4 Essential Items to Pack for your Trip to Italy
July 3rd, 2014Packing for your European adventure brings decisions big and small. Here are four very useful items we recommend adding to your packing list, without which you could waste or even lose funds and more. All of the following products have been tried and tested on our own trips to Europe and are available online through the affiliate links. ... Read More
Florence Mercato Centrale: A Tour of Tastes
June 30th, 2014The newly renovated Mercato Centrale [Central Market] is the epicurean center of new and old Florence, a veritable tour of tastes. The ground floor has always offered a wide array of fruit, vegetable, meat and other specialized local vendors. The 140 year-old Mercato Centrale recently celebrated the opening of its new HUB gourmet food hall ... Read More
3 Best Ways to get from the Pisa Airport to Florence
June 23rd, 2014To get from the Pisa Airport to Florence, there are three usual ways: by train, by bus and by private car directly to your vacation rental. You don’t need or, probably want, a rental car in Florence, but you could do it all the same. Here is all the information you need to decide on ... Read More
A Moveable Feast Tuscan Style
April 11th, 2014Food traditions are a big part of Italian culture so it’s no surprise that eating well is a tradition of our Italy trips! A highlight of a recent trip was a marvelous dinner prepared for us by Chef in Tuscany at our accommodations near Florence. Graziella and her staff arrived cheerful and efficient; settled us ... Read More
Italian Easter Traditions
April 3rd, 2014Traditional Dove-shaped Easter cake. There is nothing like Rome during Easter. From Palm Sunday through Easter Monday, the Eternal City is a symphony of pilgrims, tourists, Christian tradition, flowers and dove-shaped Easter cakes. On Holy Thursday night, the streets of Rome are filled with jovial energy while Roman faithful and visiting pilgrims pray in seven ... Read More
Palazzo Valentini – A Rome ‘Must See’
March 19th, 2014Make it a ‘Must See Top Eleven’ list for your Rome visit with the new Domus Romane of Palazzo Valentini. Deep under the palace conveniently located in Piazza Venezia, near the gleaming Victor Emmanuel Monument (fondly called the wedding cake), is a modern exhibit that promises a fascinating 1.5 hour tour. The remains of two ... Read More
La Bella Figura — Italian Style Decoded
March 3rd, 2014Fare una bella figura (make a good impression) – an unspoken Italian cultural objective that entrances expatriates and tourists alike. In the 1920s, astute F. Scott Fitzgerald captured the idea of la bella figura: “When a girl feels that she’s perfectly groomed and dressed she can forget that part of her. That’s charm.” The Italians ... Read More
Train Travel Tips – Italy Perfect’s tips to make train travel in Italy a fun and relaxing experience.
January 30th, 2014Here’s a collection of our wisdom regarding trains, including: Reserving train tickets Seat selection Rail protection insurance Changing reservations Rail pass? Cheaper to drive? First or second class? At the station Validate tickets Paperless tickets Boarding train Changing seats Food onboard Call your greeter Landing in Rome/Milan + same day train to Florence ... Read More
Should We Rent a Car in Italy?
January 8th, 2014Our guests often need to figure out whether and how to rent a car for their Italian vacation. Auto rentals, gas and parking can be pricey so it worth giving some consideration to this question before you assume a car is essential. We strongly recommend you organize your car rental before you leave for Italy, ... Read More
An Easy Italy Travel Planning Guide for your Next Trip
October 8th, 2013Easy Travel Planning for your Trip to Italy Planning a trip to Italy? Here is a three-step breakdown of priorities, timeframes and some tips to help you map out your dream Italy trip. Our process will make planning easier and less stressful. We have used this process to “rescue” many clients who come to us ... Read More
Rome for Romans, Great Neighborhood, Few Tourists
March 27th, 2013Clients ask us where they can stay in Rome that is not touristy and where they can enjoy real Italian life. They have heard or know that in the touristy heart of Rome, visitors can be shoulder to shoulder, reminding us of Disneyland Main Street in summer. If you want to be near the sites ... Read More