BIO
Susan’s Maternal Grandparents in Italy.
Susan Van Allen’s Italian American background is her major inspiration. Her maternal grandparents were immigrants from southern Italy, and she grew up on the Jersey shore amidst great food and drama.
Jersey Girls was her first writing success—a one-woman play in which she portrayed 5 characters in an Italian-American family. The show ran to critical raves in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York.
She went on to write on staff for the Emmy award- winning CBS sitcom “Everybody Loves Raymond,” penning episodes including the classic “Marie’s Meatballs,” based on family kitchen memories
She blended her passions for writing and Italian travel into the bestselling book 100 Places in Italy Every Woman Should Go and followed that up with Letters from Italy: Confessions, Adventures, and Advice; 50 Places in Rome, Florence, and Venice Every Woman Should Go; and Hungry for Italy: Culinary Adventures in the Bel Paese. Her books, blog, and stories have aired on radio and appeared in major publications and have gained her an international fan base. Armchair travelers are enchanted, tourists are inspired, and foodies enjoy her regular stories in Tastes of Italia magazine.
Susan’s writing comes alive on her Golden Weeks in Italy: For Women Only Tours. These are custom-designed, small group tours that she designs and leads, which give travelers a unique insiders’ experience of the Bel Paese, with a femme-friendly focus. She is also happy to be a Travel Expert on National Geographic Expeditions to Italian destinations.
Susan Van Allen also promotes Italian travel through speaking engagements. She has moderated panels of Italian travel experts at The New York Times Travel Show and has presented programs at the Italian Government Tourist Boards in Los Angeles and New York. Her “Why Women Love Italy” slideshow and talk has delighted audiences at women’s clubs, bookstores, libraries, and corporate events.
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