or snowboarding vacation this winter. And it’s true many of us moved to the South to escape the long, cold, dark winters in the northeast areas of the country. However Boone’s climate and its proximity to Charlotte and the Raleigh-Durham areas of North Carolina makes it a great option for a skiing, or snowboarding vacation. Not only that but if you live ever further south, such as in Florida, you can be in the mountains and ready to ski in a day’s drive. With 3 ski resort areas plus Hawk’s Nest for snowtubing there are some great options for the winter sports enthusiast. Or, if you prefer hiking, or sightseeing by car, Boone is off the Blue Ridge Parkway. Explore the overlooks and trails all along this scenic highway. Not to leave out those less inclined to outdoors in the winter, nearby Blowing Rock offers shopping and restaurants. Need a place to stay during your visit to Boone? Kradel’s Kabins has 3 great cabin rentals. Check availability now.

Tanglewood Cabin after a light snow

Unforgettable Vignanello garden tour in Lazio

Our villa in Lazio is a great place to discover and enjoy the water life – beachfront, mountains and lots of fresh air. However, if you also want to some some magnificent places of gardens, you’ll love the garden tour near our Lazio’s villa.

A rewarding half-day trip from Bolsena, this labyrinth of immaculately clipped box hedges has resisted the vagaries of garden fashion to come down to us unchanged from the early 17th century. Sounds quite attractive for you, isn’t it?

Hidden in the 12 parterres are the initials of the garden’s founder, Ottavia Orsini, and her sons. The current owner is simpatica Princess Claudia Ruspoli, personally guides visitors around the garden which she has restored and put into her work a lot of passion. Tours, which also take in her castle home, Castello Ruspoli, take place on Sundays from April to the end of October.

Groups can visit by appointment at other times too.

Special discounts for Italian castles tour!

There is something special about Italian castles and you can see it with your own eyes! And if you stay in one of our villas, we have something very interesting to offer you – we have partnered up with several tour operators and are ready to provide you with some special discount offers.

One of the most exhellent tours is Castello di Torrechiara – Torrechiara it is a wonderful castle with an incredible view close to Parma and Piacenza. Lady HAWKE with Michelle Pfeiffer and Rutger Auger was shoot here and you will recognize a lot of spots if you know well the movie.

Another castle you can visit it Castello di Rivalta – The castle and the medieval village belong to the Zanardy Landi family, a branch of the Landi familily that owns the castle since the 13 th century.The castle is open for guided tours – you can visit the honour room , dining room, copper kitchen , wine cellar, prisons, bedrooms,tower realized by Pietro Antonio Solari.

One more beautiful castle is Rocchetta Mattei – a very interesting and mysterious castle. This castle was built in 10th century by Dr. Mattei, a very strange doctor: he was interested and expert in alternative medicine as well in occultism so the castle is full of symbols related to different religions and to Freemasonry.

All of these castles are close to you if you stay in our villa and book a tour with us.