Updated 2018. Italo, Italy’s new high-speed train, made its inaugural run Friday. This new service is going to revolutionize travel in Italy. Imagine traveling from Rome to Naples in just an hour; possible because the train travels up to 216 miles per hour! For the next few months, service will be limited to Milan-Florence-Bologna-Rome-Naples. You can book tickets now for …
Join Us for a Twitter #italychat on Florence
Dream of Italy (@dreamofitaly) will be hosting #italychat on Twitter on Wednesday, June 1st at 3 p.m. ET. The topic will be Florence and our guest will be Alexandra Korey (@arttrav)! You’re invited to join us by asking questions and/or sharing your own own advice on travel to Florence or expat life in Florence. Alexandra is an art historian turned journalist, blogger, …
Share Your Favorite Italy Tour Guide
We need your help in rounding up the very best of Italy’s tour guides and you could be rewarded with a 6-month digital subscription to Dream of Italy ($47) if you’re the first person to nominate a tour guide we include in our upcoming special issue on Italy’s best tour guides! Please take two minutes to fill out our favorite …
New Florence Card for Museums and Transportation
If you’re headed to Florence, you should know that the city now offers the Firenze Card — but due to its price it is really for the most ardent and ambitious museum-goer and tourist. The Firenze Card offers admission to more than 33 participating museums, villas, and gardens — as well as unlimited public transportation — over three days for …
What’s It Like to Film a Television Travel Series in Italy?
I recently did an interview with my friend travel expert Rudy Maxa. A former Washington Post investigative reporter and life-long traveler, Rudy began covering the travel industry 15 years ago for public radio’s evening business show, Marketplace where his commentaries under his moniker, The Savvy Traveler, were heard by nearly five million listeners. He now hosts a Los Angeles travel …
New for Christmas 2010: Snowy Palazzo Vecchio Florence Italy Christmas Cards!
Our Italian Christmas cards are a bit hit each and every holiday season. This year we are proud to announce a new Italy Christmas card design….Snowy Palazzo Vecchio in Florence Italy! If you’re familiar with our offerings you know that we almost never discount our exquisite and unique Italian holiday cards. But this year, the early bird gets the worm, …
Celebrating San Giovanni in Florence Italy
Sometime in the 6th century, the city of Florence replaced their first patron, or protector (God Marte), with San Giovanni Battista (John the Baptist) In honor of their patron saint, Florence puts on an annual four-part celebration for residents and tourists alike each June 24th. The day’s events include a parade, a particularly violent soccer match, a flag waving show …
Opera Strike in Italy
Opera houses across Italy are suffering from a strike organized by opera musicians and technicians in response to government-proposed changes to the management and financing of state opera houses. At the end of April, the Italian government announced a decree that would cut workers’ benefits up to 50% and prohibit opera house foundations from providing newly-hired workers with a fixed-term …
A Reason to Fly to Italy: The Florence Gelato Festival
Florence, what some consider the mecca for gelato lovers, will host the Florence Gelato Festival from May 28th through the 31st. Gelato (to call it ice cream is to not do it justice) is practically a staple food in Italy and especially in Florence. The festival expected to draw 300,000 visitors to the city for the weekend event. Piazzas and …
Florence’s Tram System Back on Track
After 52 years, Florence finally has its public tram system back, according to The Florentine. The new Tramvia debuted on Valentine’s Day, a date deliberately chosen by Florence mayor Matteo Renzi to reflect the residents’ collective love for their city. On its first day, the Tramvia carried an estimated 40,000 passengers, including a couple who rode the tram to their …