Italy Travel
5 Things to Do in Pisa Besides Climbing the Leaning Tower
The city of Pisa Italy is famous the world over for its Leaning Tower but there's much more to the city. Here are some other things to do in Pisa: 1. Be sure to visit the Duomo and Baptistery next to the tower. Leave extra time (a few hours) to visit Pisa's stunning cathedral as well as the largest baptistery in Italy. 2. Also leave time to go into Museo dell’Opera del Duomo. This museum is where much of the art that was formerly in the cathedral is now housed. See Giovanni Pisano's ivory carving of the Madonna and Child carved for the cathedral's ...
Things to See in Alberobello
When you travel to Italy, there might be a lot of places that you would want to visit. One destination that definitely calls for a place in your travel itinerary is - Alberobello. Located in the southern part of Italy, it is a UNESCO World Heritage site that is known for its exceptional style of building called Trulli. Trullis are nothing but limestone houses with dry stone walls and conical roof that are known for their mortarless construction. The reason behind these pre-historic buildings was to escape from paying taxes. When the king’s tax collector came to collect taxes, the owner ...
Where To Stay in Rome: The Rose Garden Palace Hotel
One of my favorite hotels in Rome is the Rose Garden Palace Hotel. Just off the famous Via Veneto, and a stone’s throw from the American Embassy, it enjoys one of the best locations in the city. The hotel is partly owned by Steve Perillo, the third generation owner of Perillo Tours, the world’s largest tour operator to Italy. Perillo and his Italian partner bought this 19th-century building in 1998 and named it after the rose bushes in the courtyard. One might expect a hotel owned by a tour company to seem impersonal or ...
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Chianti Classico Celebrates 300th A...
Published on Tuesday, June 21, 2016 by Kathy McCabe
This year, Chianti Classico, the picturesque heart of Tuscany that is home to Italy’s most famous wine, is celebrating its 300th anniversary of delivering high-quality wines to Italy and beyond. On Sept. 24, 1716, the Grand Duke of Tuscany Cosimo III de’ Medici created official bo...
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Italy Not Putting Up Candidates for...
Published on Friday, June 17, 2016 by Kathy McCabe
For the first time in 16 years, none of the 29 candidates for 2016 UNESCO World Heritage Site status are in Italy. Italy currently holds the world record for most UNESCO World Heritage sites, at 51; behind Italy, China has 48 and Spain has 44. But, as Franco Bernabè, the president of Ital... -
Karl Lagerfeld Retrospective Opens ...
Published on Tuesday, June 14, 2016 by Kathy McCabe
As part of a three-year initiative to promote the culture of contemporary fashion, Florence’s Pitti Palace will feature a collection of more than 200 photos shot by German fashion designer and photographer Karl Lagerfeld. Called Visions of Fashion, the exhibit is an anthology of Lagerfel... -
Europe’s Newest Railway Tunne...
Published on Friday, June 10, 2016 by Kathy McCabe
On June 1, high-speed passenger trains began cruising through Europe’s – and the world’s – newest and longest railway tunnel, cutting travel time between Zurich and Milan by one hour. The new Gotthard Base Tunnel is 57 kilometers (35.4 miles) long and was carved through the cen... -
New Nighttime Tours at the Roman Fo...
Published on Sunday, June 5, 2016 by Kathy McCabe
A new feature will allow the public to see the Roman Forum in a new light this summer – literally, as the Forum will be illuminated by LEDs and open for nighttime tours for the first time. The lights cast white and yellow highlights onto the site’s most famous structures, drawing at... -
Visit A Very Special Cat Beach in S...
Published on Monday, May 30, 2016 by Kathy McCabe
On Sardinia’s west coast, a beach that is home to dozens of cats has become a popular tourist destination. Feral cats have lived on the beach in the small fishing village of Su Pallosu for more than a century, when they were brought to the beach by fishermen to control the mice populatio... -
Prison Island in Tuscany Opens For ...
Published on Thursday, May 26, 2016 by Kathy McCabe
This spring, a previously off-limits and isolated island 23 miles off the coast of Tuscany is opening to the public for guided tours for the first time. The northernmost island in the Tuscan Archipelago National Park, Gorgona is also the smallest and hardest to access — understandably so... -
Lazio’s Park of Monsters Shoc...
Published on Sunday, May 22, 2016 by Kathy McCabe
Like a carnival fun house set amid wild greenery, the Park of Monsters — also called the Gardens of Bomarzo and Sacro Bosco (sacred grove) — is meant to shock visitors with its bizarre, spooky statues and structures. Pier Francesco Orsini, also known as Vicino, was a condottiero, a lea... -
Temple of Valadier: Le Marche’...
Published on Monday, May 16, 2016 by Kathy McCabe
Tucked away inside the Frasassi Caves like a pearl in an oyster, the Temple of Valadier may well be one of the hardest churches to get to in Italy, but also the one with the best view from its entrance. The Frasassi Caves are located in the town of Genga, in the Le Marche region, and are a... -
Vaporettos in Venice: Locals to Boa...
Published on Thursday, May 12, 2016 by Kathy McCabe
If your Italian travel plans include Venice this summer, be aware that your wait for a classic vaporetto (water bus) ride may be longer than you expect. As reported in The Local, Venetian authorities have authorized residents to board first. Starting in June, at eight water bus stops (i...
