A lot has changed when it comes to payments in Italy. You can now use credit cards widely, but other contactless payment services like Venmo and ApplePay are less common around the country. That means that how much cash to bring to Italy really depends on the kinds of purchases that you plan to make. […]
Author Archives: Natalie
03
Aug
Aug
Italy has cautiously opened to tourism from EU countries and a select list of other countries including the US. However, if we have learned anything the last year it is how quickly requirements and rules can change. Now, a new rule is coming into effect that will be required to do just about anything once […]
29
Jun
Jun
I receive a lot of worried messages asking me if it is true that Italians NEVER drink cappuccino after 11 am, and what visitors can do if they really want that coffee fix later in the day. While there is no law in Italy that bans a cappuccino after 11 am, you really won’t find […]
24
May
May
If you have wandered slowly through Trastevere, there is a good chance that you may have stumbled upon Antico Caffe del Moro. If you have found it, then you have probably also taken a photo of the cafe’s old sign. If you did, you had good reason to. It is not simply photogenic – the […]
21
May
May
Learning a new language is usually a lifelong process but that does not make it an impossible one. (Or at least that is what I am discovering having already lived in Rome for 10 years). There are always new ways to build understanding, learn new vocabulary, and stretch towards fluency. Depending on your goals, timeline, […]
16
May
May
Mario Draghi, the Prime Minister of Italy, and other government officials have recently announced a “Green Pass” for people hoping to travel to Italy from countries such as the United States. It was rumored that those who can show proof of vaccination, a negative test, or proof of recent recovery from COVID-19, can enter Italy […]
14
May
May
I was instantly charmed the first time I was handed the keys to my very first Italian apartment. The long skeleton key seemed implausible. It was about four inches high with two prongs and looked nothing like the serrated house keys of my childhood. These long skeleton keys remain the norm in Italy, where reinforced […]
02
May
May
I love to see that the Roman street food scene is alive and well even after so much upheaval in the food industry in the past year. Amerina La Pizzetta is a delightful new space offering small personal pizzas in one the most beautiful small piazzas in Rome. So it really has pizzette (small round […]