This article originally appeared in the Spring 2025 issue of Dream of Italy. With over 600 grape varieties, Italy is the world’s largest producer of wine. The peninsula’s earliest evidence of wine dates to around 1000 A.D. when the Etruscans and Greeks began cultivating vineyards. The Greeks, in particular, influenced wine culture in Italy by bringing their winemaking techniques and spreading their …
Livin’ It Up in Ladinia! (Spring 2025)
This article originally appeared in the Spring 2025 issue of Dream of Italy. Given its history, Italy can sometimes come across as multiple countries in one. There are virtually no similarities whatsoever between Calabria and Alto Adige or a Sardinian sheep herder and a Venetian gondolier. After all, Italy was formed in 1861 by the unification of numerous autonomous kingdoms, city-states and maritime …
Splurge Stays: Delight in the Dolomites (Spring 2025)
This article originally appeared in the Spring 2025 issue of Dream of Italy. Find the main Splurge Stays article here. Adler Spa Resort Dolomiti (Strada Rezia, 7, Ortisei; +39 0471 775001; www.adler-resorts.com) is equally suited for staying in and relaxing or for exploring the majestic alpine setting. It’s the kind of place you can cozy up in and never leave, spending your entire stay dining on …
Splurge Stays: Val d’Orcia Luxury (Spring 2025)
This article originally appeared in the Spring 2025 issue of Dream of Italy. Find the main Splurge Stays article here. If I won the lottery, Monteverdi Tuscany is the kind of property I would create. It’s not just a hotel, but also a meeting place for improving the body, mind, soul and stomach. Owner and Italian-American lawyer Michael Cioffi—who I profiled in my book …
Dream Day: Mokambo Gelateria in Puglia (Spring 2025)
This article originally appeared in the Spring 2025 issue of Dream of Italy. Whether you travel from nearby or across continents, Mokambo Gelateria is worthy of a pilgrimage. Italian newspaper La Repubblica called it “the holy grail of gelato in Puglia.” I’ve tasted my fair share of gelato in Italy, from north to south, and I’ve even learned how to make gelato …
What’s Old Is New Again (Spring 2025)
This article originally appeared in the Spring 2025 issue of Dream of Italy. Here are a few must-see sites in Florence, Rome and Pompeii that are newly opened or re-opened, post-renovation: After eight years of restoration work, the Vasari Corridor has reopened in Florence. Like the Passetto del Borgo, the Vasari Corridor was used as a secure passageway, this time for the …
Editor’s Note: Spring 2025 Dream of Italy Issue
This Editor’s Note originally appeared in the Spring 2025 issue of Dream of Italy. Members receive access to more than 190 back issues—if you’re not a member, join here. I love the region of Emilia-Romagna because there are endless possibilities for exploration. We’ve covered Modena and Bologna before in both the Dream of Italy magazine and our PBS TV series. In this issue, our …
Splurge Stays: A Florentine Dream (Spring 2025)
This article originally appeared in the Spring 2025 issue of Dream of Italy. Find the main Splurge Stays article here. Even though it was a rainy, gray day, my mouth was quite literally agape, looking around at the beauty while driving up the winding road, on top of which sits Il Salviatino, in clear sight of Florence’s Duomo below. Il Salviatino is …
Splurge Stays: Luxury Hotels to Put on Your Bucket List (Spring 2025)
This article originally appeared in the Spring 2025 issue of Dream of Italy. Italy is home to some of the world’s most incredible luxury hotels. I recently visited three diverse five-star properties with each hotel incorporating the unique elements of its location, expressed in décor, cuisine and experience. Particularly if you are visiting Italy for a special occasion like a honeymoon or …
Fettucine Alfredo: Hollywood’s Favorite Pasta
This article originally appeared in the February/March 2024 issue of Dream of Italy. Become a member to access 1,000+ articles like this – designed to help you enjoy an authentic trip to Italy and live your best Italian life! One hundred and ten years ago, a new father, Alfredo di Lelio, unknowingly created one of the most iconic pasta dishes in …
