5 Things to Do in Pisa Besides Climbing the Leaning Tower
The city of Pisa Italy is famous the world over for its Leaning Tower but there's much more to the city. Here are some other things to do in Pisa: 1. Be sure to visit the Duomo and Baptistery next to the tower. Leave extra time (a few hours) to visit Pisa's stunning cathedral as well as the largest baptistery in Italy. 2. Also leave time to go into Museo dell’Opera del Duomo. This museum is where much of the art that was formerly in the cathedral is now housed. See Giovanni Pisano's ivory carving of the Madonna and Child carved for the cathedral's ...
Things to See in Alberobello
When you travel to Italy, there might be a lot of places that you would want to visit. One destination that definitely calls for a place in your travel itinerary is - Alberobello. Located in the southern part of Italy, it is a UNESCO World Heritage site that is known for its exceptional style of building called Trulli. Trullis are nothing but limestone houses with dry stone walls and conical roof that are known for their mortarless construction. The reason behind these pre-historic buildings was to escape from paying taxes. When the king’s tax collector came to collect taxes, the owner ...
Where To Stay in Rome: The Rose Garden Palace Hotel
One of my favorite hotels in Rome is the Rose Garden Palace Hotel. Just off the famous Via Veneto, and a stone’s throw from the American Embassy, it enjoys one of the best locations in the city. The hotel is partly owned by Steve Perillo, the third generation owner of Perillo Tours, the world’s largest tour operator to Italy. Perillo and his Italian partner bought this 19th-century building in 1998 and named it after the rose bushes in the courtyard. One might expect a hotel owned by a tour company to seem impersonal or ...
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“Eddie The Eagle” Got H...
Published on Monday, April 18, 2016 by Kathy McCabe
Ski jumper “Eddie the Eagle,” otherwise known as Michael “Eddie” Edwards, is from England (Cheltenham in Gloucestershire, to be exact)—but he got his start on skis in the Italian Alps. Edwards’ story has been delighting audiences in the U.S. recently as the Disney movie bear...
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New Etruscan Tomb Discovered in Laz...
Published on Sunday, April 10, 2016 by Kathy McCabe
Very little is known about the ancient Etruscans, but thanks to an archaeological dig in Lazio, a bit more knowledge has been added to the historical record. A tomb believed to belong to an Etruscan princess from the 8th century BC has been unearthed and is filled with treasures that may h... -
New Tunnels Found Underneath Naples
Published on Friday, April 8, 2016 by Kathy McCabe
For some time, “Naples Sotteranea,” or “Underground Naples,” has been a draw for travelers from around the world. The tunnels and caverns beneath the historic Italian city are built on a porous type of rock called “tufo,” the result of centuries of hardening of volcanic ash. (T... -
New Look for the “Sistine Chapel ...
Published on Saturday, April 2, 2016 by Kathy McCabe
The Basilica di Santa Maria Antiqua has had its light hidden under a bushel for quite some time—through no fault of its custodians. The “Sistine Chapel of the early Middle Ages,” as experts now refer to it, was buried in 847 AD by an earthquake, but has finally be restored. The si... -
Italy’s Best-Kept Secret: The Nat...
Published on Wednesday, March 30, 2016 by Kathy McCabe
Tuscany-based start-up Travel Appeal conducted a 2015 survey and analysis of 20 of Italy’s largest national museums—and number one museum in the country may surprise you. Using a complex algorithm that monitored visitor comments on sites including Facebook and TripAdvisor, Travel Appe... -
Florence’s Vasari Corridor Ma...
Published on Friday, March 18, 2016 by Kathy McCabe
Florence’s famous Vasari Corridor, which connects the Palazzo Pitti to the Palazzo Vecchio, is currently only accessible through private tours. However, that may change, says the director of the Uffizi, Eike Schmidt, who hopes to open the corridor to the public. “My aim is to elimin... -
Italy Wants UNESCO Protection for N...
Published on Wednesday, March 9, 2016 by Kathy McCabe
At the suggestion of the Italian government, the country’s UNESCO heritage commission plans to propose that the art of making Neapolitan pizza be included on the United Nations’ Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list. The proposal would officially distinguish Neapolitan pizza ... -
New Movie: All Roads Lead to Rome
Published on Monday, February 29, 2016 by Kathy McCabe
There's a new movie out for Italophiles... Sarah Jessica Parker and Under the Tuscan Sun actor Raoul Bova have joined up to star in a new romantic comedy set in Italy, All Roads Lead to Rome, about love and family. The movie, filmed in Rome and surrounding areas, follows uptight, New Yo... -
Plan A Custom Trip to Italy with It...
Published on Friday, February 26, 2016 by Kathy McCabe
Perillo Tours is the leader in escorted tours to Italy, but did you know that Perillo also plans custom Italy travel through its sister company ItalyVacations.com? Whether you want a romantic getaway in one of Italy's great cities - Venice, Rome, Florence - or a fully customized villa vaca... -
Five Fun Florence Facts and Win A T...
Published on Sunday, February 21, 2016 by Kathy McCabe
Florence is one of those cities you must see at least once in your lifetime and then even once you have been there, you yearn to go back again and again. We love Florence so much that we are giving away a trip to the city of art in our Florence Facebook Sweepstakes. In the meantime, her...
