It’s been quite a while since Gary and I stopped at an Autogrill rest station on the autostrada (Italy’s highway). We mainly travel by train, but a recent car trip with friends to the northern part of Italy brought back …
Cittadella Park | Historical Park in Parma
The Cittadella Park Cittadella Park was originally built for defensive purposes and was then transformed into a prison and a place of torture. Today, this beautiful area located in Parma, Italy is a public park with spaces for children to …
Rimini, Italy: Beautiful Beachtown
The Beach Town of Rimini Rimini is a small coastal town on the Adriatic coast, in Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region. It’s known for its beachside nightclubs, fantastic seafood, and very shallow waters. The waves just simply roll gently to shore. We …
Leaning Tower of Pisa: The Amazing Climb
The Leaning Tower of Pisa The Leaning Tower of Pisa is iconic and easily recognizable when in this town, or even just passing on the train or roadway. All the times we’ve visited the Field of Dreams as it’s called, …
Balsamic in Modena: Outstanding Experience
Balsamic Vinegar: What is it about that “black gold” liquid that’s so special? Who doesn’t love balsamic vinegar? A recent trip with our good friends JoAn and Jim took us to an amazing family-run place in Modena. They’ve enjoyed visiting …
Best Advice: Adapters & Electrical Converters for Italy
A little story about electrical converters. Here I am one day clipping my hair with electric barber-style clippers, and I smell something burning. My hair clippers are smoking like crazy and getting hotter in my hand. I immediately dropped them …
Thrilling Day Driving a Vintage Fiat 500 in Tuscany
What an unforgettable experience driving a Vintage Fiat 500 in Tuscany! Not too long ago, friends Gina and Jay arrived in Lucca from their home in New Orleans, USA. They mentioned they had already booked this nostalgic event prior to …
Guinigi Tower | Lucca’s Beautiful Landmark
The Guinigi Tower is a beautiful landmark of Lucca and is easily recognizable by the garden on the top. A wonderful view of the city and the surrounding mountains is yours to enjoy for the easy climb to the top. …
Montalcino | Discovering the Beautiful Hill Town and Famous Wine
Montalcino, Italy Montalcino is one of the famous hill towns of Italy. It is located in the region of Tuscany in the Province of Siena. The town is 94 square miles in size and at an elevation of approximately 1900 …
Uffizi Gallery Museum | It’s Famous Worldwide
The Uffizi Gallery Museum is famous worldwide for its outstanding collections of ancient sculptures and paintings. Did you know, the Uffizi is home to some of the most important works of the Renaissance? These include masterpieces by Giotto, Filippo Lippi, …
Relaunching the Beautiful Carmine, Lucca
The Mercato del Carmine The Mercato del Carmine, once the church of Santa Maria del Carmine, is a historic building located in the center of Lucca. Its raw beauty captured me from the moment I walked into the cold, empty space. I …
Get Lost in the Boboli Gardens | Florence
Boboli Gardens The Boboli Gardens were designed by Niccolo Tribolo who died one year after starting the gardens. Bartolommeo Ammanati, Bernardo Buontalenti, and Giorgio Vasari completed the gardens according to plan. The name came from the hill, Boboli, in which …