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Imitation is the highest form of flattery. And so we shall be flattered that Italians have adapted the American tradition of celebrating Valentine’s Day. They call it the Festa degli Innamorati, a holiday for lovers and sweethearts. Verona, the city of Romeo and Juliet, is celebrating big time: Amore is abundant in Italy, in many forms. For example, there’s the Art of Italian Flirtations–one of the country’s many pleasures, celebrated in an excerpt from my book, “Letters from Italy: Confessions, Adventures, and Advice”. THAT’S AMORE “I know a shrink in New York who sends women who are suffering from low self-esteem to Italy for aRead More →

I became a fan of Cherrye Moore’s My Bella Vita blog when she began it in 2006. The story of this adorable Texas native who fell in love with a southern Italian and left everything behind to begin a life with him (IN CALABRIA!) fascinated me. From the start Cherrye’s passion for her new home was clear, and her enthusiasm for learning new recipes, customs, and exploring new places was absolutely enchanting. It’s been gratifying to watch Cherrye’s business grow into My Bella Vita Travel, the premier genealogical travel company in southern Italy, specializing in ancestry tours to Calabria and custom vacations throughout Southern Italy. Her services, and theRead More →

Let’s move on to the region of Calabria, and make our first stop a town at the bottom of Italy’s boot: Tropea. Tropea is dramatically set above the sparkling sea,  an evocative mix of crumbling baroque buildings, Piazzas that look like opera sets, and views out to the volcanic island of Stromboli, that continuously bursts forth with glowing fireworks.  I visited Tropea a few springs ago, as a guest of In Italy Tours  The company was created by Tania Pascuzzi, a charming Australian-Italian whose parents were born in Calabria, and then emigrated to Melbourne. Tania grew up around delicious Calabrian food, moved on to work for manyRead More →

I’m happy to have connected with Cinzia Rascazzo, a native of Lecce, who with her sister Marika founded the Stile Mediterraneo Cooking School. The school celebrates southern Italian cuisine, that’s been handed down in their family from mother to daughter for generations (As Cinzia says: “No Italian men were ever admitted into the home kitchen!”). Cinzia has a beautiful blog, with great travel advice for the area and also recipes, for such classics as Orecchiette with Cime di Rapa , that was featured in La Cucina Italia magazine. And check out the ebook they wrote: The Cuisine of Southern Italian Women: Mediterranean Secrets for aRead More →

JULY 30, 2014: THIS TRIP IS SOLD OUT! Sign on to the mailing list on Susan Van Allen’s website to get news about Golden Weeks in Italy in 2015!   How about joining author Susan Van Allen for a Beautiful Italian Adventure this fall? 2014 will be her Third Annual Golden Week in Italy… Raves are in for the last two: “A wonderful Italian experience of a lifetime for all of us!!”–Gayle, from Chandler, Arizona, Golden Week guest 2013 This year we’ll discover Southern Italy, aka The Mezzogiorno… “Susan’s humor, knowledge, and surprises really made this vacation one of my very favorites!”–Lynda, Boston It will beRead More →

Grazie Mille to  All of You Who Shared ONE of your Favorite Places in Italy with us I loved reading every comment. It had me dreaming of places I’ve stayed, and scheming to get to ones I have not yet experienced. My husband picked 3 names at random out of the pasta bowl…So drumroll… Annette Piper will receive a One Year Subscription to the Award Winning Newsletter Dream of Italy, plus fresh Olive Oil from Puglia Lynn Goodman will receive a signed copy of Letters from Italy: Confessions, Adventures, and Advice Anne Woodward will receive a signed copy of 100 Places in Italy Every WomanRead More →

To Celebrate the Holidays: A  GIVEAWAY! 100 Places in Italy Every Woman Should Go, 2nd Edition Letters from Italy: Confessions, Adventures and Advice & AN ONLINE ONE YEAR SUBSCRIPTION TO THE AWARD WINNING NEWSLETTER DREAM OF ITALY, PLUS A BONUS OF FRESH OLIVE OIL FROM PUGLIA Will be given away to commenters selected in a RANDOM DRAWING It’s NOT a CONTEST, anyone who comments can win! TO PLAY: Complete This Sentence In The Comment Section Below: ONE of  My Favorite Places in Italy is ________________________ Write the first thing that comes to your mind. It can be a city, village, museum, restaurant, monument, shop, caffe, garden…Read More →

It’s a pleasure to connect with Catherine Faris, who turned a dream of living in Italy into a reality. Eighteen years ago she visited Puglia with her husband Brian and three children and they fell in love with it. Today the children have grown, Catherine and Brian have quit their jobs, moved to Italy, and immersed themselves into life in Martina Franca. Catherine beautifully chronicles their experiences on her Nuovastoria blog, bringing us an insider’s experience of the place, with posts such as a recent one about making a traditional Pugliese condiment: Plic e Plac.  In 2013, Catherine and Brian delved deeper into joining in with Puglia’s traditions, launching the Pascarosa company, thatRead More →

One of the many great things about CW Adventure (formerly Country Walkers) trips is their native guides. I loved a trip to Sicily I went on with them, where along with the spectacular scenery and food, we had full on cultural immersion with the wonderful Loredana Grasso, who grew up right near Mount Etna. Her stories about cooking with her grandma were great, also her hit on Italy’s political scene, and her passion for her homeland–from every flower on the trail to the delicious almond cookies of Taormina. I’m grateful a CW Puglia Guide and Lecce native, Marcello Polignano has joined in to give his advice forRead More →

My dear friend Carol Malzone, a dedicated Italofile, author, and founder of Flavors of Rome, was singing the praises of her new Italian teacher, Sandra Sicolo. Sandra grew up in Bitonto-Bari, Puglia, moved to the USA in 1989 with her husband and two children, and immediately began teaching Italian and doing translation work. The family now lives in Boca Raton, Florida, where Sandra has founded a popular cultural organization: All Italian Things, Inc., that promotes and preserves Italian culture, through entertaining events, cooking and language classes, AND group trips to Puglia that are designed and led by Sandra. I’m so grateful she has joined inRead More →