Published on Thursday, June 6, 2013 by Kathy McCabe What's more harmonious than pairing music with wine? That's the premise behind Melodia del Vino - a series of five classical music concerts combined with wine tastings, hosted at some of Tuscany's finest vineyards between June 27 and July 6, 2013. The wineries taking part in the music series include Cantina Antinori nel Classico in Bargina, Cantna Petra near Livorn...

Published on Wednesday, June 5, 2013 by Kathy McCabe The region of Liguria -- home to the Italian Riviera and the Cinque Terre --  on Italy's northwest coast has been awarded with more Blue Flag beaches this year than any other region in Italy. With two new entries for 2013 -- La Spezia Mirabello and San Lorenzo al Mare, Liguria now has 20 of the cleanest beaches in Italy. The Blue Flag organization, in conjunction ...

Published on Saturday, June 1, 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: Dante Fever in Florence: Dan Brown's latest book The Inferno has tourists flocking to Florence to follow in Robert Langdon's steps.  (The Daily Beast) Venice's Hidden Neighborhood:  The workin...

Published on Wednesday, May 29, 2013 by Kathy McCabe Taormina is one of the most beautiful towns in all of Sicily.  One of the most famous sites in Taormina is the 3rd century Greek theater at Monte Tauro, offering views of Mount Etna. There are also plenty of opportunities for fun in the sun at nearby beaches and golf courses. Taormina is a stop on Perillo's 12-day South & Sicily Tour. Photo by scott1723, f...

Published on Tuesday, May 28, 2013 by Kathy McCabe The most translated book from the Italian language, The Prince by Nicolo Machiavelli celebrates its 500th birthday this year with a special exhibit in Rome. The exhibition “Niccolò Machiavelli: The Prince and His Times 1513-2013" runs through June 16th at Rome's Vittoriano Museum Complex. Its six parts trace Machiavelli and his times, the impact of The Prince throu...

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 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 ...