Home of one of the most well known ancient empires in the world, we don’t typically associate Italy with modern sights. Of course we come to Italy to see the ancient monuments, the chiaroscuro in Renaissance art and Medieval hill towns. But. But Italy didn’t end when the ancient Roman’s lost power. It didn’t end… Read more »

Though Italy is ground zero for ancient empires, warring gods and further along Renaissance art and innovations, its culture doesn’t stop with da Vinci. Actually,Italy is a gold mine of modern and contemporary art and there are museums and exhibits found throughout the peninsula. The best place to find all that modern art? Milan.  A… Read more »

Lake Como is home to glitz and glamour. Traditional wealth in villas and new money with flashy boats. It’s about wonderful towns that evolved from fishing villages, small to medium companies that grew the Made in Italy brand and Prosecco on the water. But it’s not typically a lake chosen for adventure. Leave that to the… Read more »

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 »