Published on Friday, May 24, 2013 by Kathy McCabe Rock star Sting and his wife Trudie Styler are now renting out their 16th-century estate in the Chianti area of Tuscany. Il Palagio has six cottages offering overnight accommodations for 50 guests, plus it is the perfect venue for a Tuscan wedding. According to The Daily Mail, "Up to 200 partygoers will be able to enjoy the 900-acre Italian estate's attractions whi...

Published on Wednesday, May 22, 2013 by Kathy McCabe The Italy Mix is a 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: Will World Nutella Day Go On?: Italian chocolate maker issues cease and desist to fan's yearly celebration. But have they now come to a compromise?  (The Huffington Post) Farmacia Santa Maria N...

Published on Thursday, May 16, 2013 by Kathy McCabe   One of the magical experiences of visiting Italy is watching master artisans at work... This craftsman is in the town of Volterra, in Tuscany, a place known for its alabaster creations. Photo by Theodore Scott, flickr.com...

Published on Sunday, May 12, 2013 by Kathy McCabe The Italy Mix is a 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: British Family Pays $84 for Ice Cream in Rome: One of the biggest Italy travel stories of the week caused quite a stir.  (The Daily Mail) Tuning Into a Tuscan Music Festival:  A hush falls ove...

Published on Friday, May 10, 2013 by Kathy McCabe If you're traveling to Rome and looking for an authentic dining experience, look no further than Orso 80. You can make a meal out of the antipasti alone at this casual Roman eatery near Piazza Navona. Or another way to put it is don't go to Orso 80 and not partake of the scrumptious appetizers. Yes, they are that good! Tell the waiter to bring out a selection of the d...

Published on Wednesday, May 8, 2013 by Kathy McCabe If you're in Italy on May 18th, you might want to plan to stay up until the wee hours of the morning - not drinking or dancing, but taking in culture at a museum. It is all part of the Night of the Museums or La Notte Dei Musei - an event throughout Europe, including Italy, with free admission to museums as well as very extended hours. The Night of the Museums starts ...

Published on Monday, May 6, 2013 by Kathy McCabe The stunning island of Capri, off Italy's Amalfi Coast, has been attracting visitors for generations.  One of the islands most famous sites on the island  are the Faraglioni - a group of three geological stacks, just off the coast. They even have names: Stella, Mezzo and Scopolo. Photo by sneakerdog, flickr.com...

Published on Friday, May 3, 2013 by Kathy McCabe The Italy Mix is a 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: Giro d'Italia to Start: This is the 96th year for this round Italy bike race. (ANSA) Mad Men Star Owes Everything to Italy: Christina Hendricks says pasta gave her those sexy curves. (London Ev...

Published on Wednesday, May 1, 2013 by Kathy McCabe Venice receives an average of 80,000 visitors per day. That's a staggering number considering Venice only has 60,000 permanent residents. And how to get them all the behave in such a small space? With rules of etiquette... The city of Venice is starting an initiative called 'Venice Yours Too, Respect It' with a list of 10 guidelines for respecting the city. Acco...

Published on Tuesday, April 30, 2013 by Kathy McCabe When visiting Italy and staying in a hotel, depending on which city you're visiting, you will be paying a "city tax" or "tourist tax" for each night of accommodations. Usually this tax must be paid directly to the hotel (no matter who you booked through) at the end of your stay. Here is a handy table of current taxes in Italian cities: CITY TAX 3 STAR ...