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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A Coke, A Smile and An Italian Hill...
Published on Wednesday, May 20, 2015 by Kathy McCabe
The final episode of AMC’s celebrated series Mad Men had its finale in an iconic cultural moment that was filmed, not in California (as you might believe), but on a hilltop near Rome! The 1971 Coca-Cola television commercial in which people from around the world sang a jingle about l...
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Italian Blue Waters Get Prestigious...
Published on Friday, May 15, 2015 by Kathy McCabe
The International Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) has once again given Italy the highest number of Blue Flag beaches, bringing Italy's total to 280. The Blue Flag designation means that a beach meets the organization’s high eco-standards for cleanliness and sustainability... -
Restoration at Selinunte
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 G... -
Firm Footing for Rome’s Colos...
Published on Tuesday, May 5, 2015 by Kathy McCabe
Visitors to Rome's Colosseum will once again be able to walk in the footsteps of the gladiators. Minister of Culture Dario Franceschini announced that he will approve putting the floor back in the iconic amphitheater. "Rebuilding the arena of the Colosseum, taking it back to the way it ... -
The Stars Are Out In Italy
Published on Sunday, May 3, 2015 by Kathy McCabe
Stars are twinkling brightly in Italy right now—at least stars of the movie variety. Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise and Justin Bieber are all in country this week, and giving the paparazzi plenty of photo opps. Bieber, the new kid on these cobblestoned streets, plays a male model in Ben Stille... -
Lemon Aid for Sicily’s Power Grid
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, ... -
Curbing Rome’s Car Habit
Published on Friday, April 24, 2015 by Kathy McCabe
Via Urbana, a quiet cobblestone street, will be the first car-free street in Rome after a municipal council vote to make the street a wholly pedestrian area. Anyone who has ever visited The Eternal City will testify to its eternal din from scooters, cabs and honking cars of all shapes an... -
Final Prep for Expo Milano
Published on Monday, April 20, 2015 by Kathy McCabe
In May, Expo Milano will open its doors and not close them until October. It’s been a long journey for the northern Italian city to get ready for this huge international event, and as spring begins, the Milanese are busy putting the final touches on Expo locations, as well as making sure... -
Emancipated Verse in Florence
Published on Tuesday, April 14, 2015 by Kathy McCabe
Around and about the city of Florence, worn-down walls are covered with text—but it’s not careless graffiti, it’s carefully written poetry, typed on sheets of white paper taped into small galleries. These instances of “poetry on the wall,” as they’re often called, are crafted a... -
Prosecco Sales Pop
Published on Thursday, April 9, 2015 by Kathy McCabe
Italian wine lovers won’t be surprised that sales of Prosecco have outstripped those of Champagne around the world. Cheaper and sweeter than its French competition, Prosecco is an affordable indulgence that is nonetheless excellent sparkling wine on its own merits. Prosecco DOC comes ...
