The best way to get the most out of your trip to Italy is to prepare a bit in advance. That said, I know we’re all busy people and sometimes our trips sneak up on us before we’ve even had a chance to buy a guidebook. Let me help you. Below are some of my favorite articles, tips… Read more »

Recently Austin Kleon, author of Steal Like An Artist, linked in his newsletter to a piece about living with the seasons by Matt Thomas, writer of the Sunday NYTimes Digest (if you can follow that). It reflects on our typical thinking of time and suggests a better way to measure it: by seasons. He asks: “Should one… Read more »

Snapshots of Gubbio, Umbria: A glimpse of one of the oldest towns in Umbria. Perhaps one of the most characteristic towns in Umbria, Gubbio sits in the 21st-century with a firm hold onto its ancient past. Also known as the “city of fools,” there’s a lot to explore in this Medieval town, but its true beauty is… Read more »

Let’s talk a little bit about the north-south divide. Most countries have it. The food, culture, languages and economies of the north have nothing to do with those of the south in India, Argentina, Mexico, Italy. In some of these countries, both areas are accepted and prized. More often, however, an undercurrent of competition and entitlement… Read more »

I love road trips, but train travel in Italy is usually the best choice for travelers to the country. With extensive networks and generally inexpensive tickets, train travel in Italy is easy and convenient. Understanding all the options and booking tickets online, less so. I realized just how daunting the task can be after trying to explain… Read more »

“Gina, are you boring?” my Italian cousin asked me, her eyes worried and sincere. After regularly repeating this question the next two weeks I lived with her I finally came to terms with the slip up. My sweet, odd Italian relative who I connected with via email was worried about my boredom, not inquiring about my personality. Anyone who has studied a… Read more »

Snapshots of Rome, Italy: A day in the Eternal City. It would take an eternity to truly understand Rome, to explore its cobblestone alleyways, to get lost in the nooks and crannies of every park, boulevard and museum. History seeps into the stones that build the city, each step superimposed atop another’s. Unfortunately, most of us don’t… Read more »

If the Alps splay across northern Italy like a crown atop a queen, then the Dolomites in the northeast are the crown jewels.   They’re known in the news for the difficult WWI battles described in Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms, for the caveman recently found frozen in its glaciers and for the challenging via ferrata, an iron spiked path guiding intrepid hikers… Read more »

 … is on the Amalfi Coast. Positano, the world-famous village on the Amalfi Coast known for its lemons, steep stairs and overwhelming beauty, also happens to be the most expensive European summer destination according to a survey by Cheaprooms.co.uk. Ok, Ok, I admit, the surveyors don’t instill a lot of trust, but without any scientific research at all,… Read more »

It’s summer and everyone is on the coast. In Milan, that coast is undoubtedly Liguria. Approximately a 2-hour drive from the city, it’s the Milanese weekend destination of choice to escape the sticky heat of the city. The Italian Riviera has a lot to offer a visitor: geriatric towns to discoteca filled cliffside retreats; the submerged Christ… Read more »