After months of impatient waiting it finally happened. Spring had been announcing its arrival slowly but steadily. It had been unfolding like a Christmas calendar that, instead of chocolate, gave me a new leaf along with a new shade of green [...]
By Daria Radler I am walking along a gravel road that zigzags through the woods. The atmosphere feels unimposing, though one of Tuscany’s most important castles waits at the top of the hill. Here and there, a sign points to a supposed shortcut. 600 […]
By Daria Radler I am walking on a typical “white road” surrounded by light forests and occasional clearings that offer phenomenal views over the rolling hills of the Chianti landscape. It is the middle of April and, in the heart of Tuscany, spring is […]
By Daria Radler “Qui va piano, va sano e lontano.” — an Italian proverb An old man sits on a wooden folding chair next to the entrance of a cafe. He picks up the newspaper, puts it back down and gazes at the people […]
The neighborhood of Rome’s Trastevere sits on the west bank of the Tiber River. A series of bridges connect it with Centro Storico, the historical center of mankind’s most powerful civilization. In these last 2,000 years, Trastevere (from the term “attraverso il Tevere” or […]
He was a rebel at a time when the public bowed at the knee of the Catholic Church. He was a carouser, a brawler and, indeed, a murderer. But Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio was also a genius, a master of shadow and light. And […]
Many paths criss-cross the Cinque Terre, among them one named “The Way of the Sanctuaries” (La Via dei Santuari or alternatively, La Strada dei Santuari). As the name suggests, this path connects together the villages’ special sanctuaries, adding a spiritual element to what is […]
Italy has fabulous hiking trails, from the volcanos of Sicily to the Alps of Alto Adige. But no place else in Italy can you take a walking tour of the third-oldest city in the world. Matera, located in the heart of the lightly trodden […]
Italy has fabulous hiking trails, from the volcanos of Sicily to the Alps of Alto Adige. But no place else in Italy can you take a walking tour of the third-oldest city in the world. Matera, located in the heart of the lightly trodden […]
The Amalfi Coast sits on a peninsula sticking out into the Tyrrhenian Sea like a tongue mocking the rest of the world. Few places on earth are as magical as this region. Quaint hotels hanging on high cliffs dipping into the cobalt blue water. […]
Spanning 440 km (270 miles), the Alta Via of the Ligurian Mountains is one of the longest trails in Italy. It starts from the western edge of Liguria, near the border with France, and finishes in the southeast corner at the border with Tuscany. [...]
Does walking on a Sentiero degli Dei (lit. "Path of the Gods") — namely, the ancient Greek gods — sound like a farfetched idea for a holiday hike? According to legend, it's entirely possible, at least on the Amalfi Coast's aptly named trail. The [...]
When in 2013 the New York Times included Vernazza, Cinque Terre (lit. "Five Lands"), in its list of the top 20 destinations to visit in the world, the village was still recovering from the flood and mudslide that had hit it two years before. The [...]
On the second day of our self-guided walking holiday on the Amalfi Coast, you descend on foot from the heights of Ravello into the town of Amalfi and soon find yourself in the central piazza, dominated by the world-renowned Cathedral of Saint Andrea, otherwise [...]
If you're seeking to sample Tuscan specialties, you'd do well to start in Montalcino. While other towns and villages in the Val d'Orcia boast their own specialities, you'll find in Montalcino, aside from the ever present Brunello wine, the following delights. All Things Bread [...]
The British author Robert Macfarlane, in his famous book The Old Ways: A Journey on Foot (a must read for every walker) highlights the importance and the meaning of walking on tracks and roads that are many hundreds or even thousands of years old [...]
For centuries Amalfi has lured travelers hungry for sunlight and fresh sea air. Bathed in perennial summer, this corner of paradise combines the beauty of the sparkling Mediterranean Sea with a light that varies hour by hour, from dawn to twilight – an unequaled spot [...]
Bellagio, Italy is one of the charms of the northern regions nestled at the base of the Alps: a small village perched at the end of a long peninsula that juts out into Lake Como. This peninsula, as well as the lake itself, owe [...]
Positano, Italy immediately exerts its fascination the first time you see from afar its colorful cascade of houses and villas perched above the crystal blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea. And the fascination only deepens as you arrive in the town and begin to [...]
Dominating the Amalfi Coast from an altitude of 350m, Ravello sits atop a rocky spur dividing two deep valleys. Situated thus, the town serves as a terrace perched high over the sea, from which you can enjoy a stupendous panorama of the entire coastline as far as Calabria in the south and Capri to the north. From early in its history, Ravello became a symbol of the ideal place to live, work, and play, with famous artists, writers, musicians, and the idle rich choosing it as their preferred haunts.
