Published on Saturday, February 22, 2014 by Kathy McCabe Florence is the home of two of the world's most famous and most visited museums — the Uffizi and the Accademia Gallery — so it isn't surprising that some of the "other" Florence museums don't get as much publicity but can be just as fascinating and worth seeing. So if you're visiting Florence and have some extra time after seeing the main sites, consider a visit t...

Published on Monday, August 12, 2013 by Kathy McCabe The Italy Mix is a post about the most interesting Italy and Italy travel news and human interest stories around the Web each week. Here are our top picks for this week: Siena: Italy's Medieval Gem:  Rick Steves explores the Tuscan city of Siena and recommends sites, hotels and restaurants. (The Seattle Times) Italy With A Baby: New parents take their baby to P...

Published on Tuesday, July 2, 2013 by Kathy McCabe The Italy Mix is a post about the most interesting Italy and Italy travel news and human interest stories around the Web each week. Here are our top picks for this week: John Paul II Set For Sainthood: A second miracle by the late Pope has confirmed and has the beloved John Paul cleared to become a saint.  (BBC News) Italy's Undiscovered Alpine Retreat: Rick St...

Published on Saturday, June 1, 2013 by Kathy McCabe The Italy Mix is a post about the most interesting Italy and Italy travel news and human interest stories around the Web each week. Here are our top picks for this week: Dante Fever in Florence: Dan Brown's latest book The Inferno has tourists flocking to Florence to follow in Robert Langdon's steps.  (The Daily Beast) Venice's Hidden Neighborhood:  The workin...

Published on Wednesday, May 22, 2013 by Kathy McCabe The Italy Mix is a post about the most interesting Italy and Italy travel news and human interest stories around the Web each week. Here are our top picks for this week: Will World Nutella Day Go On?: Italian chocolate maker issues cease and desist to fan's yearly celebration. But have they now come to a compromise?  (The Huffington Post) Farmacia Santa Maria N...

Published on Tuesday, April 16, 2013 by Kathy McCabe An event taking place in over 100 locations throughout the world, Slow Art Day is a chance for art fans to take in beautiful works s-l-o-w-l-y. This year Slow Art Day is April 27.  If you're in Florence, a great place to experience the day is at Palazzo Strozzi. The Florentine reports visitors will have ample time to appreciate works from the current exhibition  ...

Published on Tuesday, April 2, 2013 by Kathy McCabe Sixty percent of the world's art treasures can be found in Italy. That's a staggering amount of painting, frescoes, sculptures and artifacts. Its no wonder that when visiting Italy, travelers want to try to see it all, even though that is impossible.  Plus there's the risk of Stendhal syndrome. What is that you ask? According to Wikipedia, "Stendhal syndrome, Sten...

Published on Friday, March 22, 2013 by Steve If you're taking your first trip to Italy and you're looking for an independent itinerary, I have just the one for you. I'm thrilled to announce a fabulous new travel package called Three Crowns of Italy.  Experience Italy's 3 major cities in style, with 4-star, centrally located hotels and all of your land transportation! Here's what's included: 3 nights in a...

Published on Wednesday, February 6, 2013 by Steve Florence has long been known for its rich history - it is the birthplace of the Renaissance -  as well as being an epicenter of Italian gastronomy.  That's why I'm thrilled to announce our new, independent 6-night Florence Adventure package from ItalyVacations.com. Rates for this culinary and historical odyssey start at $1,325 per person, based on double, and ...

Published on Wednesday, January 2, 2013 by Kathy McCabe Expert in all things European travel, Rick Steves has put together his list what to look out for in Italy in 2013. If you're planning to travel to Italy this year, it is worth a read. Here's what Steves says is new and interesting in Italy for 2013: More rooms at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence have been opened to the public, including  the Caravaggio Rooms and t...