The GypsyNesters

Summer is close and with it the long-awaited beach holidays. So why not think about the sea in Italy? Beautiful, clean, and, in some cases, unknown, the Italian sea is a palette of cobalt blue and aquamarine, with endless shade of blue and turquoise. Are you looking for holidays in Italy near the sea? Well, the Italian peninsula is dotted with coves, bays and beaches among the most beautiful in the world,  just waiting to be explored.

Baia dei Saraceni, Liguria

Baia dei Saraceni is certainly one of the most beautiful places in Liguria. Next to the road that runs along the coast between Finale Ligure and the pretty village of Vaigotti you can reach this small bay. Fabulous colours, clear water and breathtaking cliffs; you can’t help but stop. Baia dei Saraceni is really a fantastic destination, ideal for those who want to sunbathe or swim surrounded by incredible vegetation, is among the most picturesque tourist areas of Liguria and moreover it is completely free.

Zingaro Nature Reserve, Sicily

Greeks and Latins called it “Cetaria” for the large quantity of tuna in its sea. We want to call it “wonder” for its crystal clear waters, among the most beautiful in Italy. We are talking about the wonderful Zingaro Nature Reserve, that stretch of Sicilian coast that extends for 7 km from San Vito lo Capo to Castellammare del Golfo. An explosion of plants and flowers for an uncontaminated nature inhabited by wild animals and overlooking the blue sea of Sicily. One of its most spectacular coves, legendary and crowded because of its beauty is Tonnarella dell’Uzzo.

CALA GOLORITZE, SARDINIA

If the paradise on earth had a known shape it would be this: flat indigo water, rocks with a shape imitating strange figures and stone legends. In the municipality of Baunei, in the province of Ogliastra, Cala Goloritze is sheltered from prying eyes and the prerogative of bathers less lazy. To conquer paradise, arm yourself with spirit and courage.

The suggestive path of about an hour’s walk passes through an old mule track once used by charcoal burners, beaten by the sheer sun. You can also check apartments for rent in Italy near the sea.

San fruttuoso, Liguria

Remaining in Liguria, another wonderful beach, much loved also by Italians is that of the Abbey of San Fruttuoso, located on the promontory of Portofino, in the municipality of Camogli. The bay where the pebble beach opens, washed by the crystal clear emerald sea, is dominated by the picturesque medieval abbey and closed by the rocky ridge of the promontory covered with Mediterranean vegetation. You can arrive here only by sea, with transports organized by Camogli or Portofino. The beach of San Fruttuoso is Blue Flag.

Spargi Island, La Maddalena, Sardinia

In the ranking of the 7 most beautiful beaches in Italy, conquering the first place, the incredible Cala Corsara, beach located on the island of Spargi, in the archipelago of La Maddalena, in front of the northern coast of Sardinia. This would be the perfect spot where to rent your holidays apartment in Italy.

The beach opens onto a cove located on the southern coast of Spargi, an island west of La Maddalena. Cala Corsara offers a dreamlike setting, with its white sand beach and granite rocks, which rise behind the beach, forming curious pointed points covered with Mediterranean vegetation. The sea is fabulous, transparent and crystal clear with colors ranging from turquoise to all shades of blue and blue. A marvel not to be missed.

San Vito Lo Capo, Sicily

A wonderful, typically Sicilian setting for the fabulous beach of San Vito lo Capo.

This tourist location with magnetic charm for families and couples is located not far from the airport of Trapani. Centuries of Arab influence have left their mark on local cuisine. The couscous is the main specialty, to it is dedicated an important annual event the Cous Cous Fest.

Spiaggia dei Conigli, Lampedusa, Sicily

We find in addition the island of Lampedusa with its Conigli beach. It is really difficult to find the right words to describe the feelings that this precious destination manages to convey to the lucky people who visit it. Not by chance, she was elected by TripAdvisor the most beautiful in the world, beating the competition of Playa de Ses Illetes or Playa Flamenco. From the photos you could mistake it for a Caribbean area, but this Mediterranean jewel is in Italy!

