Published on Saturday, September 15, 2018 by Kathy McCabe To decrease crowding, Florence has banned people from eating on four of the city’s busiest streets: Via de’ Neri, Piazzale degli Uffizi, Piazza del Grano and Via della Ninna. The ban is in place during the most popular mealtimes – from noon to 3 p.m. and from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. – and those who violate it will be fined between €150 and €500. On Via de’ ...

Published on Friday, September 7, 2018 by Kathy McCabe VinNatur, an Italian natural wine organization, has created a list of qualifications and characteristics for natural wine, a label that is often misused, undefined or confused with organic wines. Unlike other natural wine organizations, VinNatur enlists an independent certification group that is recognized by the Italian Ministry of Agriculture to ensure members follo...

Published on Monday, September 3, 2018 by Kathy McCabe Everyone knows Italian grandmothers make the best handmade pasta, and if you’re lucky, your nonna passed down her recipes and techniques. For the rest of us, there’s Pasta Grannies, a YouTube channel that films Italian nonne making pasta by hand, the old-fashioned way. Food writer Vicky Bennison, who is based in Le Marche and London, launched Pasta Grannies fou...

Published on Wednesday, August 29, 2018 by Kathy McCabe To combat Islamophobia and celebrate ancient Middle Eastern culture, two Florence museums have teamed up to stage an exhibit on Islamic art and the reciprocal relationship between Florence and Islam. The exhibit, titled “Islamic Art and Florence from the Medici to the 20th Century,” runs through Sept. 23 at the Uffizi Gallery and the Bargello Museum, showcasing 25...

Published on Thursday, August 23, 2018 by Kathy McCabe Thanks to a July agreement between Italian aerospace companies and Virgin Galactic, Italy could soon launch itself into the nascent world of space tourism. On a recent visit to the White House, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte talked about “launching, as soon as possible, new planes that, crossing the atmosphere, will be able to connect Italy and the United Sta...

Published on Sunday, August 19, 2018 by Kathy McCabe The pristine white and pink sand beaches of Sardinia attract hundreds of thousands of visitors, many of whom pocket a seemingly insignificant amount of sand or shells as a souvenir. Now, though, visitors who take home more than just a photograph will face a hefty fine: Filling a bottle or baggie with sand, pebbles, or shells is a crime and will incur a penalty of betw...

Published on Monday, August 13, 2018 by Kathy McCabe Italian Culture Minister Alberto Bonisoli announced in a press conference that Italy will end the Domenica al Museo (“Sunday at the Museum”) program, no longer offering free admission to state museums as of this fall. Currently, approximately 480 state museums are free to everyone on the first Sunday of the month. The change will affect popular sites such as P...

Published on Sunday, August 5, 2018 by Kathy McCabe After several years of excavations, a Roman villa once hidden under a church in Positano is now open to the public.  The fresco-covered villa was buried along with Pompeii and Herculaneum when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD. The villa dates to the second century BC and, thanks to the volcanic eruption, it is well-preserved. Archaeologists have unearthed wooden wa...

Published on Wednesday, August 1, 2018 by Kathy McCabe As of August 1, small recreational watercrafts such as kayaks, canoes, paddleboards and pedal boats are no longer allowed on the main waterways of Venice. The ban does not apply to Venetian residents who own these boats, gondolas or tour companies that are regulated by local authorities. Previously, small recreational boats could not travel on the main waterways fr...

Published on Friday, July 27, 2018 by Kathy McCabe Book any  2019 Italy Perillo Tours escorted tours and make a deposit by October 1, 2018 and save $200 per couple ($100 per person)* You must use the PROMO CODE: Early Bird 19 New Tour: Taste of Italy 2019 Are you hungry? Then join Perillo Tours for a brand new tour 11-Day Taste of Italy 2019. We will spend 3 nights in Bologna, 2 nights in Florence...