It’s a fact that some of the greatest ever to play the game of baseball were of Italian origin: DiMaggio, Berra, Campanella, Rizzuto. But, Italian baseball? Who knew? Apparently, the hotbed of Italian baseball is in Nettuno, not very far from Rome. According to ESPN, Nettuno and a few other Italian towns (e.g., Grosseto, Parma,…
This weekend, the incredibly picturesque town of Castiglione del Lago, located on the banks of Lake Trasimeno in Umbria, will become even more beautiful as the skies fill with kites of all shapes, sizes, and colors. The event is called Coloriamo i Cieli, and it features some of the world’s most interesting kites commandeered by…
I’m very lucky. The very first time I tasted risotto was in Milan. We were en route to Verona and ate the creamy, saffron-tinted risotto milanese at the train station cafe. Even given the locale, it was still an epiphany. Apparently, I’m not the only one who has dreams about one of Milan’s most prized…
Pesto, the green pasta sauce indigenous to Genoa, is celebrated at the Pesto World Championship. Learn more about pesto and culinary competition.
Affreschi: Exploring Etruria is the only travel book I know that focuses on the land of the Etruscans, also known as Etruria. Before the Romans came along, the Etruscans ruled a wide domain, which stretched from Rome to southern Tuscany and east to Umbria. Author Mary Jane Cryan profiles these areas, including the towns of…
In a recent NY Times Foraging column, Melissa Clark profiles Antica Aguzzeria del Cavallo, a cutlery shop that dates back to 1783. Clark notes, “If it cuts, rips, tears, nicks, grates, slices, shaves or pricks and is legal to sell, they most likely have it.” Here’s another taste of the short article: When Antonio Bernagozzi…
I recently received an e-mail from an Unofficial Guide reader asking about the best places to dine near the Roman Forum. The Forum “complex,” which includes the Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, Colosseum, and Trajan’s Market (and, to a lesser extent, the Capitoline and the Vittoriano) is ultimately a tourist area. So, as like in other…
It’s getting ever more difficult to get into the Vatican Museums. The museums, Musei Vaticani in Italian, are home to some of the world’s most precious and recognizable Western art including Michelangelo’s frescoes in the Sistine Chapel. The Vatican recently raised prices for a non-guided visit and, according to the New York Times, the Museums are…
https://youtu.be/n3FdlxMiZHM Someone posted a great video on YouTube.com. The video features a rapid-fire slideshow of an entire year’s worth of photos taken in Italy. On the itinerary (at least in the first few minutes) are the Colosseum, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, fruit vendors in various piazze, cupolas, cobblestones, and more. There are more than nine minutes…
Winter means the music season for most of Italy. Opera productions and church-sponsored chamber music events are typical fare from Lecco to Lecce at this time of year. But you’ll also find jazz and blues in the mix. Umbria, which is home to Umbria Jazz, hosts a summer and winter version of its well-regarded festival. Umbria Jazz…
Venice commemorates the last day of the Christmas season – Epiphany – with the Regata delle Befana, a boat race through the lagoon.
Did know that you can get honorary citizenship from the Terre di Siena (Siena’s provincial tourism board)? Citizenship entails signing a Sustainable Tourism charter. Here’s what the charter lists as an honorary citizen’s privileges: Receive full information about local activities in the community Receive detailed information that will allow you to select the very best of…
Welcome to the Italofile – your resource for Italy travel information. Bear with us – we’ll be up and running soon. In the meantime, we recommend the following guides for planning your next trip to Italy: The Unofficial Guide to Central Italy Michelin Green Guide Tuscany Frommer’s Italy 2006 Italy Eyewitness Travel Guide