We’ve all had that impossible dinner-party question dropped in our lap: Beatles or Stones? Ford vs. Ferrari? Pizza in Naples or pizza in Rome? For art lovers in Italy, the heavyweight title fight comes down to two sculptors who worked about 150 years apart—Michelangelo and Bernini. Both were geniuses. Both changed marble from a cold rock into something … Read more
After a few intense days exploring the Colosseum and tossing coins into the Trevi Fountain, my wife and I were ready for a different kind of Italian magic—the kind that comes with lemon trees, cliffside villages, and the sound of waves lapping against pastel houses. The Amalfi Coast is that dream. But getting there from … Read more
So Italy is calling your name—the pasta, the art, the coastline. You haven’t (or you have) booked the flights yet, but you’re already dreaming of what to bring. But hold on—should you even pack a suitcase? Or would a backpack, a duffel, or a carry-on serve you better on those cobblestone streets, narrow staircases, and … Read more
Imagine waking up in Tuscany. The sun spills over hills stitched with vineyards and cypress trees. A church bell rings in the distance. The question isn’t if you’ll fall in love with this place, but where you’ll rest your head at night. Most travelers face the same delightful dilemma: should you stay inside a medieval village, rent your own … Read more
My wife and I have a rule when we travel through Italy. We never order the same wine twice in a row. This rule has led to some disasters. In a small trattoria outside Orvieto, I once ordered a local red that smelled like a barnyard and tasted even worse. My wife took one sip … Read more
Let me tell you something most guidebooks won’t. When my wife and I told friends we were spending a week in Naples, more than one person asked, “Isn’t it dangerous?” or “Why not just go to the Amalfi Coast instead?” They had it backwards. Florence is Italy’s art gallery. Rome is its museum. Venice is … Read more
There are 2 ways to explore the Amalfi Coast. You can stay in one of the towns, or you can opt for towns/cities outside the coast and make it your base for exploring the different towns, one at a time. Today I will focus on travellers who want to stay outside the coast. If that … Read more
I’ve learned a lot from traveling with my wife over the years. One of the simplest lessons came early: always pack a scarf. Not just any scarf, but a light, versatile one that can do about a dozen different jobs. In Italy, that little piece of fabric becomes a ticket into cathedrals, a shield against … Read more
I love Italy. All of it. I love the chaotic energy of Rome, where ancient ruins poke out of subway construction sites. I love the crumbling, soulful majesty of Naples, where pizza was born and life spills into the streets. I love Venice, that impossible floating dream, and the slow, elegant pace of Lake Como. … Read more
If you drive northwest from Siena for about forty minutes, through rolling hills quilted with vineyards and olive groves, a strange sight appears on the horizon. A cluster of stone towers rises from a hilltop like a handful of arrows shot into the sky. This is San Gimignano, and it feels like a medieval dream … Read more