Tourists regularly flock to Italy to enjoy its beaches and islands, they admire its historical cities – and of course they enjoy the food. Recently, they’ve been coming in far greater numbers, leaving some destinations overwhelmed. However, there are still places to visit that offer an escape from the crowds as well as stunning scenery. We’re talking lakes. But not Lake Garda, the huge body of water that nestles up against the Alps, busy with resort towns. And not celebrity-favourite Lake Como. Italy has dozens of secret smaller lakes that boast superb scenery, unknown to mass tourism, where locals get together on day trips and enjoy picnics. These are some of the best: Lake Turano One of the best-kept secrets of Lazio, the region around Rome, is Lake Turano. Visitors to Rome, many who wilt during the heat of the Eternal City’s fiery summers, have no idea that nearby lies an enchanted place that has the views, the history, the food and a welcome breath of fresh air. It wasn’t meant to be a vacation spot at first. When Benito Mussolini, Italy’s former dictator, ordered the construction of this artificial lake in the 1930s to supply water to nearby power plants, the last thing he expected was for it to turn into a weekend detox retreat for people longing for open spaces. Lago del Turano has an ideal location, close to the capital but far from the noise and chaos. Set in the wild countryside north of Rome and surrounded by hills, the location was once home to the Fallisci, an ancient tribe, before they were wiped out by ancient Romans. Free-roaming cows and sheep greet visitors along a road cut through a deep forest that leads to the lake. Once out of the woods, the mesmerizing scenery of the lake forces drivers to stop at a belvedere with benches to take in the view. The lake brims with giant carp that draw anglers from across Italy for fishing contests. Two picturesque towns of stone dwellings with panoramic balconies overlook lake Turano – the clifftop medieval Castel di Tora and the even more ancient Colle di Tora, sit right on the shoreline. There’s also a tall peninsula jutting out into the lake topped with an old monastery. The water is crystal clear and the pebble shores are dotted with beach facilities where one can rent dinghies, canoes, boats, or simply suntan and sunbathe in tropical-like waters. Just one metal bridge runs over the water connecting Castel di Tora to the main road. In winter, most holiday homes are shut and the narrow alleys are largely deserted apart from cats. In spring, locals spruce up their outdoor patios and socialize in the little piazza. Fresh fish is served at restaurant L’Angoletto, a stone cottage with an open panoramic veranda over the lake. Hotel Turano has cozy, no-frills lakefront rooms and a restaurant serving local specialties. Aerial view of the hilltop village of Castel di Tora on the lake of Turano in July 2021. (Davide Seddio/Moment Unreleased RF/Getty Images via CNN Newsource) Lake Scanno The most intriguing of all lakes however is Lake Scanno, the “pearl” of eastern Italy’s Abruzzo region, which is as beautiful as it is mysterious. Over the years, tales and myths have been spun about this deep green, heart-shaped lake that persist today, attracting scientists and paranormal investigators who try to find explanations to weird happenings that have long baffled locals. Surrounded by the Apennines mountain range, it is said this natural lake, named after the overhanging village above, has magical powers. Locals believe the lake is alive and some have previously reported unusual phenomena such as shattering light bulbs, exploding TV screens and ceiling lamps dancing as if a small earthquake had just struck. They also tell stories of other unexplained events: sudden water level drops, divers compasses going berserk and dead fish and even long-lost World War II weapons floating on the surface. There’s said to be a mysterious unidentified object buried in the lake bed. Lake Scanno’s unusual atmosphere is almost palpable. In the heady days of summer, the sense of mystery hangs in the warm air. Despite its green colour, caused by harmless algae in the water, bathing is permitted here as is windsurfing. The lake is also ripe for exploration, with a “Path of the Heart” trail that circles its banks and takes in a church, said to be a site of miracles, and an old hermitage. Along the shores there is a beach kitted out for summer bathing. There are mountain bike trails and it’s possible to rent rickshaws, rowing boats and canoes. Other facilities include a children’s playground, and a parking area for campers. Lakefront Agriturismo Miralago is a farm and B&B, where horses roam free. It serves traditional dishes like tagliatelle with wild boar. The village of Scanno, a puzzle of lavish bourgeois mansions and humble shepherd dwellings decorated with bright flower pots, is a must-see. Lake Scanno is known for its unusual phenomena. (Davide Pischettola/NurPhoto/Getty Images via CNN Newsource) Lake Iseo Located just a few miles from Milan, this picturesque spot formed from pure Alpine glacial meltwater is also a source of great sparkling wines, made from grapes grown on its banks. The lake has three islands. The two smallest are private while the largest, Montisola, a huge mountain sticking out of the deep blue water, is heaven for nature lovers. Here, visitors can rent canoes or fishing boats for a private tour of the lake. Another shoreside attraction is the brightly colored dwellings built for fishermen that stand on stilts over the edge of the water, among them restaurant Locanda al Lago, known for its fish dishes and the sardines hung on the dock to dry. Hotel Sensole is a lakefront Baroque palazzo that contains a gourmet bistro. Lake Nemi This small lake just beyond the southwestern suburbs of Rome is where locals flock for Sunday lunches with traditional porchetta pork sandwiches and heady red wines. They’re treading in the footsteps of their ancient predecessors. Back in the days of Roman empire, senators and wealthy families came here to relax in lavish retreats around Nemi’s shores, where succulent strawberries grow amid archeological ruins and dense forests. Sited among the Colli Albani hills on the edge of Rome, the lake is of volcanic origin and sits in an extinct crater. It’s accessible by foot along an old route that winds down from a village on the slopes above it that shares the lake’s name. Lakefront B&B Lago di Nemi is an old restyled farmhouse that rents out bicycles, while restaurant La Fiocina on the shore, serves fish specialties like fried whitebait with green peppers. Lake Orta Orta is one of the secret gems of Italy’s Piedmont region, usually overlooked by visitors who flock to the more touristy Lago Maggiore nearby. Created by a melting Alpine glacier, it’s a quiet idyll with picturesque villages, chapels and medieval towers along its banks. In the middle of Orta, the monastery island of San Giulio rises from the water. Alongside myriad biking and horseback riding trails, it’s possible to water-ski and even scuba dive in the translucent waters that lie off its pebble beaches. L’Approdo is a four-star lakefront hotel restaurant with a panoramic terrace and pool. Lake Trasimeno This shallow lake formed millennia ago by tectonic movements of the Earth’s crust is located in a less touristy part of Umbria, where just locals have holiday homes and shops in the overhanging village of Castiglione don’t sell the usual souvenirs. Trasimeno’s banks are dotted with medieval hamlets and wooden bridges that cross over the water that are great for birdwatching and sunset drinks. Beaches here rent out windsurf and kite equipment. B&B Dolce Dormire has cozy rooms in the ancient district of Castiglione, while La Casa di Campagna is a rural farm and tavern serving local specialties. Lake Trasimeno is located in a less-touristed part of Umbria region. (Christiana Stawski/Moment RF/Getty Images via CNN Newsource)

Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa — one of the most famous paintings in the world — is shrouded in mystery; from questions around the figure’s identity, to her puzzling, enigmatic expression. Now, at least one of the artwork’s secrets has been revealed, according to a geologist based in Italy. Ann Pizzorusso, who is both a geologist and an art historian specializing in Leonardo and the Renaissance era, believes she has deduced the location of the Mona Lisa using her geological expertise. Three decades ago, Pizzorusso visited the town of Lecco on the southeastern shore of Lake Como in Italy — where she believes the painting is set — to retrace Leonardo’s steps, armed with diary entries and drawings from the artist. “In his notebook he mentions being in Lecco,” she told CNN in a phone interview. “He was working as an engineer.” According to Pizzorusso, the project Leonardo was working on was cancelled, but his geological field sketches remained (one red chalk drawing of a mountain range near Lecco belongs to the Royal Collection at Windsor, London). While Pizzorusso is not the first to have theorized on the location of the Mona Lisa (in 2011, an art historian attributed the painting’s scenery to a small town called Bobbio, while another to Arezzo) she believes she is the first geologist. Previous calculations have concentrated on the arched bridge over the Mona Lisa’s right shoulder. However, Pizzorusso insists more can be gleaned from the unique rock formation in the horizon. “Bridges are fungible,” she said. “If you look in the background, you’ll see pinnacles. It’s a type of erosion that happens in limestone that has fractures in it and breaks off in blocks, almost like a sawtooth pattern… We can show limestone exists in (Lecco). When you look at the Mona Lisa, there’s a series of mountains in the background that have this sawtooth pattern.” Similarly, the body of water behind Mona Lisa is geologically specific, believed by Pizzorusso to be Lake Como — a subalpine glacial lake dating back around 10,000 years. “If you look behind her you have the elongated glacial lakes that have a particular form like fingers,” she said. “Because when the glacier moved it scoured out certain pieces of land.” Despite her confidence, Pizzorusso kept her inkling quiet for 30 years, telling only other Leonardo scholars in casual conversation. She returned to Lecco this week, still assured that “everything added up,” and will now present her findings at a geology conference in the town. While the pairing of earth science and art history may seem disparate, Pizzorusso argues the interdisciplinary approach can enrich the viewing experience of Leonardo’s work. “Botticelli, even Michelangelo did terrible backgrounds because they felt the figures were more important,” she told CNN. “If the background is painted right, it gives you more of an appreciation for nature.” Though Pizzorusso admits she is surprised at the widespread interest. “Maybe (Leonardo) was trying to channel me for the environmental movement or something,” she joked. “It’s a testament to how much people love this painting.” Pizzorusso believes Lake Como, the glacial lake dating back around 10,000 years, is in the background of the Mona Lisa. (titoslack/iStockphoto/Getty Images via CNN Newsource) But the discovery may only lead to more mystery. If the location is Lecco, as Pizzorusso suggests, more questions remain as to why the renowned painter chose that particular spot, for this particular portrait. “We don’t know who (Mona Lisa) is, some believe she was a rich Tuscan merchant’s wife,” she said, referring to a popular historical theory that proposes the figure was based on Italian noblewoman Lisa Gherardini. “Why did he put her in this wild, untamed environment? This is not Tuscany. What was he trying to tell us by putting this serene, enigmatic lady in this rugged, alpine environment?” Said Pizzorusso. “I’m really intrigued as to what his message was to us.”

