I come from a landlocked state. The closest beach is at least eight hours away and honestly, I probably haven’t even been there. I love the water, but have no expertise when it comes to beach vacations. So, I had a lot to learn when I came to Italy. Here, the summer traditionally means a… Read more »

“You’re so lucky your baby is going to be born bilingual!” You can’t imagine how many times I heard that statement or something similar when expecting Adeline. Eventually, because I’m petty, I couldn’t stop myself from gently reminding people that babies aren’t born with any language. They have to acquire it, whether “native” or a second language. I… Read more »

Central Italy has a special place in my heart. It’s where I learned Italian and fell in love – both with Italy itself and my own Italian. Read: How to Marry an Italian. Every chance we get Marco and I make our way south of the Po River to explore Tuscany or hop among the… Read more »

These days Italy might have fiber optic internet, sushi and matcha, but it is still a very traditional country. Family still reigns supreme and dinner time is still sacred. In fact, I find that the vast majority of Italian’s traditions and have to do with food and their values can be found in the daily rituals… Read more »

Shaped like a half moon in the northwest of Italy, Liguria’s coastline stretches for more than 186 miles. Along that distance you can find imposing cliffs, minuscule bays and insanely elegant towns.  It’s spunky and rich, greedy but attractive. It’s also the closest sea that anyone in northern Italy can get to, and on the… Read more »

Liguria is a boomerang-shaped region hugging Italy’s Mediterranean coast in the north.  Occupying the strip of land between the sea and the Maritime Alps, Liguria has colorful seaside villages, lush, flower-filled vegetation and richly salty food.  Its capital city, Genoa, was a large maritime republic, wealthy and powerful thanks to its port and trade. Today, the region’s historic… Read more »

I’ve gone to Lake Como dozens of times. I’ve crisscrossed the lake on the ferry, enjoyed spritz’s lakeside and even popped a bottle of prosecco in a fishing boat offshore of Bellagio after a day on the water. And yet I had never actually visited the city of Como. We live much closer to the Lecco… Read more »

I had a wealth of fears about becoming a new mom when I was pregnant. Would the baby be healthy? Would I be able to make her happy? How would my life change? How would my relationship change? What if..? How, how how? What I didn’t expect was how isolating it can feel. See, we’re… Read more »

Italy’s geography is something special. A long peninsula, it has miles and miles of coastline and just happens to be crowned by the Alps. The Apennine Mountains run its length like a spine and in-between you have centuries of ruling city-states that have created totally unique cities. I always preach that there’s something for everyone… Read more »

Good news, travelers: no more worrying about rain in paradise! This year the hotels on Elba Island, the largest island of the Tuscan Archipelago, have teamed up to guarantee tourists refunds for rainy days on their May or September and October trips. Based on the new Elba No Rain initiative, if it rains for more than two… Read more »