Published on Thursday, January 17, 2013 by Steve Do you know that one in 10 Americans has some Italian blood? More than 5.5 million Italians emigrated to the United States between 1820 and 2004 with the bulk of immigration taking place between 1880 and 1920. Chances are at least one of your ancestors was among them! No matter how long it has been since your relatives left Italy, the Italian homeland surely has...

Published on Tuesday, January 15, 2013 by Kathy McCabe Wine Enthusiast magazine has named the southern Italian region of Puglia as one of the 10 best wine destinations of 2013. It was the only place in Italy to make this year's list. "Flanked by two seas, magical Puglia is a thin peninsula packed tight with the same attributes that attracted us to Italy decades ago: it's an undiscovered land with an enviable quality o...

Published on Friday, January 11, 2013 by Kathy McCabe If you're a sailing enthusiast or just looking for something fun to do while in Italy this spring, take note that the America's Cup World Series will take place in Naples this spring. The series, which runs April 16 to 21, 2013, will be the only America's Cup event in Europe this year. Some 500,000 spectactors turned out for a similar event in Naples last year. ...

Published on Thursday, January 10, 2013 by Kathy McCabe That time of year is fast approaching...a spectacular time to visit the magical city of Venice...Carnevale. Short of Rio and New Orleans, there is no place more famous for its opulent pre-Lent celebrations. The Venetian events are getting off to a slightly earlier start this year since Ash Wednesday falls a bit early, on February 13. Venice's official program of Ca...

Published on Tuesday, January 8, 2013 by Kathy McCabe You might think that the only place in the world to see riveting Greek ruins is Greece. But think again...Italy is home to a number of stunning and well-preserved ruins. The Greek Empire colonized parts of southern Italy between the 8th and 5th centuries B.C. leaving behind stunning buildings that remain to this day. One place to get a glimpse of The Valley of the ...

Published on Friday, January 4, 2013 by Steve Is 2013 the year that you are going to take a trip of a lifetime?  How about to Italy or Greece? I'd like to help you make that happen with special savings on two new fantastic tours from Perillo Tours but you will need to act quickly! Save $500 Per Couple on Our Mangia e Bevi Italy Tour Join the April 11th departure of our new food tour Mangia e Bevi and recei...

Published on Wednesday, January 2, 2013 by Kathy McCabe Expert in all things European travel, Rick Steves has put together his list what to look out for in Italy in 2013. If you're planning to travel to Italy this year, it is worth a read. Here's what Steves says is new and interesting in Italy for 2013: More rooms at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence have been opened to the public, including  the Caravaggio Rooms and t...

Published on Thursday, December 20, 2012 by Steve I'm thrilled to announce that Perillo Tours has partnered with Jennifer Iannolo, founder of Zenfully Delicious, to offer two gluten-free tours of Tuscany in 2013! This is the perfect opportunity gluten-free folks to travel worry-free and savor the tastes of Italy. The tours will run May 11-17 and October 12-18, 2013. Here's the awesome itinerary: Day 1 Depart...

Published on Monday, December 17, 2012 by Kathy McCabe The area of Trentino Alto-Adige is located in the very north of Italy. This beautiful winter wonderland offers several Christmas markets worth visiting: From November 29 to December 23, the Sudtirol town  of Bolzano hosts a charming Christmas market combining both German and Mediterranean traditions. The Mercatino di Natale (Christkindlmarkt in German) takes ov...

Published on Friday, December 7, 2012 by Kathy McCabe If Florence or Tuscany is on your must-visit list this Christmas season, there are some great Florence events for the holiday season, according to The Florentine.  Here are a few of the holiday celebrations in and around Florence that caught our eye: The German Market in Florence's Piazza Croce runs through December 16th. Enjoy Christmas delicacies from t...