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One of the many great things about CW Adventure (formerly Country Walkers) trips is their native guides. I loved a trip to Sicily I went on with them, where along with the spectacular scenery and food, we had full on cultural immersion with the wonderful Loredana Grasso, who grew up right near Mount Etna. Her stories about cooking with her grandma were great, also her hit on Italy’s political scene, and her passion for her homeland–from every flower on the trail to the delicious almond cookies of Taormina. I’m grateful a CW Puglia Guide and Lecce native, Marcello Polignano has joined in to give his advice forRead More →

My dear friend Carol Malzone, a dedicated Italofile, author, and founder of Flavors of Rome, was singing the praises of her new Italian teacher, Sandra Sicolo. Sandra grew up in Bitonto-Bari, Puglia, moved to the USA in 1989 with her husband and two children, and immediately began teaching Italian and doing translation work. The family now lives in Boca Raton, Florida, where Sandra has founded a popular cultural organization: All Italian Things, Inc., that promotes and preserves Italian culture, through entertaining events, cooking and language classes, AND group trips to Puglia that are designed and led by Sandra. I’m so grateful she has joined inRead More →

It was such a pleasure last spring to finally meet Rossella Rago, host of a web series I adore: Cooking With Nonna.   In each episode Rossella brings in a Nonna from a different region of Italy, who tells the story of how she learned to cook in the old country, and then demonstrates a specialty. In some episodes Rossella brings in her very own Nonna Romana, who along with Rossella’s parents, came from Mola di Bari, a tiny fishing village in the region of Puglia. My caffe date with Rossella at Lavazza in New York’s EATALY stretched into entertaining hours. Rossella regaled me withRead More →

I’m so grateful to have met so many fellow Italofiles through the Blogosphere. One of the most fascinating is Melissa Muldoon. Many know her as La Studentessa Matta=The Crazy Student, who writes a wonderful blog, in Italian, featuring her funny and passionate reportings about Italian current events and culture, including such goodies as a colorful recent post about La Festa della Bruna in Matera. It was great to finally meet Melissa in person last month when we joined in with Le Donne d’Italia in San Francisco for a Passport to Italy event at the Museo Italo Americano. She’s as charming in person as she appears inRead More →

I was enchanted and amazed when I came upon the blog, A New Life in Italy (Puglia in Fact). The posts are hilarious–from Isabelle Duranceau Jowett–a French Canadian who moved to the UK in 1997 to pursue a career in motorsport marketing, which lead to a career in event marketing and sponsorship (Formula One then Coca-Cola), a husband, and two children… As if that’s not enough for one life’s adventure, in 2006, Izzy and her family headed to Puglia for a better life and to build a dream: a glampsite in Castrignano del Capo, just up the hill from the seaside town of Leuca, inRead More →

Joyce Falcone is one of my favorite Italy travel experts. She was brought up in an Italian American household in New Jersey, took her first trip to Italy over 30 years ago, and in the 1990s began working as a tour guide for such top-notch companies as Country Walkers and Smithsonian Journeys. More recently, she founded, “The Italian Concierge” which specializes in  custom vacations for individuals, families, honeymooners and groups. With her passion, extensive background in Italian travel, frequent trips to Italy where she’s always keeping up to date and discovering new places, Joyce creates itineraries that give travelers extraordinary trips–a chance to truly “Live theRead More →

I came to know Martha Bakerjian years ago through her Italy Travel Site on About.com–a Must Click for all travelers to Italy–packed with excellent information–from maps, to guidance for well known destinations and off-the-beaten path spots, and insider’s advice for such things as Going to the Beach in Italy. It was a thrill to meet her in person last fall, when we rendezvoused for lunch in Pisa. She is a passionate Italofile, who has been traveling extensively in Italy for 30 years, and now has a home in the Lunigiana region of northern Tuscany where she spends about five months a year, using it asRead More →

As summer is approaching, we move on to Puglia, the region in Italy’s heel, home to some of Italy’s best beaches. My first visit to Puglia was many years ago, in the month of May, when cherry season was at its peak… One Golden Day I’ll always treasure was in Savelletri di Fasano,  near the forests of Fasano, south of Bari.  I stayed with my gal friend Sheila at Torre Maizza, a masseria (former farm estate) from the 16th century, that’s been luxuriously renovated with beautiful guest accommodations, gorgeous grounds, a golf course, delicious restaurants, and a spa. Taking in all the beauty on theRead More →

One of my dearest friends is the wonderful Louise Wright, a card carrying Italophile, who received a degree in Italian Culture and Language from the Universita’ per Stranieri in Siena in 2003. For many years, whenever we are not traveling, we have a Friday afternoon tradition of calling each other up and talking and reading to each other in Italian. Louise has been traveling to Italy for decades–visiting friends, discovering new places, and always seeking beautiful experiences that immerse her into authentic Italian life. One of her favorite spots is Camogli, a small seaside village on the Ligurian coast. I’m thrilled she’s joining in toRead More →

The first image that comes to mind when I hear San Remo, is the annual Music Festival, that’s been going on in this elegant seaside town since 1951. This grand event has launched the careers of many of my favorite Italian singers, including Andrea Bocelli who won the Newcomer’s Award there in 1994, with Il Mare Calmo della Sera. It’s always a kick to watch the videos that include international stars–such as this one from 2012 of Patti Smith singing “Because the Night”. Matteo Scandolera was born and grew up in San Remo. He’s now the Director of LiguriaHomes, a top-notch real estate company that offers rentalsRead More →