Ever since getting my iPhone last summer, I have become a completely obsessive iPhone addict. And with iPhone addiction comes app addiction. As of this writing, I have 48 (FORTY-EIGHT!) apps and counting, and that doesn’t include the apps that come pre-installed, such as iTunes and Maps. Having an affinity for Italy, travel, and photography [...]
Google as Tour Guide
by Melanie on 12. Nov, 2009 in City Walks, Fun Stuff, News, Out and About, Things To Do
First they want to scan my copyrighted books and now Google wants to be a tour guide: has Google gone too far this time? I recently received a Google Wave invitation, so I was browsing Google Labs to see what else was on the backburner. It seems that Google will soon be launching City Tours, [...]
Pocket Film Prize: I Make My World
by Melanie on 20. Aug, 2009 in Arts and Culture, Venice
As part of the 53rd Venice Biennale, there is an online video-making competition aimed “at young people from around the world aged between 18 and 26 years of age for video-works made using mobile phones.” To enter Pocket Film Prize: I Make My World,” participants must submit a video of any genre no longer than [...]
Italy Is A-Twitter
by Melanie on 29. Jul, 2009 in Fun Stuff, Things To Do
It happens to the best of us. We stop to check out a new technology/trend/what-have-you and forget about our blogs. For the past several months, as I’ve relocated to the U.S. once again and tried to make a nice summer for my two young sons, I’ve certainly had my blog on my mind. Unfortunately, I’ve [...]
The Pope’s Online
by Melanie on 26. Jan, 2009 in Arts and Culture, Destinations, Fun Stuff, Religion, Vatican City
You no longer have to go to Rome to have an audience with the Pope. Now, with the new Vatican YouTube channel, the Benedict XVI will come to you. According to Reuters, the daily videos will be about two minutes long and will feature info about church events and the Pope’s activities. Hopefully, the site [...]
Aerial Views of Ancient Rome
by Melanie on 13. Nov, 2008 in Ancient History, Arts and Culture, Destinations, Fun Stuff, Lazio, Rome
Leave it to Google to continue to make geography cool and engaging. Yesterday, Google revealed the new Ancient Rome 3D layer, which allows viewers to “fly” over the city as it was during the heyday of the Forum and Colosseum. With this new layer, Google is also encouraging educators to use Ancient Rome 3D in [...]
The Ultimate Italian Driving Adventure
by Melanie on 03. Sep, 2008 in Active Travel, Deals and Packages, Destinations, Driving Tours, Eco Travel, Lazio, Out and About, Parks and Nature, Specialty Travel, Tuscany, Umbria
If you’re the type of traveler who likes to go it alone and doesn’t mind injecting a little technological know-how into your trip, then a GPS-driven self-guided tour may be the ticket. Information about Zephyr Self-Guided Adventures through Italy just crossed our desks over the weekend. The company offers walks, biking, and driving tours through [...]
A 360-Degree Spin Around Italy
by Melanie on 24. Jul, 2008 in Amalfi Coast, Campania, Destinations, Fun Stuff, Sardinia, Veneto
Do you ever feel like you don’t get the whole picture when reading about Italy in guidebooks or on blogs? There are now a couple of websites that go one better than the usual two-dimensional picture. Expat Peter Ryder, a resident of Sardinia, has two websites that can give you a better picture of the [...]
More Italy Hotels Available Online
by Melanie on 17. Jul, 2008 in Accommodations, Italy News
Savvy travelers have long looked to venere.com, a hotel review and reservations website, to find accommodations on the beaten and not-so-beaten trails of Italy. With more than 26,000 hotel listings in Europe, it’s easy to find hotels from Piemonte to Puglia on the venere site. Now it may be even easier. CNN reported yesterday that U.S.-based travel [...]
See Italian Cities in 3-D
by Melanie on 10. Jul, 2008 in Fun Stuff
This tip comes from Google Earth’s Lat Long Blog, which reports that Italy is one of several European countries to be included in Google Cities in 3D Program. It’s not immediately apparent if any Italian cities have completed the 3D task, though here are models of some buildings and piazze in Florence in the Google [...]
Welcome to Italofile!
Hi! I'm Melanie Renzulli. I've been writing about travel to Italy for over a decade and on this blog since 2006. Find me on Twitter and Facebook for travel tips, Italy news, and more. Read more About Italofile or Contact Me.
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A Year in Italy Video Giveaway
12. May, 2010
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Five Favorites: Italian Words
15. Jan, 2010
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Favorite Italian Words: The Sequel
29. Apr, 2010
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An Italian Wedding
25. May, 2010
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iPhone Apps for the Italophile
13. Mar, 2010
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Romantic Hotels in Tuscany
18. Aug, 2010
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Scenic Drive on the Amalfi Coast
12. Aug, 2010
- Italian Cities Contributing Writer for About.com 15. Jul, 2010
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A Bribe-Free Holiday in Sicily
13. Jul, 2010
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Five Favorites: The Amalfi Coast
07. Jul, 2010
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Riccardo: I was in Italy last year to visit my family...it w...
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Lisa at Wanderlust Weddings: Hi Melanie and thanks for having me share my favor...
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TERESA CRETELLA: HELLO AGAIN LAURA, I CONTACTED YOU A COUPLE OF ...
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Sadye Carnovale: Nice article you've got here. Will keep coming rea...
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Garden Canopies: What theme are you using on your site ? I like the...
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My Articles
- 'An Irreverent Curiosity' Book Review
- 48 Hours in Rome
- A Visit to the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence
- Babble Best: Tuscany with Kids
- BootsnAll's WhyGo Italy Interview
- Families in Business: The Recipe for Success
- Florence Campanile
- Free Things to Do in Milan
- Italofile: TravelBlogSites.com Page of the Day
- National Geographic Intelligent Travel Blog: The Little Train That Could…Be a World Heritage Site
- Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice, Italy
- Profile of Florence's Duomo
- Relics in Rome
- The Capitoline Museums, Rome
- The Squares of Florence
- Top Museums in Rome
- Top Museums in Venice
- Top Places in Rome for a Photo Op
- Travel Channel: World's Best Nude Beaches
- What to See at the Uffizi Gallery
- When to Go to Rome
- Where to Shop in Rome
Recognition
- BootsnAll's WhyGo Italy Interview
- Eye on Italy Podcast: Premier Episode
- Italofile: TravelBlogSites.com Page of the Day
- Italy Magazine Blog of the Week
- Jason Fuller Design
- Lonely Planet Twitter Contest Winner
- Sensual Treats – All Italy Issue
- Travel Tips: Vacation in Italy
- Woo Themes Showcase – Canvas Theme








