All Around Italy

The grey Roman skies overhead unleashed a torrent of rain as I reached Torre Argentina near the Pantheon. Dashing across the street for cover underneath a red awning, I bought the first umbrella that a passing vendor handed me. I …

It was a beautiful day in November when I stepped off the train in Cefalù. Pots of petunias and geraniums were growing on every windowsill and balcony, and the palm trees that shaded the train station were so perfect they …

Did you know that Italy counts a whooping 50 UNESCO World Heritage Sites? That makes it the country with the most sites on the World Heritage List. And while some are very well known around the globe – think glitzy …

Cala Mariolu at Baunei and La Pelosa at Stintino in Sardinia are Italy’s most beautiful beaches, followed by Tropea in the southern Calabria region, according to Travelers’ Choice Beaches Awards published by TripAdvisor.   The awards were given to 343 …

Piazza Navona is my favorite place in Rome, at the heart of Renaissance papal Rome. It is a noble, symmetrical place that reproduces, in length and breadth, the stadium of Domitian, the “circus agonalis”, as it was called, a name …

Rome is full of secrets. Explore the crypt of a church or peer through a keyhole, and you might be surprised by what you find. Go off the beaten path to discover the lesser-known treasures of the Eternal City. 1. …

Pink rock peaks set against the bluest of skies, surrounded by century-old pine trees and tons of snow: it’s really no wonder that the Dolomites are one of Italy’s best loved mountain destinations, as well as a UNESCO World Heritage …

Visiting Italy is always a treat, whether you are looking for culture, sports or gastronomy. Yet, there is one thing that can make your visit even more special: participating in a historical festival, one of those special occasions that occur …

Pulcinella was going to Biella, sitting on a carriage, and if the horse had been attached, then certainly by this time would have arrived.  Pulcinella was going to Turin, sitting on a horse, and if the horse had not been …

Rome is a city of ruins. Ruins are to Rome what canals are to Venice, and while other cities build over their past, Rome builds around it. My neighborhood, Testaccio, is mainly made up of nineteenth century apartment blocks, and …