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 »
There’s no region more noted and celebrated for its food than Emilia Romagna. Emilia Romagna is Italy’s gastronomic powerhouse. No small feat in a country known for its food culture. The region itself is well-off, happy, filled with cities with the highest quality of life in Italy. Modena, Bologna, Parma – each famed for its food and… Read more »
This post is for those of you traveling by car. Marco and I predominately travel Italy by car – it’s convenient and cheaper for us for travel in northern and central Italy – and on travel days we always, always have a lunch stop. (You can do it too! Driving in Italy: How to Take an… Read more »
One of the best ways to save money while traveling anywhere is to make your own meals. Luckily, a great way to get a feel for the local culture is visiting the town market. Go to see what’s for offer, what the prices are, what’s in season. Watch the locals to find out which stand is favored,… Read more »
“Wait,” my Italian father-in-law commanded, as I reached for a slice of cheese on the overflowing cheese platter. “Start with the brie, it’s the weakest. Then try this soft taleggio. After, the branzi and then you can finish with this gorgonzola,” he said, using his knife with a flourish to indicate each type of cheese…. Read more »
My first experience with Italian pizza was at a touristy joint in Pisa. As my mother, grandmother and I rested our feet after a visit to the Field of Miracles (that’s actually what it’s called) we all three openly gaped at a young girl, maybe 13, as she polished off an entire pizza. AN ENTIRE PIZZA. We were… Read more »
I sat with three close Italian friends and my Italian husband as they, some quite literally, rolled with laughter. “And then, and then,” my friend Marco said, gasping for breath between laughs, “They cooked the pasta for TWENTY MINUTES!” “It’s like cooking it in a pressure cooker!” my husband agreed. “I’ve heard that they add pasta… Read more »
There are few places better suited to a road trip than the beautiful sun-kissed Val d’Orcia. On trips to the area I’ve stopped in Siena, Monteriggioni, Buonconvento, Montalcino and Montepulciano. Each are a quintessential Tuscan town: small, gorgeous, filled with wine and perched on a hilltop. Siena being the only truly influential town in the area’s history. Dodging… Read more »
Winter in Northern Italy means bone-chilling humidity. The damp air seeps into our bones, making even the most virile young person feel achy, tired. Though life goes on at top speed with school and work, Christmas preparations, and twinkling lights that attempt to shine through the fog, there’s little to do to escape the heavy… Read more »
For me, travel throughout Italy is centered squarely on what I eat, where I eat, who I ate it with. My trip to Padova was no different. Padova is a city in Veneto, not far from Venice. It has a Venetian flair and great atmosphere. Often my “small city” stops are more about the atmosphere than a specific… Read more »
