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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Don’t Swim in the Trevi Fount...
Published on Tuesday, August 20, 2019 by Kathy McCabe
Italy is cracking down on misbehaving tourists and bad behavior. First, it's handing out fines for blasphemous cursing, hanging in a hammock and brewing coffee in unacceptable places. Now, tourists need to be aware that stepping into Rome’s 18th-century Trevi Fountain is not allowed eith...
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Rome Bans Sitting on the Spanish St...
Published on Monday, August 5, 2019 by Kathy McCabe
If you are a fan of the 1953 classic film Roman Holiday you probably want to walk the same Spanish steps that its stars Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn walked when you visit Rome. Walking up or down the steps is okay, but just don’t plan on sitting down on them. It could cost you hundre... -
Explore the “Google Maps̶...
Published on Thursday, July 25, 2019 by Kathy McCabe
What’s the old expression? When in Rome do as the Romans do, right? What about the Romans from centuries ago? Many tourists visit Rome because they are interested in its rich history and plan to visit such iconic spots as the Coliseum and the Forum of Caesar, but there’s only so muc... -
New “Gelato Restaurant”...
Published on Wednesday, July 10, 2019 by Kathy McCabe
Geppy Sferra’s new gelato-themed restaurant stands out from the 1,400 other gelaterias in Rome: It is the only one to serve a full dinner menu, with gelato incorporated into each dish. Gelateria d’Essai, in Rome’s Centocelle neighborhood, employs chef Marco Mezzaroma to invent creati... -
Gucci to Restore Rome’s Tarpe...
Published on Saturday, June 1, 2019 by Kathy McCabe
Gucci will pay 1.6 million euros to fund the two-year restoration of Tarpeian Rock in Rome which badly eroded last year. The project, a partnership between Gucci and the Capitoline Superintendency, is called “Tarpeian Rock, Between Legend and Future.” The Tarpeian Rock is located on... -
Domus Transitoria Reopens in Rome
Published on Thursday, April 25, 2019 by Kathy McCabe
For the first time, the public can see how Emperor Nero lived in his first private palace, the Domus Transitoria, which opened this month after a 10-year restoration. The palace has been off-limits for centuries, since it burned down in the Great Fire of Rome. After a fire destroyed the... -
Easter Week in Rome
Published on Wednesday, March 27, 2019 by Kathy McCabe
Easter (Pasqua in Italian) is a magical time to visit any part of Italy. In 2019, Easter will be celebrated on Sunday, April 21st. The Easter season is filled with food (yes, even Easter eggs have made their way here), family and religious rituals. But there's something very specia... -
Italian Christmas Markets
Published on Wednesday, December 12, 2018 by Kathy McCabe
Many tourists from the United States hear “Christmas market” and immediately think of Germany’s deservedly famous “Weinachtsmarkts” and “Kristkindlmarkts,” both of which conjure up the smell of Gluehwein and the sizzle of roast bratwurst. But Italy has its own legion of marke... -
Go Inside Rome’s Palaces in N...
Published on Tuesday, November 6, 2018 by Kathy McCabe
This month, Turismo Culturale Italiano is inviting visitors into 73 of palaces in Rome for guided tours during its sixth annual Porte Aperte event. Many of these residential palaces, built between the Renaissance and the 20th century, are privately owned and not usually open to the publ... -
New Section of Rome’s Palatin...
Published on Wednesday, July 4, 2018 by Kathy McCabe
A section of Palatine Hill in Rome has opened to the public for the first time in centuries, allowing visitors to take in 1,200 years of the Eternal City's history. One of Rome’s seven hills, Palatine Hill overlooks the Roman Forum and the Circus Maximus in the city center, but the n...
