Italy

Where to Go in Sardinia – Self-Drive Itinerary

Published on 4 January, 2017

Want to know where to go in Sardinia? Read on… I’d always thought Sardinia would be a beach-based trip for me – after all, isn’t that why most people fly into what is Italy’s largest island? However, there’s not much you can do to talk me into sitting on a beach in November (even in Italy), so I ended up… Read more →

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Want to know where to go in Sardinia? This self-drive itinerary has places, restaurants, hotels, distances and a map to help you plan your trip to Sardinia.... Read more →

Cheat’s Guide to Sparkling Wine

Published on 28 December, 2016

I’m the kind of person who will find any excuse possible to sup on something bubbly – “What? My second cousin, third removed just found out she doesn’t need a root canal? That requires a celebration.” POP. Whether you’re a woman (or man) after my own heart or whether you prefer save the popping of corks for special occasions, like birthdays,… Read more →

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Looking for a guide to sparkling wine? Want to know your Champagne from your Cava, Crémant and Prosecco? Here's a 5-minute cheat's guide with an infographic... Read more →

Sardinian Food – Where and What to Eat in Sardinia

Published on 5 December, 2016

Francesco Cetti once said, “There is not in Italy what there is in Sardinia, nor in Sardinia what there is in Italy.” The 18th century zoologist was probably talking about the wildlife. Probably. But he could equally have been talking about Sardinian food. I’m fast loosing count of the number of times I’ve been to Italy, but my sojourn to Sardinia was… Read more →

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Want to know what Sardinian food to eat? Here's a list and images of what to eat for each course including restaurant recommendations throughout the island.... Read more →

How To Order Coffee in Italy

Published on 26 July, 2016

Even if you’re decked head to toe in Gucci and are sauntering around Venice, Florence or Rome with all the panache of an Italian superstar, there’s still a very simple way to tell whether you’re a local or not: how you order coffee. Believe it or not, there is a huge (and unhelpfully unspoken!) protocol for how to order coffee… Read more →

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How to order coffee in Italy isn't as easy as you might think. Here's a guide to what coffee to order, when to order, how to order, how to pay and tipping.... Read more →

3 Days in Florence: The Itinerary I Give My Friends

Published on 19 July, 2016

Giuseppe Verdi once said, “You may have the universe if I may have Italy.” I feel that way about Florence; which might explain why I have visited this arresting Italian city so many times I’m losing count. And, with that, what I’m equally losing count of is the number of times I’ve scribbled out an itinerary for 3 days in… Read more →

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Spending 3 days in Florence? Here's the itinerary I give my friends and gets you to the top sights at the right time of day. Includes where to eat and sleep... Read more →

How to Plan your own Prosecco Tour in Italy (for a sip of the cost)

Published on 10 June, 2015

It was quite by accident that I found myself searching for a Prosecco tour in Italy. I planned to visit Venice, but I hadn’t really made the connection that this northern part of Italy is where Prosecco is from. Duh! It was just a few weeks before I flew to Venice when an email fell into my inbox – a regular round-up of… Read more →

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Prosecco tours in Italy can cost up to €600 per person but you don't need to spend so big. For under €100 per person here's a self-guided itinerary.... Read more →

Alternative Venice: 10 Things NOT To Do (and 10 To Do Instead)

Published on 27 May, 2015

If you’re looking for alternative Venice – a way to escape the crowds and make the most of this over-visited city, read on… UPDATED FOR 2017 to include new food, drink, accommodation and suggested activities in Venice. I hated Venice the first time I visited. I felt cheated, hustled, robbed (some of Venice’s prices should be criminal) and utterly underwhelmed…. Read more →

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Alternative Venice sightseeing. What to do in Venice & how to see the sights without the crowds: try these 10 best things to do in Venice. UPDATED for 2017.... Read more →

Regional Food in Puglia: What And Where to Eat

Published on 6 May, 2015

If you’re searching for information about regional food in Puglia, you’re already steps ahead of most of the millions of foreign visitors who arrive in Italy each year. Just recently, strolling down a side-street in Florence I had a waiter holler at me across the street: “pizza, pasta, spaghetti”. It was as though he were enlightening me to a food… Read more →

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Regional food in Puglia is a blend of local produce & slow food traditions with space for gourmet and play - street food and spontaneous vegetables, anyone?... Read more →

Best Destinations for Solo Female Travelers (Part 1)

Published on 21 April, 2015

What are the best destinations for solo female travelers? It’s a good question and one I’ve given a lot of thought to. I travel as a solo female traveler about 98% of the time. I travel around 9 months per year. And I’ve been doing that for over four years. Oh, and I’ve visited over 50 countries. I’m not telling… Read more →

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Want to know what the best destinations for solo female travelers are? I've traveled to over 50 countries, usually alone. Here are my recommended places.... Read more →

One Day in Venice

Published on 29 December, 2013

Photo by: JustGrobio Venice is sinking, there is little doubt about it. Which is why it was higher up my travel list than the likes of Naples or Florence when I visited Italy. But even without the clock potentially ticking on the future of the city, Venice has long been one of the country’s top tourist attractions. Appropriately named the “fairy tale… Read more →

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Venice with its web of canals and uncertain future is high up on tourists' itineraries. Avoid the long queues and high prices by spending one day in Venice.... Read more →