Churches in Italy In preparing for our first trip to Italy back in 2010, Ilene and I looked at what towns we were going to visit and what we hoped to see in each of them. We watched Rick Steve’s …
Giuseppe Verdi’s Great Masterpiece: Rigoletto
Rigoletto was amazingly popular from its premiere in 1851, reaching London by 1853 and New York by 1855. Not much has changed over 150 years – this was the 9th most performed opera in the world from 2007/08 to 2011/12. Probably Verdi’s …
12 Things Italians Never Do
What do Italians Never do? Ahh, mamma mia… Italians never do certain things – some of it is because of tradition, while other things have to do with superstitions. This post will take a humorous look at things Italian never …
Gelato | Warning: Not All Are The Same
Gelato | Warning: Not All Are The Same There are hundreds of places for gelato in Italy. Literally, hundreds. But are all places the same for that yummy cold stuff? Gelato is an English term for ice cream made in …
Amazing Piazza della Signoria | The History
Piazza della Signoria The Piazza della Signoria is an L-shaped square located in front of the Palazzo Vecchio and was named after the Palazzo della Signoria, also called Palazzo Vecchio. The building is beautiful and amazing. Look at the different …
Guest, Marilyn Ricci- My Path to Life in Italy
Through social media, Gary and I have met and befriended (I hope she thinks so too), ex-pat Marilyn Ricci. Consequently – we’d like you to meet her too. We almost had the chance to personally meet when we were in …
Bottom Line: What Intrigues us all About Italy?
Italy – What Intrigues Us? What intrigues and captivates us about this country? If you’re Italian, emotions about Italy are strong. If you ask any older Italian, not the younger generation, where they would most like to live – the …
Introducing Ishita from Italophilia
Sometimes you just meet someone and connect – that’s the case with Ishita from Italophilia. I was following her blog, which, by the way, is amazing, and then found her on social media. I guess I loved her story, a …
Some of the Greatest Italian Tenors
Italian Tenors My love of opera, not necessarily Italian tenors, started at an incredibly young age. My grandfather (Pop) would play his 78rpm records (vinyl discs played on a Victrola) and I would sit with him and listen, especially to …
The Interesting Street Markets, Parma
Street Markets Street markets in Parma occur every Wednesday and Saturday. Sometimes the vendors are the same, sometimes you get new ones. They are hidden in the narrow streets and in the open piazzas. They do, however, always seem to …
Your Guide to the Different Regions in Italy
Regions in Italy There are twenty different regions in Italy. Let us be your travel guide to them! Differences in people from various regions can be noticed in appearance, dialect, and even their attitude. You will find though, Italians are …
Reviewing the Year 2020 | One for the Record Books
Reviewing the Year 2020 I was thinking to myself… Do I really want to review this past year? Anyone you talk to will more than likely tell you we should declare a “do-over” for this past year. A year that …