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This week’s travel news roundup features Italy furious over ‘fake’ carbonara, wildlife comedy award winner revealed, and fake tourist attractions designed to please tourists.
Juliet’s House in Verona, Italy is one of the city’s most popular tourist attractions, even though Romeo and Juliet never existed except in William Shakespeare’s head.
The 14th-century building (at least contemporary) was acquired by the Verona city authorities in 1905, and with the addition of a balcony and a statue of Juliet, it was transformed into a romantic shrine to the imaginary lovers.
After taking a selfie on the balcony, which none of the Capulets lamented, it is customary for tourists to pat Juliet’s breasts for good luck. This is another courtship ritual that I wish didn’t exist in the 14th century. (A similar problem has occurred in Dublin, where tourists grope statues of the fictional fishmonger Molly Malone.)
As Verona was experiencing a tourism boom, the crowds in the courtyard became so out of control that city authorities suspended free admission during the festival. From Dec. 6 to Jan. 6, visitors can peek inside Juliet’s House and Museum only if they purchase a $14 ticket.
But Verona’s blockbuster tourist attraction is by no means the only one with an inauthentic beginning.
Take a look at Iceland’s famous Blue Lagoon. There are plenty of natural hot springs in this country, but none are as convenient to airports as the man-made lagoons, and they even have swim-up bars.
Similarly, Asia is full of ancient Buddha statues, but Hong Kong’s super popular “Big Buddha” was built in the 1990s.
Whether influenced by popular culture or simply chosen as a convenient location, there are plenty of places built just for visitors, cameras, and, of course, wallets.
Most Italians already believe their food is the best in the world, and now UNESCO has confirmed it. Italy’s national cuisine, as an entire gastronomic style, has been recognized for the first time as an “intangible cultural heritage” by the United Nations’ cultural agency.
The move comes as Italy continues its fight against “fake” Italian food, such as the Belgian “carbonara sauce” made with unconventional ingredients that recently caused outrage in Italy when it appeared in a shop at the European Parliament.
If you want to know how carbonara is actually made, look no further than the work of 84-year-old Italian grandmother Nonna Silvi. She has millions of followers on social media and was just named Italy’s TikTok “Creator of the Year”.
She told CNN about her favorite dish and the one ingredient she can’t live without.
Italian grandma shares recipes on TikTok and gathers millions of followers
lost item found
Airlines typically take three to four months to return lost suitcases to their owners. If that’s not possible, in the United States, the bag is sold to Unclaimed Baggage, an Alabama store that claims to be the only retailer in the country for items from lost luggage.
Whether you’re looking for left-handed kitchen shears, a papier mache Tinker Bell, or even a satin and lace wedding dress, you might find it among the clothes, shoes, books, and electronics that line the 50,000-square-foot space.
Transport for London’s lost and found warehouse in the British capital receives more than 5,000 new items every week, from phones to cooked frogs. Less than one in five items is recovered, and the rest are auctioned or donated.
How this Swiss luxury hotel can help you get a better night’s sleep for just $10,000
Destinations around the world are capitalizing on the sleep tourism trend. CNN’s Barry Nield visited Schnott Palace Wegis, a famous wellness area in Lucerne, Switzerland, to see if personalized treatments can help improve your sleep.
prestigious award. No social media. devastating flood.
What do you remember about that week?
The winners of the Comedy Wildlife Awards have been announced.
A gorilla high-fiving.
Forget Christmas.
Sicily is already thinking about Easter.
It was once the capital of Cambodia.
It is now a city of the dead.