Taking advantage of the rich Tuscan soil and its favorable climate, Etruscans first established a settlement high on a limestone ridge around the third century B.C. as evidenced by the tombs that have been excavated in the region ine which numerous remains of the Etruscans' typical black [...]
Of all the many villages in the Chianti Classico region, Castellina-in-Chianti probably offers the most abundant evidence of Etruscan presence going back to the 7th century B.C. Important archaeological excavations have uncovered an entire series of Etruscan villages and hamlets along an ancient road [...]
Although situated midway between the two important cultural centers of Florence and Siena, Greve-in-Chianti has retained its own unique character and architecture. A wide variety of historic residences, churches and castles built between the 5th and the 15th centuries remain in the town and [...]
The ancient Etruscan settlement of Montalcino, Tuscany is perched high on a hill with a commanding view of the valleys of the rivers Orcia, Asso and Ombrone. During its more than two millenniums of recorded history, the town has experienced much turmoil and strife. [...]
Pienza started out as a modest village surrounding the Castello di Corsignano, a castle built around the middle of the 8th century. But soon after Eneo Silvio de Piccolomini became Pope Pius II in 1458, he began to realize his ambitious plans for the place of his birth.
The first historical records of Radda date to 1003 (mention was made in an edict issued by Emperor Otto III), but human settlement in the region goes back to Etruscan times. Pottery shards and remains of stone houses found in the area attest to an original 6th century B.C. settlement. [...]
Traveling to and from Italy is relatively easy in regards to passports, visas and customs.
The what and how of packing your luggage for when you travel to Italy.
Information regarding the Euro, Italy's currency, and the bast ways of exchanging your own money for them.
How to prepare for your trip to Italy in regards to medical issues – and what to do during your trip if you have a medical emergency.
Information regarding public transportation in Italy, especially the use of trains and buses.
Public telephones in Italy have been pretty much supplanted by mobile phones (called telefonini, literally "little phones"). But in the rare cases you'll need one (and can find one), they are easy enough to use.
Learn about all the ins of eating out while traveling in Italy. Complete with a translated list of all the popular dishes.
A number of miscellaneous tips related to traveling in Italy grouped in sections for easy reference.
Guidebooks, history, memoir, books for foodies, movies and maps — you'll find them all here in our suggested reading list for your next trip to Italy.
Okay, so we mention a few more than ten places – but when there's so much to choose from it's hard to stop. In any case, these are hotels our clients have regularly reported back with good reviews,
We mention somewhat more than twenty hotels – but there's too many decent ones to choose from. Our clients regularly give these places top ratings.
For all you vegetarians traveling to Italy, here are a few much needed choices in Rome, Florence and Venice
The walk described below is one of the walks included in our Self-Guided Le Marche Hiking Tour. These are the actual instructions given to our clients when they take this tour.
Described is one of the walks included in our Self-Guided Tuscany Hiking Tour. These are the actual instructions given to our clients who take this tour.
How do Italians name their children? Generally speaking, there are three main categories of Italian names: Roman, religious, and "innovative". But perhaps even more important are the nicknames.
How do Italians traditionally get married? What's a wedding like in Italy? Find out from an insider.
Italian funerals: there's always one happening, they are very public events with an open invitation to attend, and sometimes, even if you didn't plan to go, you end up going – as you'll see from my story . . .
Welcome to the memories and musings of Ken Cosentino, our resident Siciliano who hails from upstate New York – but who's soul is rooted in the traditions of his parents' fatherland, Sicily. In his occasional postings, he takes us on a tour of what it's like to grow up with one foot in the United States and the other in the Old Country.
As an Italian-American living in New York, I've come to find that, though I may not be "right off the boat", I still have deep-rooted Italian traditions that serve as a basis for my everyday life. In actuality, I'm completely Sicilian and not Italian at all (that I know of). However, if you know your history, then you know that the Kingdom of Sicily is ruled by Italy, so I guess you could call me Italian. I don't mind it, though some Sicilians do.
My grandfather, whom I adoringly call my Papa, is possibly the most interesting character in my family. This may be hard to believe if you've ever met his wife, aka my Nana.
My grandfather had four brothers, of which he was the youngest. The brother who is the center of most family tales is not the oldest; but is definitely the most feared. His name was Blaze…or Benny for short.
