My 2008 Italy travels took me to many beautiful and interesting parts of Italy. I'd like to wrap up 2008 by sharing the highlights: Sardinia - I revisited the fascinating island ... Read More

While Christmas may be over in the US, Christmas season in Italy (and some other European countries) really runs through Epiphany or the 12th day of Christmas on January 6. ... Read More

New Year's Eve 2008 in Naples features a huge fireworks show over the Bay of Naples at the picturesque Castello dell'Ovo or Egg Castle. Legend says that the poet Virgil ... Read More

Venice is one of Italy's top romantic places so it's fitting that Venice's New Year's celebration includes a communal kiss in Piazza San Marco, St. Mark's Square. Love, advertised as the ... Read More

Bernini's magnificent Fontana Dei Fiumi, Fountain of the Rivers, has been uncovered after two years of cleaning, according to Globespotters. Fontana dei Fiumi, created in the 1650s, represents four rivers ... Read More

Fiesole, in the hills above Florence, makes a great Florence day trip or an alternative to staying in Florence. In summer, it's an especially nice place to escape the heat ... Read More

A sculpture of the Madonna with Child, attributed to Brunelleschi, is on display for the first time in Florence. Italian Pottery Journal has details about the sculpture and exhibit. This ... Read More

Italians ring in the new year with a dish of lentils and cotechino, fireworks, and red underwear. While most people around the world celebrate the new year, each country has ... Read More

While many towns in Italy set up a presepe, or nativity scene, some put on presepi viventi, live nativity scenes, with costumed people acting out the parts of the nativity. ... Read More

This photo of Hotel Riviera in Rapallo, where Hemingway set his story The Cat in the Rain, was submitted by Tom Adams who had an enjoyable trip to Italy this ... Read More

Southern Italy has a Christmas Eve tradition of a dinner with seven fishes, usually including eel. Ristoranti Crispi, in Rome, is offering a Christmas Eve multi-course fish dinner starring roasted ... Read More

Sardinia has some of Italy's best preserved Romanesque churches. The area east of Sassari in northern Sardinia (see map) is especially rich in Romanesque churches and Santissima Trinita di Saccargia, ... Read More

Bologna, a beautiful city in northern Italy, celebrates New Year's Eve or La Festa di San Silvestro with the Fat Ox Fair, Fiera del Bue Grasso. Paola, from Bologna, says La ... Read More

Via San Gregorio Armeno in Naples, the street of nativity workshops, is one of Italy's top Christmas shopping destinations. Besides the shops selling terra cotta figures, inlaid wood products, and ... Read More

Italy's newest high speed train connecting Rome to Milan started service December 14. The 300 mile route now takes only 3 1/2 hours, making it one hour less than other ... Read More

Venice is the top city for Carnevale, Italy's Mardi Gras. This year's Carnival in Venice events start February 13 culminating on February 24. Excitement fills the air and people wear ... Read More

This year's Vatican City Christmas tree was unveiled yesterday and is the tallest tree (109 feet tall) so far to be set up in Vatican City, according to Yahoo news. ... Read More

Milan's Wondervillage, now in its second year, is a delightful city escape in the Gardens of Via Palestro. The village, open from December 6 through January 6, has small decorated ... Read More

Earlier this month Venice was hit with the highest water, aqau alta, in the past 20 years causing flooding in Piazza San Marco and many parts of Venice (more about ... Read More

Briggs and Riley has a 20" Carry-On Superlight that's great as a carry-on for most airlines and works well for train travel, too. This upright wheeled bag is well-balanced and ... Read More

Italy's 2008 wine harvest was excellent and will probably put Italy in the lead as the world's largest producer of wine, according to the Associated Press. Italy will produce ... Read More

Traditional two-wheeled carts from Sicily are intricately designed and painted, requiring specialized skills to make. These Sicilian carts are beautifully decorated with brightly painted scenes from Sicily's history or folklore ... Read More

December 7 is opening night at the world famous La Scala Opera House in Milan. This year's opera season starts with Verdi's Don Carlo. The opening performance was threatened ... Read More

Nativity scenes, or presepi are a major Italian Christmas tradition. Many families set up elaborate nativity scenes that often include parts of their town, local people, and popular figures. One ... Read More

Perugia has been named the World's Sexiest City by one of National Geographic Traveler magazine's photographers, according to about.com's Honeymoons and Romantic Travel. Perugia, in the central Italy region of Umbria ... Read More

Books about Italy make great gifts for anyone planning a trip to Italy, anyone who enjoys Italy, or the Armchair traveler. Here are a few books that I've enjoyed recently: ... Read More

Venice experiences aqua alta, or high water, bringing water onto Venice's streets about sixty days a year between October and early January. Venice was hit with the highest water level ... Read More

In addition to Christmas and December 26, the Feast Day of the Immaculate Conception on December 8 is a national holiday in Italy. Churches hold special masses and celebrations are ... Read More