Published on Monday, September 25, 2017 by Kathy McCabe With  increasing restrictions across Italian cities aimed at curbing tourists’ unruly behavior, Venice and Florence have both launched campaigns to accomplish that goal, called #EnjoyRespectVenezia and #EnjoyRespectFirenze, respectively. The message, sent through fines and increased awareness, is common sense: Respect the city, its history, its art and its resident...

Published on Thursday, September 21, 2017 by Kathy McCabe I’m Steve Perillo of Perillo Tours. I'm thrilled to host a video series called Steve's Travel Tips to share all the insider Italy travel tips I have learned over a lifetime of travel to Italy. Have you heard about Perillo's NEW 8-Day Deluxe Roman Holiday Tour?  If you haven't seen it yet, check out my video to tell you all about our newest tour! You will see ...

Published on Friday, September 15, 2017 by Kathy McCabe This week, Milan is celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, the world’s first shopping mall and one of Milan’s grandest landmarks. It opened on Sept. 15, 1867 and was commissioned by King Vittorio Emanuele II in 1865, who had unified Italy just four years earlier in 1861. “Paying tribute to the Galleria means celebrating the ar...

Published on Monday, September 11, 2017 by Kathy McCabe This weekend, the abandoned Italian town of Consonno hosted the eighth annual Nascondino World Championship, a hide-and-seek event of epic proportions and the world’s only event of its kind. Eighty teams of five players each from around the world gathered to compete for the title, camp in the valley, and listen to live music. The hide-and-seek event is played ove...

Published on Tuesday, September 5, 2017 by Kathy McCabe Almost two years after its renovation and reopening, the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo in Florence is employing a creative strategy to attract visitors. Drawing upon an idea put forth by its director, Monsignor Timothy Verdon, the museum is looking at religious artworks in a re-created religious environment, exploring the messaging that motivated artists in a way that ...

Published on Monday, August 28, 2017 by Kathy McCabe Pepe in Grani, in the town of Caiazzo in the region of Campania, has won the title of best pizza in Italy for 2017 according to online Italian pizzeria guide 50 Top Pizza. The restaurant received top marks not only for the quality of its food, but also for its beer and wine list, service, and furnishings. Pepe in Grani owner and third-generation pizzaiolo Franco Pe...

Published on Thursday, August 24, 2017 by Kathy McCabe Beginning March 1, 2018, visitors to the Uffizi Gallery, the Pitti Palace and the Boboli Gardens will pay more for tickets as the museums switch to a season-based admission system with higher prices for visitors coming in spring and summer. In peak season (March 1 to October 31), tickets to the Uffizi will cost 20€; in the remainder of the year, they will cost 12...

Published on Monday, August 21, 2017 by Kathy McCabe Rome Mayor Virginia Raggi’s administration has introduced a temporary period of controlled access to the Trevi Fountain through a set path. During the 80-day trial period that began on July 25, volunteer patrols are controlling the flow of traffic around the fountain and reminding tourists not to eat, swim, sit or lean on the fountain. Those who break the rules may ...

Published on Thursday, August 17, 2017 by Kathy McCabe When the Gelato Festival returns to Florence for the eighth time in September, it will unite Europe’s best ice cream makers – and ice cream lovers – to crown the continent’s best ice cream. Sixteen ice cream makers will compete in Florence and present flavors designed especially for the festival. A panel of journalists and gelato experts, along with a popular ...

Published on Monday, August 14, 2017 by Kathy McCabe A new bus run by Florentine transportation body Ataf is bringing visitors from Florence’s historic center to the hillside Forte di Belvedere and Villa Bardini, with the goal of improving access to these sites for both locals and tourists . The temporary route was created by the City of Florence, Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze (an organization that supports...