Published on Monday, April 21, 2014 by Kathy McCabe While Pompeii may be the most famous archaeological site in Italy, fans of Ancient Rome often argue that the lesser-known ruins of Ostia Antica, just outside of Rome, surpass Pompeii in quality. Now there's even more reason to get your archaeological fix at this old port town with a secret part of the ancient site recently unearthed. "The find is enormous, inclu...

Published on Tuesday, April 15, 2014 by Kathy McCabe An Australian chef has won the pizza margherita category in the World Pizza Championship, held in Parma, Italy. The annual event attracted hundreds of pizza makers from around the world. The international panel of judges deemed Johnny Di Francesco's traditional Neapolitan pizza (tomato, mozzarella, olive oil and basil) as the winner. DiFrancesco owns an Italian r...

Published on Thursday, April 10, 2014 by Kathy McCabe The Italy Mix is a weekly post about the most interesting Italy and Italy travel news and human interest stories around the Web each week. Here are our top picks for this week: Sorrento So Cool:  Its cobbled streets are lined with historic buildings, beautiful boutiques, refined restaurants and fabulous hotels.   (Daily Star) Italian Islands: Many of Ital...

Published on Tuesday, April 8, 2014 by Kathy McCabe While credit cards are more widely accepted than ever in Italy, cash is still king in this society. Travelers can use the "cash is king" belief, as well as good old bargaining,  to their advantage. Italian business owners absolutely detest paying credit card transaction fees. If you are going to buy several items in a store or make a big purchase, ask for a sconto...

Published on Tuesday, April 1, 2014 by Kathy McCabe Did you hear the news? George Clooney, Italy's most-famous part-time resident has bought another home in Tuscany. Clooney is often spotted by the paparazzi as he comes and goes from his 30-room Villa Oleandra near Bellagio on Lake Como. Now he may have found a more private Italian hideaway - a villa in Tuscany. Clooney has reportedly bought an estate in the less-fa...

Published on Thursday, March 27, 2014 by Kathy McCabe The Italy Mix is a weekly post about the most interesting Italy and Italy travel news and human interest stories around the Web each week. Here are our top picks for this week: Treasures of Val'D'Orcia: Michelin-starred chef Enrico Bartolini introduces this stunning area of Tuscany.   (The Los Angeles Times) Idyllic Alta Badia: Gourmet food, glorious skiin...

Published on Monday, March 24, 2014 by Kathy McCabe Romans take their food shopping seriously. Gathering staples and ingredients for the coming days is more of a time-honored ritual than a series of errands. Two thirty-something Rome women wanted to capture this experience for visitors to the city and the Rome Gourmet Walking Tour was born. On a sunny Saturday morning, our guide,  Gaetano, an affable and erudite re...

Published on Sunday, March 23, 2014 by Kathy McCabe Bulgari has donated  1.5 million euros to the restoration of the famous Spanish Steps in Rome, calling it a "gift" to the Roman people. The Italian jewelry and luxury goods brand is the latest in a series of Italian companies to step in to preserve Italy's heritage among a crushing economic crisis and the cutting of government funds. The refurbishment of 136 of ...

Published on Thursday, March 20, 2014 by Kathy McCabe What's everyone in Italy talking about today? An Italian nun who sang her heart out on the television program, The Italian Voice.  She's now an Internet sensation worldwide! 25-year-old Suor Cristina Scoccia from Sicily sang Alicia Keys' "No One." She wasn't visible to the judges who unanimously voted for her and were stunned to see a nun standing before them. ...

Published on Monday, March 17, 2014 by Kathy McCabe All eyes have been on the Vatican for a year now, with the election of Pope Francis and his incredible popularity resulting in "the Pope Francis Effect." The fervor only seems to be on the increase with the upcoming canonization of two former popes on April 27 at the Vatican.  In September 2013, Pope Francis announced that two of his predecessors - Pope John Paul ...