It’s pretty much impossible not to fall in love with Italy.
Whether it’s cruising down the canals of Venice, eating pizza in a piazza in Naples, shopping in the fashion capital of Milan or driving along the scenic roads of the Amalfi coast, there’s truly something for everyone in one of Europe’s most popular destinations.
There are plenty of things to do in Italy no matter what time of year you visit, from the magical Christmas markets that light up the festive period and famous Carnevale di Venezia in February to eating gelato on the beaches of Sicily and Puglia during the hot summer months or going wine tasting in Veneto’s Prosecco vineyards during the lively September harvest.
And the food. Oh the food. There’s no country in the world that does food quite the way the Italians do.
Of course there’s the pizza, pasta and all-important coffee (be sure to order correctly) most people associate with Italy, but Italian food is so much more than just that. Italian cuisine is seeping with tradition and history, with an abundance of regional specialties made using only the finest locally-sourced seasonal ingredients.
It’s the fresh seafood caught by local fishermen in the small coastal towns, the hearty risottos of the mountainous north, the infinite regional varieties of tasty focaccia and, of course, the locally produced wines which must accompany every meal.
Italy is certainly not a country that can be visited once and ticked off the bucket list. It’s a place that must be returned to time and time again to experience all of its majestic historic cities, colourful coastal towns and diverse natural beauty.
So far I’ve made it to Venice, Verona, the Prosecco hills, Milan, Florence, Pisa, Rome, Naples, Urbino, Puglia and Sardinia.
I’m sure I’ll be back to cover the rest of the country soon!
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 … Read more
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 … Read more
I hated Venice the first time I visited. I felt cheated, hustled, robbed (some of Venice’s prices should be criminal) and utterly underwhelmed. I couldn’t get close to the sights thanks to the crowds and at €16 for a Bellini in Venice’s most famous cocktail bar, I’d have expected fresh peaches. I left, I vowing never … Read more
If you’re searching for information about Puglia food, 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 … Read more
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 … Read more
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 … Read more
We’ve all heard the saying, “When in Rome do as the Romans do.” But considering the amazing Italian cuisine available there, it could be said that, “When in Rome, gain 10 pounds.” I did a touristy trip to Rome back in 2010 as part of my round-the-world adventure (if you want to travel back into … Read more
My trip to Florence was fundamentally flawed. It was July and on a whim I’d decided to re-route my ticket from Asia to spend a month in Italy. And, as habit would have it, I didn’t have a single plan to my name. For a style of travel that is theoretically carefree, it can come … Read more
“How do you get to Urbino?” It was a good question that came from a good friend when I declared I was off to explore a new part of Italy (new to me, I’m pretty sure Urbino has been on the Italian map for quite some time). I can plan a trip to Rome with my … Read more
I love eating. On a good day, I can manage six meals – and I’m not talking about six small meals, either. In fact, if I could drop everything and eat professionally, I happily would…I’d perhaps need to work on my cutlery ability because, despite more than 30 years of practice with knives, forks and … Read more