Published on Monday, February 29, 2016 by Kathy McCabe There's a new movie out for Italophiles... Sarah Jessica Parker and Under the Tuscan Sun actor Raoul Bova have joined up to star in a new romantic comedy set in Italy, All Roads Lead to Rome, about love and family. The movie, filmed in Rome and surrounding areas, follows uptight, New York City college writing teacher Maggie (Parker) and her unwilling, troubled teen...

Published on Friday, February 26, 2016 by Kathy McCabe Perillo Tours is the leader in escorted tours to Italy, but did you know that Perillo also plans custom Italy travel through its sister company ItalyVacations.com? Whether you want a romantic getaway in one of Italy's great cities - Venice, Rome, Florence - or a fully customized villa vacation for the whole family - grand kids too, with day trips and more. Anything y...

Published on Sunday, February 21, 2016 by Kathy McCabe Florence is one of those cities you must see at least once in your lifetime and then even once you have been there, you yearn to go back again and again. We love Florence so much that we are giving away a trip to the city of art in our Florence Facebook Sweepstakes. In the meantime, here are five, fun Florence facts that you might not know: 1. Be sure to stop by...

Published on Friday, February 19, 2016 by Kathy McCabe A proposal to limit the number of tourists in the Cinque Terre has caused a clamor among visitors who have booked upcoming trips and fear that they may not be allowed to visit, but they may not have to worry much longer. Our local sources in Liguria say the five towns that make up Cinque Terre National Park asked the government to restrict the number of tourist...

Published on Monday, February 15, 2016 by Kathy McCabe The museum at Florence’s Misericordia – which originally opened in 2005 – reopened after two years of renovation. The new museum chronicles nearly 800 years of the charitable institution’s history with 14 rooms of art, everyday items, furniture and manuscripts. Among prominent paintings on display are St. Jerome the Penitent by Pietro Annigoni, St. John the Ba...

Published on Friday, February 5, 2016 by Kathy McCabe If you're a U.S. resident, enter our the Perillo Tours Facebook Sweepstakes for the chance to win a spectacular 4-night getaway to the city of art! Here is what is included: Airfare for two from a U.S. gateway to Florence. Four nights at the Grand Hotel Minerva. Day trip to the Tuscan countryside with a private driver. Private wine tasting and lunch a...

Published on Monday, February 1, 2016 by Kathy McCabe The Italy Mix is a regular 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: Mussolini-Themed Vacations:  For better or worse, association with Adolf Hitler's wartime ally is contributing to an unlikely boom for a few Italian destinations like the island of Ponza. (CNN)...

Published on Saturday, January 23, 2016 by Kathy McCabe The famous tramezzino sandwich, which originated in the Caffè Mulassano di Piazza Castello in Turin in 1925, celebrated its 90th birthday last week. A version of an English tea sandwich, the Italian classic is made from two slices of crust-less white sandwich bread and cut into triangles. Popular fillings include tuna and olive, as well as prosciutto, but the Caffè ...

Published on Friday, January 15, 2016 by Kathy McCabe Italian Cultural Minister Dario Franceschini announced that more than 200 historical sites across Italy will receive public funding toward much-needed restorations, saying “culture has returned to the center of national politics.” A total of 300 million euros will be split among 241 historical sites over the next three years The restorations will include the me...

Published on Friday, January 8, 2016 by Kathy McCabe For over two decades, Milan’s newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore has been ranking Italian cities for overall livability, using criteria from standard of living to population to public-service choices. For 2015, the daily financial journal has presented the information in an interactive infographic that allows readers to compare and contrast cities and regions, and even to ...