Articles

  • Oria: Puglia Medieval and Messapian

    Oria is an ancient town of around 15,000 people in the Puglia province of Brindisi. It has winding lanes, a Swabian castle and great food.

  • Lecce: Baroque in Puglia

    Lecce is the principal city in the Salento peninsula of Puglia, the heel of the boot. It’s a whole different italy you need to explore.

  • Agrigento: The Splendor of Sicily in Springtime

    The Greek Temples in Agrigento aren’t just more ruins to trudge through. You can really enjoy them in the springtime as you stroll through olive groves and wildflowers to discover the layers of culture expressions that exist in this little corner of southern Sicily.

  • Marostica: Checkmate!

    Marostica is about as romantic a Veneto city as you can get, with two castles, a legend involving chess, and some great cherries.

  • Arco di Malborghetto: A Roman Microadventure

    When you’re tired of the crush of Rome, the monument overload, the lack of fresh air and green pastures, I have an idea. A microadventure you can bet your friends haven’t even thought of, a trip to the Arco di Malborghetto, a 4th century Roman arch converted to a medieval home and inn.

  • Volastra: Cinque Terre You Can Drive To

    Driving to the Cinque Terre? Most folks recoil in horror at such a question. “But the roads are very curvy” they scream, as if curves killed. Still, parking is difficult but we have a solution for everyone. The town of Volastra has plenty of places to park, is accessible via a decent road, and you can have great views, fantastic wine, and still walk the Cinque Terre.

  • Dozza

    Of all the little villages in Italy, among them is one you’ve very likely never heard of. We stumbled upon it by accident. It has a fine castle, the Rocca di Dozza.

  • The Charms of Little Cesenatico

    Cesenatico is an Adriatic coastal resort town in Romagna. The harbor was dug in 1302 and a fortress built to defend it. The canal you see in the picture was designed and laid out by none other than Leonardo da Vinci in 1502.

  • San Gimignano: City of Towers

    Towers. That’s what you think of when you head for San Gimignano. Well, there are many of them, but they represent a small number compared to tower building at its apex.

  • Bagnone

    Bagnone is in the Lunigiana historic territory of northern Tuscany. It’s rural there, and folks often make their own food.