If it's your first time visiting Tuscany, it's easy to assume Florence is the complete experience. While Florence is still one of my favorite cities in Italy, it wasn't until I ventured into the Tuscan countryside that I realized how much I was missing. Rolling vineyards. Medieval hill towns. Long lunches in sunny piazzas. Quiet roads lined with cypress trees. It's a completely different side of Tuscany—and the one I find myself returning to again and again. After more than 1

If you’re dreaming about Italy — or even planning a future trip — one of my favorite ways to bring Italy into the holiday season is through dessert and wine . You may have seen them stacked in big, festive boxes at the grocery store, but one of my absolute favorite Italian holiday traditions is eating panettone or pandoro . Panettone is the classic: a lightly sweet, fluffy bread filled with dried fruit (and sometimes chocolate). But my personal favorite is pandoro . It is pu

Aperol Spritz is one of those drinks that just feels like Italy — bright, bubbly, and unapologetically cheerful. But there’s a little story behind it that I love. The spritz originally comes from the Veneto region in northern Italy, where Venice shines the brightest. The word spritz comes from the German spritzen , meaning “to splash.” Back during the Austrian occupation in the 1800s, Austrian soldiers thought Italian wine was too strong, so they started splashing it with wa

Lisbon is one of Europe’s most enchanting cities and one of my new favorites — where ancient history, colorful tile-covered streets, and modern culture meet.

What’s your favorite place in Italy? It’s a question I get asked all the time, and honestly—it’s a tough one to answer. My heart is deeply tied to Tuscany. I studied in Florence for a year, and it’s where I truly fell in love with Italian culture. It’s also where I finally broke through the barrier of learning a second language. The food? Out of this world. Think hearty pastas and perfectly grilled steaks paired with a bold Chianti red. It’s the heart of Italy’s culinar

Nestled in the heart of Tuscany, Montalcino is a charming hilltop town that perfectly blends history, breathtaking scenery, and wine.

In October I had the pleasure of taking a small group to Rome, Siena, and the Amalfi Coast on a 10-Night Dental CE trip. Here's a little...

by Joyce Wilson Many of our favorite delights come from Italy — pizza, pasta, espresso, wine, and gelato to name a few. And if your...

Italy is bursting with beautiful and interesting cities to visit. That's one of the reasons that planning a trip to Italy can be so...

I have to confess. I'm not a museum person, but Florence's incredible art never fails to knock my socks off! After a research trip to...