If you wander through an Italian city or village, you might spot the occasional bow tied outside an apartment door. This ‘Fiocco Nascita’ is a birth announcement – letting the world outside know that a new little person has arrived. A birth ribbon tends to be pink or blue to indicate the arrival of a […]
Category Archives: Italy
Many people confuse Sorrento with the Amalfi Coast because they are neighboring areas. However, Sorrento, which sits on its own peninsula a bit to the north of the coast, is unique – particularly when it comes to its landscape and geology. The town sits high on a cliff edge and is renowned for its sea […]
Updated 21 March 2024. Starting in 2025, US citizens will need a (kind of) visa to visit Italy. Before anyone freaks out, the new rule is actually more of a visa waiver program than a visa requirement and will be known as European Travel Information and Authorization System, or ETIAS. I am American and I […]
Italy is a lot of things depending on the day. It can be beautiful or chaotic, rural or high fashion, Alps or beaches. It is a country full of postcard perfect villages and amazing culinary traditions. But funny? That is not the first word that comes to mind when I think of Italia. The country […]
Italy is probably more often associated with wine, but there is also a long history of liqueurs (often bitter to help with digestion). As a result, there are fantastic combinations of bitters, sparkling wines, seasonal fruits, fresh herbs, to create mixers and garnishes for classic cocktails. While young Italians certainly go out for a night […]
The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan, Italy is iconic. It is the place to stop for a major instagram moment, but the historic structure has a storied past that includes films, untimely deaths, and hidden symbolism. Before you visit the glassed arcade, here are some of the coolest facts about this remarkable building: Age […]
I cannot tolerate bad coffee, even on vacation. Unfortunately, coffee in Italy is not just heavenly espresso after heavenly espresso. Luckily Venice has a long history of coffee bars (and is even home to the oldest coffee house in Europe). There are even a few places serving specialty coffee in La Serenissima if you are […]
As the summer temperatures hover in the 90s in Rome, the idea of a hot coffee (no matter how tiny those espressi may be) starts to feel less and less appealing. Despite the weather, it is typically hard to find large cups of iced coffee, with the cubes piled high. There are, however, local varieties […]