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One of my favorite neighborhoods on earth is the Spanish Quarter in Naples. Narrow alleys decorated with laundry, signoras on balconies in housecoats, vespas roaring by, the smells of rich ragu…There’s an intimacy here in this working class neighborhood where so much action–love affairs, arguments, jokes, happen right out in the open, right before my eyes. I walk past altars put up for someone’s mamma, street level doors open to family kitchens, and my eyes meet a signorina as she stirs at the stove. Often tables from those kitchens are simply moved out to the street–so what I thought at first must be a great family restaurant, is actuallyRead More →

A drive south from Naples takes us to the gorgeous Amalfi Coast, and then we wind up above it to reach Ravello–one of the most enchanting towns in Italy. It’s fitting that in such a spot there resides a Goddess of Amalfi Coast Cooking: Mamma Agata. She began her pro-career when she was thirteen, cooking in the villa of a wealthy American who entertained star visitors. Mamma Agata was beloved by such guests as Humphrey Bogart, Anita Ekberg, Fred Astaire, and Jackie-O. These days this open hearted, exhuberant woman offers a Golden Day: Cooking class in her hilltop villa, which has a to-die-for view of the hills and sea.Read More →

You may think that stepping out of the lively action of Naples into the Museo Archeologico Nazionale (Piazza Museo 19, Open 9-7, Closed Tues), would be a buzz kill, but you must give it a try. Here the classic beauty, deep sensuality, and naughty humor of this city is celebrated. It’s great to visit before you go to Pompeii or Herculaneum, to see the treasures those ancient villas once held. To rev up for your visit, stop at Mexico (Piazza Dante 86) for a caffe. Naples is famous for its strong, excellent coffee, and here it’s served up by spirited baristas. The main ground floor roomRead More →

When I think of Napoli, a fabulous moment rushes back: The first visit, an early spring evening. My sister and I had dropped our bags at our B&B, wandered to the Duomo. The via was quiet…then gradually amorous couples emerged walking arm in arm, elderly signoras strutted past us, a glarmous gal on a vespa with long gleaming black hair whizzed by, ragazzi in t-shirts, mammas with strollers, there were shouts and waves all around, arms flying through the air. Suddenly we were in a crowd of look-a-likes of our relatives and neighbors from our Jersey shore childhood! We walked along in awe. As I’m dark haired and petite, with looks inheritedRead More →

I was absolutely charmed when I discovered Chelsea Christensen’s blog, All Roads Lead to Pecetto. Chelsea is an American who moved to Italy for love, and she writes about her life in Torino with passion, humor, and gorgeous photos. She also has a online vintage clothing and decor shop on Etsy, Italian Postcards, where you can find such treasures as these beautiful Italian shoes for very reasonable prices! I’m so grateful Chelsea has joined in to share a Golden Day in her beloved city of Torino. Here goes: I love living in Torino. I often find myself walking around the city and wondering, why don’t moreRead More →

A 45-minute train ride from Turin takes you to the enchanting town of Asti. Yes, that’s Asti, as in Asti Spumante, that sparkling white wine that was poured at many celebrations during my Jersey shore youth. Vineyards on the outskirts of Asti, in the Monteferrato province, produce this lively wine, as well as Moscato d’Asti and lovely red Barbera d’Asti. The town of Asti is a gem to stroll through—cobblestoned streets, Gothic and Romanesque churches, and lofty towers from the 13th century that were once used to defend this place now offer beautiful views. It’s best to visit on a Wednesday or Saturday morning when a beautifulRead More →

I was thrilled a while back to discover Madeline Jhawar’s website and blog, Italy Beyond the Obvious. Madeline is a former tour guide who lived in Italy for five years and now her company offers expert custom travel planning, so visitors can get beyond traditional guidebook recommendations and interact with locals. Her wonderful blog posts combine a great mix of practical info (for example, How to Drive Like an Italian) and insider’s info on specific locations (such as the Island of Ponza).  I adore her philosophy of travel, which is all about not cramming too much into a vacation (always a challenge with Italy), butRead More →

Now to Le Langhe–those wonderous rolling hills of vineyards, where some of the world’s most beloved wines are produced: Barolo, Barbaresco, Dolcetto d’Alba, Moscato d’Asti, Gavi…There are 750 wineries in the area. For a Golden Day, visit the Marchesi di Barolo winery in Barolo, where you can walk in for tastings, or make an appointment to tour this gorgeous historic place. The winery overlooks the Castello Falletti where Marchesa Giulia Colbert lived in the nineteenth century. She was not pleased with the wine produced from the grapes growing around her castle, so she called in a French winemaker to create a wine similar to Bordeaux, which becameRead More →

We’re heading back to the Val di Susa, west of  Turin, where I must return to see this awesome sight, one of the largest Romanesque architectural complexes in Europe: the Sacra di San Michele. This spot is a favorite of Adrian Petersen , who created Italian Reflections, a wonderful resource for travelers and foreigners who’ve relocated to Piedmont and other regions of Italy. He also has written for ItalyItalia, the Nile Guide, and Wandering Educators. Adrian and his wife Sandy moved from the UK’s southwest to Italy three years ago, are now renovating a hill top country house in this Piedmont paradise, and love exploring the beautiful countryside that surrounds them. WhenRead More →

I began dreaming about Stresa, a jewel of a town on Lago Maggiore, in high school when I read Ernest Hemingway’s Farewell to Arms. At the end of the story he deserts the army and heads to Stresa, to the arms of the British nurse he’s crazy about. I fell into romantic imaginings about Henry and Catherine at the Hotel des Iles Borromees… More recently, I’ve discovered Stresa Sights, a beautiful blog written by Dana Kaplan (a New York native), who now lives part time in Stresa and fills her posts with gorgeous photos and great up to date info for travelers to discover theRead More →