Published on Monday, May 12, 2014 by Kathy McCabe   In 1963, commissioned by Count Rivetti, who first put Maratea's name on the tourism map,  Florentine sculptor Bruno Innocenti crafted the 72-foot statue called Il Redentore (the redeemer) out of white marble. It towers over Maratea (a beach resort in Basilicata) from Mount St. Blaise near the basilica of the town's patron saint. (If you're wondering, th...

Published on Thursday, May 8, 2014 by Kathy McCabe Help Harry Perillo return to Italy so he can reunite with his “Poo-Chini” love, Maria. Steve took Harry to Italy last year and he fell madly in love with Maria. He wants to go back to Italy to see her but Steve says, he has to work for it and get everyone to watch his video! Here's how to help Harry: + Watch the video + Share with your friends + Commen...

Published on Friday, May 2, 2014 by Kathy McCabe I’m Steve Perillo of Perillo Tours. I have 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. Did you know that Italy has more UNESCO World Heritage Sites than any other country? UNESCO stands for the “United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.” This or...

Published on Thursday, April 24, 2014 by Kathy McCabe Naples has long been famous for its tailors. Italians and foreigners alike have flocked to this southern Italian city for handmade suits. The New York Times is reporting that Neapolitan tailoring is hotter than ever. "And the Neapolitan tailors seem to be more successful than the chaotic city itself in moving further into the 21st century. Like the waters of the ba...

Published on Monday, April 21, 2014 by Kathy McCabe While Pompeii may be the most famous archaeological site in Italy, fans of Ancient Rome often argue that the lesser-known ruins of Ostia Antica, just outside of Rome, surpass Pompeii in quality. Now there's even more reason to get your archaeological fix at this old port town with a secret part of the ancient site recently unearthed. "The find is enormous, inclu...

Published on Thursday, April 10, 2014 by Kathy McCabe The Italy Mix is a weekly 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: Sorrento So Cool:  Its cobbled streets are lined with historic buildings, beautiful boutiques, refined restaurants and fabulous hotels.   (Daily Star) Italian Islands: Many of Ital...

Published on Sunday, April 6, 2014 by Steve Perillo Tours is all about family; we've been family run for nearly 70 years. Another thing we're known for: our television commercials. A tradition that I've proudly carried on from my father, Mr. Italy, Mario Perillo. A very important part of the family is Harry Perillo. He's my golden retriever who comes into the office each day with me. Harry has taken on more ...

Published on Tuesday, April 1, 2014 by Kathy McCabe Did you hear the news? George Clooney, Italy's most-famous part-time resident has bought another home in Tuscany. Clooney is often spotted by the paparazzi as he comes and goes from his 30-room Villa Oleandra near Bellagio on Lake Como. Now he may have found a more private Italian hideaway - a villa in Tuscany. Clooney has reportedly bought an estate in the less-fa...

Published on Thursday, March 27, 2014 by Kathy McCabe The Italy Mix is a weekly 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: Treasures of Val'D'Orcia: Michelin-starred chef Enrico Bartolini introduces this stunning area of Tuscany.   (The Los Angeles Times) Idyllic Alta Badia: Gourmet food, glorious skiin...

Published on Monday, March 24, 2014 by Kathy McCabe Romans take their food shopping seriously. Gathering staples and ingredients for the coming days is more of a time-honored ritual than a series of errands. Two thirty-something Rome women wanted to capture this experience for visitors to the city and the Rome Gourmet Walking Tour was born. On a sunny Saturday morning, our guide,  Gaetano, an affable and erudite re...