paula reynolds

Before I was more seasoned in the ways of beloved Italy, I would pay only a passing glance at the small, mysterious shops that sat modestly under the shadow of a blue sign marked with a prominent letter T. An …

I’ve eaten my way through many of Italy’s 20 regions. Lovely lemon pasta in Calabria, fried sea creatures in Veneto, fabulous stuffed olives in Le Marche. I could ooze delight for days reimagining unforgettable food experiences in the Bel Paese. …

“Everything is admirable, and every day the countryside is more beautiful. I am bewitched by this land.”  Claude Monet, the beloved French impressionist, knew he’d stumbled upon a gem when he first encountered Dolceacqua in the summer of 1883. Captivated, he returned in …

Food. There might not be anything else that embodies and defines Italian culture and local identity like food. It’s something talked about with fiery passion, a daily ritual that is more sacred than routine, a placeholder of cultural expression for …

Summer may be wrapping up, but tourist season in Italy remains vibrant into the temperate months of fall. The languid heat of summer is fading while cooler temps coax plump grapes and rotund olives to prepare for harvest. Festivals are …

Has it been a little too long since you last saw the world through childlike eyes, slowed down and observed the ordinary with a fresh perspective, and allowed yourself to act a little silly under a big open sky? Chris …

Radicofani’s ancient fortress tower stands watch from the mountaintop like a medieval lighthouse over Tuscany’s Val d’Orcia. For over a thousand years, this important landmark has remained visible across the swath of this uniquely picturesque valley. It warned, it beckoned…and today …

It’s hard to refrain from that involuntary gasp of awe and wonder when first stepping through a tawny stone portal into Siena’s Piazza del Campo. Magnificent medieval buildings rim the fan-shaped piazza and its hubbub of lively outdoor cafés. Almost instantly …

It’s a beautiful sight. As iconic as the skyline view etched with Florence’s famous Duomo or perhaps Michelangelo’s marble masterpiece “The David”, the majestic Ponte Vecchio has spanned Florence’s Arno River for almost 700 years. The reflection of her 3 shallow arches …

The word “castle” easily conjures images of grandeur and royalty, places where mere mortals dare not dwell. Fortunately, many of Italy’s historic castles deliver the appropriate and expected visual fantasy. Some, however, are set apart. Ischia’s Castello Aragonese is one such gem. …