Published on Monday, September 25, 2017 by Kathy McCabe With  increasing restrictions across Italian cities aimed at curbing tourists’ unruly behavior, Venice and Florence have both launched campaigns to accomplish that goal, called #EnjoyRespectVenezia and #EnjoyRespectFirenze, respectively. The message, sent through fines and increased awareness, is common sense: Respect the city, its history, its art and its resident...

Published on Tuesday, September 5, 2017 by Kathy McCabe Almost two years after its renovation and reopening, the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo in Florence is employing a creative strategy to attract visitors. Drawing upon an idea put forth by its director, Monsignor Timothy Verdon, the museum is looking at religious artworks in a re-created religious environment, exploring the messaging that motivated artists in a way that ...

Published on Monday, August 28, 2017 by Kathy McCabe Pepe in Grani, in the town of Caiazzo in the region of Campania, has won the title of best pizza in Italy for 2017 according to online Italian pizzeria guide 50 Top Pizza. The restaurant received top marks not only for the quality of its food, but also for its beer and wine list, service, and furnishings. Pepe in Grani owner and third-generation pizzaiolo Franco Pe...

Published on Thursday, August 24, 2017 by Kathy McCabe Beginning March 1, 2018, visitors to the Uffizi Gallery, the Pitti Palace and the Boboli Gardens will pay more for tickets as the museums switch to a season-based admission system with higher prices for visitors coming in spring and summer. In peak season (March 1 to October 31), tickets to the Uffizi will cost 20€; in the remainder of the year, they will cost 12...

Published on Monday, August 21, 2017 by Kathy McCabe Rome Mayor Virginia Raggi’s administration has introduced a temporary period of controlled access to the Trevi Fountain through a set path. During the 80-day trial period that began on July 25, volunteer patrols are controlling the flow of traffic around the fountain and reminding tourists not to eat, swim, sit or lean on the fountain. Those who break the rules may ...

Published on Thursday, August 17, 2017 by Kathy McCabe When the Gelato Festival returns to Florence for the eighth time in September, it will unite Europe’s best ice cream makers – and ice cream lovers – to crown the continent’s best ice cream. Sixteen ice cream makers will compete in Florence and present flavors designed especially for the festival. A panel of journalists and gelato experts, along with a popular ...

Published on Monday, August 14, 2017 by Kathy McCabe A new bus run by Florentine transportation body Ataf is bringing visitors from Florence’s historic center to the hillside Forte di Belvedere and Villa Bardini, with the goal of improving access to these sites for both locals and tourists . The temporary route was created by the City of Florence, Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze (an organization that supports...

Published on Thursday, August 10, 2017 by Kathy McCabe Capri’s mayor, Giovanni De Martino, is pushing back against overcrowding on the tiny island, saying it could “explode” from too many tourists. The island off of the Amalfi Coast receives 2 million tourists each year and up to 15,000 during peak summer season, 80 percent of which only visit for a day trip from Naples or Sorrento or as part of a cruise itinerary. ...

Published on Thursday, July 20, 2017 by Kathy McCabe Castel Sant’Angelo in Rome has opened previously closed-off spaces, including a series of three rooms known as the Cambellotti Rooms, to the public for the first time, and is also providing new ways for visitors to interact with and understand the historic monument. Guests can access the rooms through a newly opened ceremonial entrance designed by architect Giov...

Published on Friday, July 14, 2017 by Kathy McCabe A summer heat wave is prompting the city of Rome to turn off up to 30 of the city’s 2,800 public drinking fountains every day, much to the Roman public’s dismay. The fountains supply clean – and free – drinking water on street corners and in piazzas around the city, and some are concerned the shutoff will leave Romans, especially those who are homeless, dehydr...