Category Archives: Italy

Spritz Bianco: The Quiet Classic of Venice

If you’ve ever wandered through Venice, stopping only to admire the light on the canals and the tiny shops that still hold on between the souvenir stands, then you have also probably also paused to order a spritz. Unless you specifically asked for it, chances are they didn’t automatically hand you a neon-orange Aperol bomb. […]

Fiocco Nascita: Italy’s Sweet Approach to Birth Announcements

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 […]

Yes, Americans Need a “Visa” to Travel to Italy in 2025 – How to get it

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 […]

5 Best Italian Cocktails

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 7 most notable Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II Facts

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 […]