On behalf of the olive oil and wine producers of the Salento area of the Puglia region of Italy, I’d like to invite Dream of Italy readers in New York and Washington, DC to a series of FREE tastings during Italian Week, June 18 to 24, 2008. More than 30 companies from the Jonico-Salentino district will showcase their premium quality …
Which City is Cheaper: Philadelphia or Florence?
File this one under, “why didn’t I think of that…” When I was at dinner with Kit Burns (Dream of Italy subscriber and president of Doorways Villa Rentals) in Sardinia last month, she told me about a comparison her staff put together showing that despite the weak dollar, visiting an Italian city isn’t really any more expensive than visiting an …
Introducing iJourneys Audio Walking Tours
Experience Italy and listen as you walk through Rome, Florence, Venice and Pompeii… iJourneys Audio Walking Tours are fun, fascinating, funny and easy. Explore the big sights and go off the beaten path without dragging a heavy guidebook. Your guide is an Emmy Award winning journalist.Just $14.95, MAP included. Download your tour in about one minute. Put it on your …
Music and Markets Presents “The Art Cities of Northern Italy”
Music and Markets Tours is thrilled to present an exciting only-in-2008 tour, The Art Cities of Northern Italy. We’ll have the awe-inspiring opportunity of hearing the renowned Fine Arts Quartet perform on priceless historic instruments at the Stradivari Foundation’s annual festival. Surrounded by the brilliant colors of fall, we’ll delight in the marvelous towns of Cremona, Mantua, and Verona , …
Free GPS + 5% Off Rental with Auto Europe
If you’re driving in Italy, you’ll save many headaches and lots of time (that you would have spent getting lost) with GPS (Global Positioning System) in the car. Trust me! I will never rent another car in Italy with out it. Fortunately, this summer and fall, Auto Europe is offering a free GPS rental with car rentals in Italy of …
Seven Tips for Saving Money on Your Italian Vacation
So the dollar is still weak, but Americans are going to Italy (a Global Insight report predicts a 4.7 percent increase in the number of American travelers visiting Italy this summer). Whether you are traveling on a budget or looking for luxury, I have seven quick money-saving travel tips adapted from a recent Dream of Italy article: 1. Use new …
Pompeii on Display with Lights and Sounds
From June 7 through November 13, 2008, the ancient city of Pompeii is hosting Sognopompei (Pompeiian dream), with tours of the ruins enhanced with sound effects, light shows, actors in costume and a final re-enactment of the 79 AD volcanic eruption that engulfed the city in lava and ash. The hour-long tours run Friday through Sunday during the five-month period, …
Where are Italy’s Best Beaches?
If a trip to the beaches of Italy is in your future, be sure to check out La Guida Blu 2008’s listing of the country’s piú belle spiagge. Compiled by Legambiente and the Italian Touring Club, La Guida Blu considers much more than just gorgeous sand and surf – over 130 factors are considered, including the presence of a well-maintained …
“Angels and Demons” Now Filming in Rome
With the great success of the film adaptation of Dan Brown’s The DaVinci Code, it was a forgone conclusion that Brown’s other book, Angels and Demons, this one centered on Vatican intrigue, would be made into a film. In fact, as Trovacinema.it reports, director Ron Howard is filming in Rome this week. Actor Tom Hanks (does his hair look any …
An Amazing Deal on an Umbria Villa Rental
I had lunch with my friend Suzy Menard last week. Suzy’s one of my “Italy friends” – we share both a personal passion and a professional life centered on Italy. Suzy and her husband Bill own Bella Italia, a wonderful store selling Italian imports, especially ceramics, in Bethesda, MD. Suzy and I ate at the new Assagi Mozzarella Bar, right …