Published on Monday, June 5, 2017 by Kathy McCabe In its latest effort to curtail the crush of tourists that descends upon Venice, the city is considering charging an entry fee to visit St. Mark’s Square. The city will begin by rolling out a system to count the number of visitors in the historic city center at a given point in time and display the numbers on social media in real time, hoping to deter guests from ad...

Published on Thursday, June 1, 2017 by Kathy McCabe A hotel on the banks of Lake Garda has been named the most environmentally friendly hotel in Europe – and with such stunning scenery, it’s no surprise that the hotel would strive to protect its natural surroundings. Travel website TripAdvisor recognized the Lefay Resort and Spa Lago di Garda in Gargnano for its bioarchitecture and commitment to eco-friendly energy...

Published on Friday, May 26, 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. You've seen my series of short videos Steve's Travel Tips. But are you curious how we produce them? Sure you are! We have a small TV studio, complete with a green screen, ...

Published on Sunday, May 21, 2017 by Kathy McCabe After hanging in churches on the island of Murano in Venice for centuries, two paintings by Venetian Renaissance master Paolo Veronese headed across the lagoon and are now on display at the Venice Biennale. The paintings, Saint Jerome in the Desert and Saint Agatha Visited in Prison by Saint Peter, are newly restored, correcting previous poor attempts at restoring t...

Published on Wednesday, May 17, 2017 by Kathy McCabe A waterfall garden in Rome that has been closed for 56 years reopened to the public earlier this month. Giardino delle Cascate (Garden of the Waterfalls) in EUR, a southwestern suburb of Rome, first opened in 1961. It was designed by architect Raffaele de Vico and closed shortly after it opened, and was only used occasionally as a film set. Situated on the EUR lake...

Published on Tuesday, May 9, 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. This time about one of my favorite topics - taking your family to Italy. We've been a family-owned business for more than 70 years and we are all about spending quality tim...

Published on Friday, May 5, 2017 by Kathy McCabe Next year, Venice’s Royal Gardens will receive a makeover funded by the Italian Ministry of Culture and insurance company Generali, which will each take on half of the 5€ million project cost. Once a site of “ancient splendour and significance” – according to Adele Re Rebaudengo, president of the nonprofit Venice Gardens Foundation – the gardens are no...

Published on Tuesday, May 2, 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. How many YEARS would it take you to visit every church in Rome if you visited one a day? Any guesses? Almost THREE YEARS! There are more than 900 churches in Rome! In...

Published on Saturday, April 29, 2017 by Kathy McCabe The Basilica di Santo Spirito in Florence has opened its cloister to the public for the first time. The cloister of the former monastery and convent was a space that connected different parts of the complex, such as the basilica and the dining hall, that the monks who lived there used daily. It comprises two refectories and a sacristy. To enter the cloister from th...

Published on Monday, April 17, 2017 by Kathy McCabe On June 1, contemporary and modern art museums across Italy will introduce a membership card that allows access to all participating museums. The project, called Contemporaneamente Italia, was announced ahead of the G7 Culture Summit, held in Florence at the end of March. Cards will cost 30€ each, will be sold at the participating museums starting June 1, and will g...