Florence is a city that fits in your pocket. The historic center is barely a kilometer and a half across, and every major sight is within a twenty-five-minute walk of every other one. You can cross the Arno in five minutes, climb a hill for the best view in Tuscany, and still be back in … Read more
Tuscany is not a place you see. It is a place you move through. The difference sounds small, but it changes everything about how you experience the region. If you treat Tuscany as a series of destinations, you will spend your days arriving and leaving, and the hours in between will blur into a haze … Read more
Procida is the smallest of the three main islands in the Bay of Naples, a speck of land that measures just over one and a half square miles. It is often overlooked in favor of its more glamorous siblings, Capri and Ischia, and that is precisely its charm. While the other islands have been transformed … Read more
Ischia sits in the Gulf of Naples, a short ferry ride from the chaos of the city, yet it feels like a world away. While its more famous sibling Capri gleams with polished sophistication and draws crowds by the boatload, Ischia moves at a different pace. It is the largest island in the gulf, a … Read more
The first time I stepped onto Sardinian soil, I knew I was somewhere different. It wasn’t just the clarity of the water or the rugged beauty of the landscape—though both are jaw-dropping. It was something in the air. A sense that this island, a world away from mainland Italy, follows its own rhythm, its own … Read more
While some people love Tuscany for the countryside, my favorite thing in Tuscany is the towns and cute little villages. And Volterra is one such place. Perched dramatically on a ridge of high sandstone cliffs, this ancient town commands sweeping views over the Sienese hills and the Val di Cecina. While its more famous neighbors … Read more
Pienza is often called the “touchstone of Renaissance urbanism,” and for good reason. In 1459, Pope Pius II, born Enea Silvio Piccolomini, decided to transform his birthplace, the village of Corsignano, into a showpiece of Renaissance ideals. He entrusted the project to the architect Bernardo Rossellino, who worked under the influence of the great Leon … Read more
There’s a reason Sorrento has captured the hearts of travelers for centuries. Perched high on tuff cliffs overlooking the impossibly blue Bay of Naples, this sun-drenched town offers more than just limoncello and sweeping views. It sits at the very crossroads of some of Italy’s most spectacular destinations. From the moment you step onto your … Read more
There are train journeys, and then there is the Bernina Express. This is the one that makes you forget about your phone, press your face against the glass like a child, and utter the same phrase over and over: “Look at that.” My wife, who usually spends long journeys with her nose in a book, didn’t turn … Read more
One of the great joys of staying in Milan is realising that some of Italy’s most enchanting destinations are just a short train ride away. Within an hour or two, you can trade the sleek skyscrapers and busy boulevards for serene lakes, medieval hilltops, or the romantic streets of Shakespeare’s Verona. The beauty of these … Read more