October 29, 2016
Travelling over rolling hills through northwestern Sicily, you may find yourself in the countryside of Corleone. The unassuming town is set in a dramatic valley of stunning beauty 70 km south of Sicily’s capital, Palermo. Corleone is synonymous with the gory, dark history of the Mafia. Once the stronghold of…
October 9, 2016
Trending in Sicilia: What to look for; what you can’t leave behind I’ve just finished a brilliant week on the isle of Sicilia. Stepping into an old Sicilian street, you may see caged canaries in display windows, vendors selling an assortment of colorful herbs, and fresh fish piled high in…
September 14, 2016
European white truffles may well be the most expensive food in the world. With prices upward of $3600/pound in a slim year (supply and demand truly rule this market), white truffles top even Russian caviar ounce per ounce. Focusing solely on Italian truffles (tartufo sing. or tartufi plural), the most…
August 24, 2016
This point in the summer finds me searching for good TV entertainment. I ran across Da Vinci’s Demons, a very engaging if fantastical look at the genius as a young man struggling against multiple obstacles in 15th century Florence. You might love or hate the 3-season TV series, but it…
August 14, 2016
To many of us, August is a month of relaxation and vacation, family and time together. Italians also share the same love of August – not only is it a time for fun and island escape, but it is also the height of the tourist season. Hotel rates jump 3…
August 2, 2016
Gelato is one of the best-loved Italian exports in the world: everyone “knows” it originated in Italy (or did it …?), but many may not be aware that it walks hand-in-hand with many centuries of history. Stroll down an Italian strada and you may realize, not only does Italy specialize…
July 7, 2016
Although many regions of Italy boast superb cuisine, that of Sicily is uniquely steeped in history. A walk down the streets of a typical Sicilian town reveals a variety of vendors, selling not only typical Italian specialties (dried pasta, hearty bread), but also exotic fruits and vegetables, capers, tomatoes, eggplant,…
June 23, 2016
IT REALLY WAS AMAZING – Guest Blog from Helen Desai. Helen is an accomplished photographer and, as you can see, a delightfully engaging writer. We loved how her photos captured the essence of our experiences during those few days together…. Having returned from Italy just a few weeks ago, I…
June 11, 2016
To awaken alone in a strange town,” wrote British explorer and travel writer Freya Stark “is one of the pleasantest sensations in the world.” If you haven’t traveled solo yet, do yourself a favor-try it! It is one of the best ways to learn about yourself and challenge your interests….
March 18, 2016
Stunning architecture, a rich culture, elegant locals, a deep artistic history. What’s not to love? Although most of us think “Venice” when Northern Italy comes up, consider standing out in the crowd, and instead whispering: “Verona”. For this city, located on the Adige River, has subtle beauty that merits an…
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