I spent most of my days in Rome just walking around the beautiful, timeless city in awe. However, believe it or not, I was getting “bored” with my surroundings. I needed to get out of …
February 6, 2011
Italy
Doing Europe: Heading South, Monopoli, Italy
Intoxicating Florence, Italy
I arrived in Florence early morning on the train after leisurely working my way up via Rome, Capri, Pompeii, Siena, Assisi, Umbria and Tuscany. On my first visit to Europe, I’d now traveled through several …
January 24, 2011
Pontassieve, Italy: Where Wine Lovers Go
Bombed into near oblivion during World War II by Allied planes because of its importance as a railway junction, the Tuscan town of Pontassieve is back on the radar again, this time for its fantastic …
December 16, 2010
Doing Europe: Pompeii, Italy
After spending significant time in Prague, Czech Republic in 2000, Jesse and I were itching to go south to the Italian beaches, and decided to take a grueling 26-hour bus ride from Prague to Naples. …
December 2, 2010
Cinque Terre, Italy
Nestled along a rugged stretch of Mediterranean coastline, Cinque Terre is a collection of five towns overlooking the Ligurian Sea. The towns are linked together by a train that runs often, transporting you quickly from …
Rome (in a Day)
“I love it here but after a while we get a little tired of seeing all these naked statues,” a Midwest couple confided to me about their first trip to Rome. I had already decided …
March 24, 2010
Modena, Italy: Balsamic Vinegar Heaven
A foodie just learning balsamic’s tasty lineage, I visited one of the many countryside balsamic vinegar producers while in Modena, Italy, home to multiple UNESCO World Heritage sites. In the nearby village of Sorbara, as …
January 26, 2010
Living Like a Local in Venice
My infatuation with the city of Venice could be considered the longest love affair of my life. It began when I was just a teenager; I arrived by train during my high school student exchange …
December 23, 2009
Zagarolo, Italy
Zagarolo, Italy, an authentic Italian village nestled in a wine region just above Rome, is yet to be discovered by tourists. Leaving the historic city of Rome was difficult, but once I ventured east by …
Carnival Masks and Where to Eat & Stay in Venice, Italy
Want to relive 18th-century Venice? If you visit Venice along with thousands of other tourists during Carnival, you’ll experience one of the world’s irresistible attractions. Walkways are filled with crowds of mask-wearing characters headed to …
The Palio, Siena, Italy
Shoulder to shoulder, hour after hour, you stand amongst thousands, waiting. Weeklong celebrations are at their medieval historic peak. The horses approach the starting line: a deafening roar from the crowd. The honor belongs to …
Caffetteria Italia, Rome, Italy
Chill out at Caffetteria Italia, to the east of the massive Victor Emanuel Monument in Rome’s busy Piazza Venezia. Just walk behind Palazzo Nuovo on top of the Campidoglio, southeast of the monument. It's a …
August 20, 2009
Grosseto, Tuscany, Italy
Grosseto, in the Maremma area of Tuscany, dates back to the 7th-century B.C. Etruscans, the “first great people of Italy.” Local attractions include remains of two important Etruscan cities, Roselle and Vetulonia. Massa Marittima (51 …
August 6, 2009
Rebel to Vintner
I can't tell you how it came to pass that the Italian winemakers Mario Schiopetto, Giacomo Bologna, and Maurizio Zanella joined Italian gastronomic giant Luigi Veronelli on a trip to America in 1981, a trip …
It's Hard to Leave
I scanned the line of buses that had just arrived at the stop through my too-big designer rip-off sunglasses that let me pass for Italian when I wear them. The 14C pulled up, probably late, …
May 28, 2008