Some people love to wash their car, and for others, it’s their most hated chore. It’s a necessity for car owners, so no matter where you fall on the love-hate spectrum, you want a car wash that’s going to give your car a deep clean that lasts. Automatic car washes are at almost any gas…

  When you take your car to the car wash, there are multiple add-ons available, and one common choice is spray-on wax. It may seem like it doesn’t make a difference, but there are some important benefits. And these benefits go beyond how shiny your will car looks. What Are the Benefits of Waxing Your…

Even when you are lucky enough to start with an empty room, it can be overwhelming to design an interior that you can enjoy for years to come. Following some basic interior design principles, you can transform your space into a relaxing room you will be comfortable and happy with. Decide what your focal point will be and build out from there.  For best results, keep proportion and scale in mind as you decorate as well as these tips!

 Deciding on Your Focal Point
Do you have a magnificent bay window with an incredible view?  Is there an ornate mantle that is the reason you fell in love with your home? Or is there something you absolutely MUST HAVE in the room? Situate your furniture around your chosen focal point to create balance and equilibrium. If your room does not already have an existing focal point, create one with oversized art or add an accent point like a free-standing fireplace, they come in a variety of sizes and styles. Symmetrically balance the room evenly so that both sides mirror one another.  This will help your chosen focal point stand out all the more! Use matching accent tables to flank your sofa or use different pieces of furniture to create a copacetic visual impact, like two similar armchairs to balance a sofa.
Repetition for Rhythm
Rhythm creates a flow and helps direct the eye to the differing visual elements in your room. Just as the notes of a favorite song repeat to create the rhythm, repetition in decor will create a rhythm throughout a home. Establish visual interests with a rhythm throughout your space by placing similar colours or patterns at intervals and repeat in artwork, cushions or area rugs.

Perfect Proportion and Suitable Scaling
Who doesn’t love a large, overstuffed chair? But if your room is on the smaller size it may look out of place and make your room seem even smaller than it is. Keep proportion in perspective. Proportion is the ratio between a piece of furniture and the size of a room. Scale is the size of a piece of furniture in relation to the other pieces of furniture in the room. A super large chair will overpower an apartment of loft size sofa or loveseat and create a sense of unbalance in the room.

Have your room humming harmoniously
Creating harmony will enhance how much you will continue to love your finished. Pull the room with a subdued colour palette for a pleasing, harmonious vibe.   together for a pleasing, harmonious look with a subdued color palette. You can also use a single colour for elements that vary in size and shape. Check out our blog on Doing White on White Right! for more tips!

What is the focal point in your room?  What is your best tip to find harmony and balance through your home?