All Around Italy

We all know the legend of King Arthur and the Sword in the stone. But what you might not know is that Italy has its own version. And you can find it in the small chapel of Montesiepi, a few …

After Cascia and Todi, the journey to re-discover the customs and traditions of Umbria and its local saints stops in another astonishing medieval town, Gubbio. Nestled at the feet of Mount Ingino, in the northern part of the region, our …

Without cars, buses or other vehicles, Venice is a pedestrian paradise—until you get lost. As I discovered on a recent visit, you need more than a map to navigate the Venetian labyrinth: You need a new vocabulary. As in other …

Italia Slow Tour Ambassador Roxana Iacoban took a trip throughout Milan going along the local Urban Railway line. Her second day of tour started in Porta Venezia, then Villa Necchi Campiglio (FAI heritage) and Chiaravalle Abbey and surroundings. She went …

After completing our annual month of Italian language study in Rome, my wife Carole and I headed south for yet another tour of Southern Italy’s many cities, towns, and villages.  We had traveled to the South on at least three …

Perched atop three Tuscan hills, the ancient walled city of Siena is famous for many things. Its medieval streets and architecture have barely changed in 800 years. Its polychrome marble cathedral rivals the beauty of Florence’s own. And its historic …

The pristine medieval village Civita di Bagnoregio has paradoxically found a boom in tourism due to its slow, steady collapse down a jagged cliff of volcanic rock. Its nickname is Il Paese che Muore because it has actually been collapsing …

Just 25 miles north of Rome, the Sabine Hills are the perfect alternative to other well known regions such as Tuscany. Its quintessentially Italian landscape, made out of rolling hills covered with olive groves and dotted with medieval villages and …

Let me put things straight: there’s no place like Rome. Cradle of culture and art, archetype of beauty, favored destination for history buffs and foodies alike, Rome has no rivals when it comes to these things. Yet, Rome is also …

After three eventful days in Naples, we rented a car and drove over the mountain pass to the Amalfi Coast, the iconic site of southern affluence and prosperity. The Amalfi Coast is another of those iconic, idealized images of the …