Published on Thursday, August 10, 2017 by Kathy McCabe Capri’s mayor, Giovanni De Martino, is pushing back against overcrowding on the tiny island, saying it could “explode” from too many tourists. The island off of the Amalfi Coast receives 2 million tourists each year and up to 15,000 during peak summer season, 80 percent of which only visit for a day trip from Naples or Sorrento or as part of a cruise itinerary. ...

Published on Tuesday, August 1, 2017 by Kathy McCabe Good news for travelers who rely on their smartphones to get around: Italy has launched a nationwide free Wi-Fi app that enables Italians and foreigners to connect to hot spots all over the country with a single sign-on. Users only need to fill out information the first time they log in; after that, they can connect automatically to Wi-Fi hotspots around the country a...

Published on Friday, July 28, 2017 by Kathy McCabe Two new sites in Italy have been designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, bringing the country’s total number of sites to 53, the most in the world. The two sites are the Venetian works of defense, which stretch across the country’s northeast, and a group of 10 ancient beech tree forests. The Venetian works of defense include historically significant defensiv...

Published on Monday, July 24, 2017 by Kathy McCabe Florence will begin a “free flow” bike-sharing program on July 24, enabling riders to rent bicycles from anywhere in the city. Unlike traditional bike-sharing programs that require users to visit designated rental stations, Florence’s program will allow riders to rent bikes from anywhere, at any time. Bikes are a great way to get around the city! Through a sm...

Published on Thursday, July 20, 2017 by Kathy McCabe Castel Sant’Angelo in Rome has opened previously closed-off spaces, including a series of three rooms known as the Cambellotti Rooms, to the public for the first time, and is also providing new ways for visitors to interact with and understand the historic monument. Guests can access the rooms through a newly opened ceremonial entrance designed by architect Giov...

Published on Friday, July 14, 2017 by Kathy McCabe A summer heat wave is prompting the city of Rome to turn off up to 30 of the city’s 2,800 public drinking fountains every day, much to the Roman public’s dismay. The fountains supply clean – and free – drinking water on street corners and in piazzas around the city, and some are concerned the shutoff will leave Romans, especially those who are homeless, dehydr...

Published on Friday, July 7, 2017 by Kathy McCabe The first part of the Vasari Corridor, which connects Palazzo Pitti, the Uffizi Gallery and Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, has reopened to the public after being closed since 1871. The first part of the corridor links Palazzo Vecchio and the Uffizi Gallery and travels above Via della Ninna. Previously, parts of the corridor were only open for guided tours, but now the p...

Published on Wednesday, June 21, 2017 by Kathy McCabe To discourage tourists from loitering, eating lunch and leaving trash on the steps of two of its most famous churches, Florence street cleaners will hose down the steps and prohibit people from entering the area. The Basilica di Santa Croce, where Michelangelo is buried, and the Chiesa di Santo Spirito – along with the streets of the city center, a UNESCO World Heri...

Published on Sunday, June 18, 2017 by Kathy McCabe Restoration teams have given new life to Rome’s largest catacombs using laser technology, and plan to reopen sections of them to the public later this year. The restored part of the Domitilla Catacombs contains 26,250 tombs across four stories and 7.4 miles; the catacombs in their entirety span 11 miles and contain 150,000 bodies, and date from the second to fifth c...

Published on Sunday, June 11, 2017 by Kathy McCabe Rome will no longer allow horse-drawn carriage rides on its cobblestone streets, the city announced last week. When the change goes into effect, carriages will only be permitted in parks and on the grounds of historic villas. Carriage rides are popular with tourists and take them through guided tours of popular monuments such as the Colosseum, the Vatican, the Trev...