Exquisite design is found in only one place in Italy- everywhere. Even on billboards and in shop windows. A glamorously painted figure sipping an Illy brand coffee. A happy home-cook beaming at her dish garnished with peanuts, selling the nuts (or her infectious smile?). In the first half of the 20th century, the tone of Italian brand advertising was a …
This article originally appeared in the April/May 2023 issue of Dream of Italy. A stray dog born in 1941 in the Tuscan municipality of Borgo San Lorenzo, left a far reaching legacy of love and loyalty. A brickmaker named Carlo Soriani found the hound mix on the side of the road one night and took him home. He named him …
This article originally appeared in the April/May 2023 issue of Dream of Italy. Wine connoisseurs are always looking for the next great discovery and this boutique winery fits the bill. NostraVita is so small they typically only accept guests by word of mouth. While visiting Tuscany with a group of wine-savvy friends, one of them arranged a tour and tasting …
This Editor’s Note originally appeared in the April/May 2023 issue of Dream of Italy. Members receive access to more than 190 back issues—if you’re not a member, join here. Greetings from a rainy but invigorating spring here in Italy. If you’re looking for a new destination in Italy, look towards Genoa. One of the great maritime powers of the Mediterranean, …
This article originally appeared in the April/May 2023 issue of Dream of Italy. Check out the main article here. When a 656-foot section of Genoa’s cable-stayed Morandi bridge collapsed in tragic fashion during a raucous thunderstorm in 2018 – 43 commuters killed, 600 left without housing – an unwelcome spotlight was shown on the city’s aged infrastructure. The far less …
This article originally appeared in the April/May 2023 issue of Dream of Italy. Check out the main article here. Genoa isn’t flush with myriad boutique hotels or famous international luxury hotel brands, but the city holds its own with a handful of unique sleeps in refurbished palaces and other historical residences. You’ll likely want to stay in the medieval center, but seaview charms beckon …
This article originally appeared in the April/May 2023 issue of Dream of Italy. Check out the main article here. When in Genoa, do as the Genovese do and make a break for the oceanside promenade Corso Italia, lined with stunning Liberty villas, for a sunset passeggiata (stroll). The broad esplanade heads east from Piazzale Kennedy – home to the future …
This article originally appeared in the April/May 2023 issue of Dream of Italy. It takes mere moments to realize something different this way comes in Genoa. The historic port’s medieval center is shrouded in palpable dimness, its dense streets and caruggi – narrow medieval alleyways typical of Liguria – encapsulated by surrounding buildings that block sunlight from most angles. A square here …
This article originally appeared in the April/May 2023 issue of Dream of Italy. Between the 15th and 18th centuries, aristocratic wealthy Venetian families laid down roots in the form of ville venete (Venetian villas) along the Naviglio del Brenta, a branch of the Brenta river that starts from Stra and flows into the Venetian lagoon near Fusina. Today, a few are open to …
We just completed our first ever Travel Talk Live and what a success it was! Sixty members tuned in for two hours packed of Italy travel tips and best practices. We discussed everything from how to bring your pets abroad to the best places to see in Puglia and Sicily this summer. We also cover citizenship topics, transfer services and …