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It’s difficult being a consumer these days. Nobody wants to waste money, but there are a multitude of marketing messages popping just about everywhere in our lives, which makes it difficult to know what’s worth buying and what is just hype.

All too often, though, the more research you do, the more you come away thinking that all the products are largely the same. You’re basically buying a commodity with a logo — sometimes at twice the price of another option.

The world of outdoor clothing and gear, however, still has a wide variety of products. Yes, many companies now sell items like down jackets, raincoats, tents and hiking boots. But they are far from commodities. Each can have a different application for a specific type of user, and there are usually major differences in quality, features and price.

When should you pay more? Which features will actually improve your experience? In short, what should you be looking for before investing your hard-earned money in outdoor apparel and equipment? Here are three reasons to invest in better outdoor gear.

1. Quality and Durability

Uninitiated consumers tend to be penny wise and pound foolish. But when it comes to spending on outdoor products, going the more frugal route can be significant. For example, if you buy a cheap food processor and it fails, you’ll have to chop that onion by hand.

But if the wall of discount tent you bought rips en route to or during your camping trip, then you’re either sleeping in a puddle or snuggling up with a horde of mosquitoes. Are you really willing to take such a risk just to save a few bucks?

Similarly, if your only goal is to not get wet during an hour-long storm on the trail, you can cut a few holes in a trash bag and wear that around. But while that would work in a pinch, it isn’t a comfortable or viable long-term solution, as thin plastic rips easily and traps so much body heat that you may get as wet from sweat as you would from the downpour.

Given all this, it’s no surprise those who venture into the wilderness regularly are more than happy to pay a bit more for a tent that won’t tear the first time a pinecone falls and forego that 50-cent trash bag in favor of a rain jacket that will perform for years.

2. Cutting-Edge Technology

The outdoor gear world has long been locked in an arms race to produce better apparel and equipment. At this point, avid consumers simply expect world-class durability and build quality from the gear they buy.

The battleground has instead become about innovation. Companies are devoting billions of dollars for research and development in areas such as synthetic down, textile strength and weather resistance.

But industry leader Columbia has always been on the cutting edge when it comes to outdoor and adventure apparel. In recent years, the company has developed and deployed technology such as TurboDown insulation, which offers an optimal warmth-to-weight ratio, as well as OutDry layers that remain waterproof in fierce storms without sacrificing breathability.

Advanced features do tend to cost more than discount brand offerings. But the value is immediately clear to any hiker, skier or traveler who demands function, comfort and longevity from their gear. When the only thing between you and the elements is what you can carry on your back, you want to know you have the latest and greatest products on the market.

3. Weight Savings

Over the past decade, a growing number of hikers and campers have been focusing on weight. The momentum comes from a simple premise: The most pleasant way to walk through nature is with nothing on your back. But, since this isn’t a real possibility, you should try to cut out every unnecessary ounce.

Many within this “Ultralight Backpacking” community first moved toward minimalism in an attempt to reduce their pack weight. But this tactic invariably runs its course after you cut out the non-essentials. No matter how spartan you become, you will always need a pack, shelter, insulation for warmth, rain gear, first aid basics, food and water.

In response to this demand, the market is now full of no-frills backpacks, tarp tents and sleeping bags that weigh roughly one pound each. How can such vital equipment be so light and still withstand the elements? Simple: By using expensive materials and charging more to the consumer.

Many have no problem paying the extra cost. For those who love hiking and hate back pain, shelling out a few hundred dollars more for their whole kit is a no-brainer. This one-time extra expense is a justifiable investment into years — or even decades — of a vastly more enjoyable experience.

Better, Stronger, Lighter

For companies that hope to compete in this industry, the message must be heard loud and clear. If you aren’t getting better, well, you better be getting lighter. And no matter what, your apparel needs to stand up to whatever nature can throw at it.

Because unlike the clothes and products used in other walks of life, outdoor gear is about function over frills. It can’t fail in the field, and it has to be comfortable.

With these goals in mind, more and more enthusiasts are willing — and even excited — to pay for quality when it comes time to spice up their adventure wardrobe. When the value is there, the right purchase become less of an expense and more of an investment.

We are happy to present this collaborative post to offer valuable information to our readers.