Travel Tips for a Do-Able Day Trip to Venice from Florence. And sample itinerary!
April 21st, 2015Get the most out of a day in Venice. It is a small city with many attractions, so we’ve put together 5 travel tips for vacationers staying in Florence. Some of these tips save you time, some save you money and all of them come from our years of experience in Italy tourism. ... Read More
Fanatic Packer’s 5 Spring Packing Tips!
April 8th, 2015The response to our winter packing tips was so wonderful — thank you! So, by popular demand, here are 5 spring packing tips since we know many of you are preparing now for upcoming travels. Spring is harder than winter or summer because the weather can be unpredictable, ranging from really chilly to quite warm. Packing Tips 1. ... Read More
4 Top Tips From a Fanatic Packer
March 3rd, 2015I confess, I pack with near-military precision, fitting everything into a rolling carry-on bag even for a month-long trip. During my most recent trip — a month in Italy inspecting properties — I moved accommodations every couple of nights because staying in our properties is the best way to inspect. Packing for a long winter ... Read More
Rome’s Stately Piazza del Popolo
February 20th, 2015Piazza del Popolo was, and is, a truly impressive welcome to Rome, beautifully proportioned, it is anchored by an Egyptian obelisk (acquired from Egypt by Augustus Caesar during his conquests) which theme is carried forward with a fountain featuring Egyptian lions and a dozen sphinxes on the surrounding wall. The arched portal to Piazza del ... Read More
Italy Perfect Featured in Travel + Leisure Magazine
February 4th, 2015Italy Perfect is delighted to be included in Travel + Leisure magazine’s February 2015 “Guide to the New World of Vacation Rentals”. The February issue includes Italy Perfect’s beautiful Tuscany Bucine property located in a peaceful setting in the hills near the fortified, ancient town of Arezzo. The accommodations here are very comfortable, a good value and almost ... Read More
Irresistibly Creative Italian Idiomatic Expressions
January 21st, 2015We love the rich stories these comic and creative idiomatic expressions tell. We can only hope that the English language can evolve to emulate these charming and picturesque expressions. They begged our little cartoons. Ha le braccine corte. — He has little short arms. His arms are so short he can’t reach his wallet. He is cheap! ... Read More
Take your Children to Florence
January 13th, 2015Italy is one of the most child friendly countries in the world. Your precious ‘bambina’ will have her cheeks pinched and your ‘bambino’ will be whisked off to the kitchen to taste some fresh schiacciata. If you’re travelling with a baby, be ready to get more attention than you’ve ever experienced — from grandmothers and waiters ... Read More
Italy Property Inspections Behind the Scenes!
December 1st, 2014A Day in the Life — Inspections in Venice: The Italy Perfect Team travels frequently around Italy to inspect the properties it offers. It is a fun job, but it is also a lot of work. Here is some insight into a recent day in Venice. 7:00am Prepare to depart for Venice from lovely Giovanna Florence apartment ... Read More
Tartufo: The King of Gelato
November 19th, 2014A tartufo ice cream treat is a ‘must-try’ for chocolate or gelato lovers travelling in Italy. Legend has it that this decadent sweet was invented for a visiting King by an artisan gelato maker in Pizzo, a small town in Southern Italy. Whatever the origin, it’s a winner! ... Read More
Fiesole, the Crown of Florence
November 5th, 2014The narrow and crowded streets of Florence are filled with delights but you may find, as we do, four nights into our stay, that we need a respite and Fiesole is the perfect solution. On the heights above Florence, the ancient town of Fiesole welcomes with amazing views, a small historical area with an evocative ... Read More
Bernini’s Apollo and Daphne: Unrequited Love
October 22nd, 2014Apollo and Daphne is a life-sized baroque sculpture by renowned sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini. An extraordinary masterwork, the sculpture depicts the mythical story of unrequited love and can be found in Galleria Borghese in Rome. The Galleria Borghese is also home to Bernini’s David, paintings by Caravaggio and many other masterpieces. It is no surprise ... Read More