Perugia is small, so you can easily tour it like any small town: Start in the main piazza, see the duomo, take a walk and eat some food. But this time, you’d be missing out.  It seems like all roads lead to Piazza IV Novembre and from there you can see most of Perugia by walking down its… Read more »

If Umbria is the green-heart of Italy, Perugia is the bullseye at the heart of Umbria. An ancient Etruscan settlement, the fortified city center sits atop a hill with a spiderweb of streets, an inviting central piazza and sweeping views across the valley. The city’s university – one of the oldest in the region –… Read more »

How to make a list when your dream is to see it all? In 2018 I made an Italy Travel Wish List based on momentary inspirations. We made it to the Isole Borromee with a wonderful late-summer day-trip and have a trip to Palermo planned for March! Though we didn’t get to Bologna we did travel in Emilia Romagna,… Read more »

Italy has everything. It has the sea and the mountains, the hills and the plain. It has lakes and rivers and forests and national parks. It has incredible ancient borghi and larger cities that have managed to enter the modern age with a firm hold on their ancient pasts. It has Medieval castles, Renaissance art and even contemporary… Read more »

There are hundreds of coffee guides, pages of general rules and traveler manifestos, lists of places to see and cultural guides for Italy. Even at this blog! But there’s one piece of advice that I never see, though I’ve experienced it time and time again: Make restaurant reservations ahead of time In big cities like… Read more »

Lately my travels in Italy have been small. I mean really small. Not only are the trips brief, maybe a day, at most a weekend, but we tend to hit villages, towns, at most a very compact city. Marco and I have seen most of the big sights in central and northern Italy. What really charms… Read more »

If you’re going to come to Italy in the winter, I strongly suggest making it at Christmastime. Read: Why December is a Great Time to Visit Italy But it’s certainly not the only time. January and February isn’t as carefree as a gorgeous spring vacay, but let’s remember:   Any time you can come to Italy… Read more »

These Italy Travel Resolutions are  suggestions on destinations, mentalities and experiences to try.  Each year there is something else for us to check out, explore, aspire to. Why not learn a bit of Italian? Why not try a new region? A new food? A new form of transportation? Few people are strangers to Italy, so it’s… Read more »

Italy’s culture of artisanal, quality craftsmanship is unlike any in the world.  One of the best things you can do while in Italy is buy local, handmade items. Not only do they support the local economy, but they’re sure to be higher quality than the knick-knacks and souvenirs from who-knows-where. Whether leather or mosaics, glass… Read more »

It’s impossible to fully understand pregnancy until you’ve been pregnant. We all have an idea, but beyond that there’s really no preparing. I spent hours with my £36 What to Expect When You’re Expecting book shipped from the UK to my otherwise-Italian speaking home, desperately searching for answers. Is that normal? What about that? Holy hell what… Read more »