Published on Friday, November 16, 2018 by Kathy McCabe Mark  your calendar for Cyber Monday! Perillo's Learning Journeys has an incredible special for Valentine's Day Live Like a Local in Sorrento: Land and Air, February 10 to 17, 2019. There is limited availability for this 8-day/6-night adventure. The Amalfi Coast is one of those places that alluringly draws one into its charm and romance. It doesn't get more romant...

Published on Thursday, November 15, 2018 by Kathy McCabe Save $500 Per Couple On Any Italy or Hawaii Tour* Your calendar is surely marked for Black Friday this year. But the big savings is at Perillo Tours. On Black Friday only, Perillo Tours, a leader in escorted travel to Italy for more than 70 years, is offering $500 off per couple ($250 per person) on all 2019 Italy and Hawaii escorted tours. You must use code: Bl...

Published on Saturday, November 10, 2018 by Kathy McCabe History tells us that the city of Pompeii was destroyed when Mount Vesuvius erupted on August 22, 79 AD – or was it two months later? Experts now believe that could be the case, as an inscription written in charcoal on the wall of a newly excavated home in Pompeii may indicate that Vesuvius erupted on October 17, 79. According to historians, the inscription, whic...

Published on Tuesday, November 6, 2018 by Kathy McCabe This month, Turismo Culturale Italiano is inviting visitors into 73 of palaces in Rome for guided tours during its sixth annual Porte Aperte event. Many of these residential palaces, built between the Renaissance and the 20th century, are privately owned and not usually open to the public, so this is an exclusive chance to visit these elegant and historic buildings...

Published on Tuesday, October 30, 2018 by Kathy McCabe Halloween in Italy has grown more popular over the past 10 years or so, especially with children excited to dress up and eat sweets. While Halloween still isn’t as big of a celebration as it is in the U.S., it is now not uncommon to hear children walking through shops and neighborhoods saying Dolcetto o scherzetto? (Trick or treat?). Refreshingly, Halloween in It...

Published on Sunday, October 14, 2018 by Kathy McCabe Archaeologists have unearthed another ancient tomb in the town of Cumae, a Greek settlement near Naples. The newly discovered tomb dates to the 2nd century BC and is decorated with murals, unlike most other Cumaean tombs at the time, which were simply painted red and white without images. ( The murals are believed to illustrate a banquet scene, as well as an image of ...

Published on Friday, October 5, 2018 by Kathy McCabe Starbucks’ first Italian location, which opened in early September in Milan, is switching up its menu to appeal to a country with an unrivaled coffee culture. Gone are the Frappuccinos, the green-and-white to-go cups, and the American-style donuts and pastries, replaced with a focus on more classic coffee drinks and food that appeals to Italians’ palate. The up...

Published on Sunday, September 30, 2018 by Kathy McCabe The latest in a series of bans aimed at tourists comes from Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro, who has proposed a fine of up to €500 for sitting down in undesignated spots throughout the city. According to CNN Travel, the Venice city council is currently discussing the text of the proposed ban. There is already a ban in place preventing people from sitting down in St. Mar...

Published on Saturday, September 15, 2018 by Kathy McCabe To decrease crowding, Florence has banned people from eating on four of the city’s busiest streets: Via de’ Neri, Piazzale degli Uffizi, Piazza del Grano and Via della Ninna. The ban is in place during the most popular mealtimes – from noon to 3 p.m. and from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. – and those who violate it will be fined between €150 and €500. On Via de’ ...

Published on Friday, September 7, 2018 by Kathy McCabe VinNatur, an Italian natural wine organization, has created a list of qualifications and characteristics for natural wine, a label that is often misused, undefined or confused with organic wines. Unlike other natural wine organizations, VinNatur enlists an independent certification group that is recognized by the Italian Ministry of Agriculture to ensure members follo...