Published on Tuesday, May 12, 2015 by Kathy McCabe Italy and ancient architecture go together like pasta and marinara sauce—but as frequent travelers know, not all ancient architecture in Italy was built by its natives. The ruins at Paestum on the Tyrrhenian Sea were once a major Greek city; now the area’s three beautifully preserved Greek temples provide testament to the place known as “Poseidonia” in the fif...

Published on Monday, April 27, 2015 by Kathy McCabe Back in elementary school, you may have used a lemon from your mother’s kitchen to make a simple battery that could power a single lightbulb. Now, imagine if you could use lemons to light up your entire neighborhood: In Sicily, the region’s massive amount of citrus waste (rinds, pulp, seeds) is being used to power a generator that can provide electricity to 333 ho...

Published on Monday, July 28, 2014 by Kathy McCabe The Italy Mix is a weekly post about the most interesting Italy and Italy travel news and human interest stories around the Web.  Here are our top picks for this week: Do Umbria on A Budget:  Umbria, home to Assisi and green rolling hills, is well worth a visit, and can be done affordably.  (The Guardian) Italy's Prison Paradises:  Though they once held s...

Published on Friday, August 30, 2013 by Steve 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: Looking for the Borgias:  Novelist Sarah Dunant  is an expert on the Borgia clan who were true power brokers in 16th-century Italy. (The Daily Mail) 36 Hours in Lecce: This city in the region ...

Published on Friday, June 21, 2013 by Kathy McCabe Mount Etna, Sicily's towering and active volcano, has been deemed a World Heritage Site by the United Nations office UNESCO. The volcano joins 47 other World Heritage sites in Italy, including the Amalfi Coast and the Dolomite Mountains. The selection of World Heritage sites is based on 10 criteria such as "to bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cu...

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 Friday, April 12, 2013 by Kathy McCabe Trapani in Sicily is famous for some of Europe's oldest salt marshes - providing tasty sea salt and beautiful to look at as well! Photo by dapho, flickr.com...

Published on Wednesday, April 10, 2013 by Steve Join Perillo Tours and Father Mickey Bancroft on an unforgettable sojourn of the soul. Visit the highlights of Rome and Taormina including an audience with Pope Francis! All for the special price of $3499 per person, based on double occupancy. Here's what's included: roundtrip airfare to Italy from New York/JFK 3 nights in a 4-star Rome hotel 3 nights in ...

Published on Thursday, March 7, 2013 by Kathy McCabe Sicily's Mount Etna erupted Tuesday night providing a beautiful nighttime fireworks show. Mount Etna is one of the most active volcanoes in the world and  the tallest active volcano in Europe.  It is the most active of Italy's three active volcanoes and the highest mountain in Italy, south of the Alps. ...

Published on Tuesday, February 26, 2013 by Kathy McCabe Rabbit Beach, on the island of Lampedusa off the south coast of Sicily, has been voted the best beach in the world by TripAdvisor readers.   TripAdvisor described Rabbit Beach "as an unspoiled nature reserve that can only be accessed by boat and one of the few places in the Mediterranean where loggerhead sea turtles go to lay their eggs."   "Rabbit Beach's is c...