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Even if you’re not religious, Easter in Italy’s smallest towns is a chance to see century-old traditions that continue to bring together their communities like no other time of year.  On Santo Sabato (the Saturday before Easter), Gabriella Serafinelli, 63, lines a wicker basket with a clean white tea towel. A former baker, she has lived her entire...

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“Bologna is a city you come to be a local, not a tourist,“ This was the advice given to us - by a Bologna local, no less - before our trip to Italy’s famed red city (after our hike through the incredible Emilia Romagna region), and our curiosity had instantly been piqued. In a time when many Italy’s most popular destinations are calling for help as...

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At one time, Puglia was full of trees. Of course, it still is full of trees – Olive trees that is – but, years ago, there would have been forests of Pine, Yew, Beech and others. Today, Puglia is a land of plains and huge cultivated areas of vineyards, olive trees and citrus groves. The forests of old have largely disappeared, cut down many centurie...

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Deep-rooted cultural and religious rituals are resplendent in Gravina in Puglia, an ancient town sitting timelessly beside one of the many karst ravines scoring the landscape on Puglia’s border with Basilicata. Alta Murgia national park, a protected plateau, is nearby.  In the rural yet art-filled town, the beauty is in the details “starting from t...

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Spring is officially here. After the Winter season has shuffled off for a few months, it's time to enjoy the sunny, picturesque joy of Spring. In Italy, it's a time of great tradition, with some events going back to past, historical times. Join me as I take you on a tour of some of the most memorable and interesting Spring festivals to enjoy in Ita...

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You won’t need anyone to tell you when you arrive in Puglia’s Itria Valley. You’ll know you’re there when you see mysterious stone buildings with conical roofs suddenly appearing everywhere you look. You might need to remind yourself that you haven’t suddenly entered a fairy tale land peppered with miniature castles. Instead, you will see for yours...

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“Castel dell’Ovo has become a symbol of Naples, not only as seen on millions of postcards and photos, but also for its history and legend,” says Valerio Ceva Grimaldi, author of Secret Naples. The castle and its namesake legend, he points out, remain one of the most historic symbols of Naples and a reflection of its unique culture. “It was very imp...

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Rome has more fountains than any other city in the world. You can live here for 5 years, visit a new fountain every day and still you wouldn’t have seen them all! They are free to view and open both day & night and that makes them a popular attraction.  Add to the fact, that famous artists throughout the centuries have designed and laboured on thes...

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Strike up the bands! We’re talking about marching bands drawn from 131 villages in the southern Italian region of Basilicata, joined by 10 bands from elsewhere in Italy and Europe. They filled the squares, alleyways and courtyards citywide for the colorful opening ceremonies on Jan. 19 saluting Matera, 2019 Cultural Capital of Europe (a twin-bill w...

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The Italian island of Sicily is — perhaps more than any corner of Europe — a layer cake of civilizations. On one island, visitors can marvel at a well-preserved Greek temple, admire the glittering mosaics of a Norman cathedral, wander through Carthaginian ruins and feast at a market that evokes an Arabian souk. One of my favorite places to experien...

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