In Vetralla one night I was introduced to a friend of a friend who reached into a coat pocket and removed a number of jagged, colorful ceramic fragments. He had uncovered them that afternoon in his garden in Ischia di Castro, not far away. “Nothing special,” he said. “Probably late 17th or early 18th century. But quite nice, don't you think?” I tho...

For most Americans familiar with Italian Jewry, the images that linger come from Vittorio De Sica’s evocative 1971 film, The Garden of the Finzi-Continis, the Academy Award-winning picture based on Italian writer Giorgio Bassani’s prize-winning 1962 novel. Set in Bassini’s picturesque hometown of Ferrara, Garden mixed the beauty of provincial Italy...

Built along the banks of the Adige river, the city of Verona has been a Unesco World Heritage site since 2000. Founded in the 1st century B.C. by the Romans, it was later conquered by different Barbarian tribes, until it became an independent municipality in the 12th century, when it prospered under the rule of the Scaligeri family. This wealthy an...

Rome residents in search of a nearby inland destination need look no further than Bolsena. Head north up the Via Cassia to Italy’s largest volcanic lake, Lake Bolsena, whose circular 43 km shoreline practically borders on Tuscany and Umbria. Here you will find beautiful scenery, placid waters, charming old towns and good fish meals. Bolsena town, a...

«Americani, Firenze ha bisogno di voi, adesso più che mai». Parola di Georgette Jupe-Pradier, americana innamorata di Firenze e blogger seguitissima dai turisti americani che vogliono visitare la nostra città. E’ nota come “Girl in Florence”, oltre 75mila followers su Instagram. Ha lasciato il Texas per Firenze oltre dieci anni fa. E’ stata lei, co...

La parola che viene più spesso pronunciata dai turisti per commentare una vacanza in Italia è “enjoy“: una destinazione, dunque, promossa a pieni voti seguendo i parametri del sentiment e analizzando le 92 emozioni che solitamente si manifestano in ogni soggetto.  È la sintesi del “Rapporto sulla percezione dell’Italia turistica”, realizzato da Soc...

Quando si parla di turismo accessibile non parliamo solo di spiagge attrezzate con pedane intorno agli ombrelloni e sedie anfibie per fare il bagno in mare; né di passerelle e percorsi comodi per fare trekking in montagna; e neppure di musei, piazze e locali senza scalini al proprio ingresso. Parliamo, oltre ogni struttura e architettura, di emozio...

From the Alps to the pink beach of Sardinia, Italy is full of natural wonders. But when traveling outside of Bari, I was introduced to one in Puglia that I had never heard of: the grotte di Castellana. The cave system can be found near the town of Castellana and it is absolutely mesmerizing. The grotte were officially discovered in 1938 though it i...

Even if you’ve not actually seen the movie, you’re probably familiar with the iconic black-and-white image of a beautiful blonde in a black strapless dress cavorting in a fountain. It’s one of the most famous scenes in one of the most famous films — La Dolce Vita — by Oscar-winning Italian film director Federico Fellini, who was born in Rimini just...

Venice will always be one of Europe’s most magnificent destinations. But with so many tourists flooding in and out of the city every day, it’s not for everyone. Luckily, there are plenty of Italian destinations that are equally charming but not yet spoiled by mass tourism. WITNESS THE BEAUTY OF SIENA, TUSCANY The picturesque region of Tuscany is ho...