November 13, 2018

Italian Language Movies

November 13, 2018/ Michelle Damiani

For your viewing pleasure, some favorite Italian-language films.

February 18, 2018

A Travel Book Club

February 18, 2018/ Michelle Damiani

What we've been reading for Travel Book Club, and how to join!

October 17, 2016

English Language Movies set in Italy

October 17, 2016/ Michelle Damiani

Looking for a movie set in Italy? Look no further...

November 07, 2015

Top 5 Books to Understand Italy

November 07, 2015/ Michelle Damiani

Top 5 Books that offer a window into Italian culture, history, and spirit.

October 18, 2015

Top 5 Books of Ever

October 18, 2015/ Michelle Damiani

These are the books that lingered—forever books.

October 18, 2015

Top 5 Books about Food and/or Cooking

October 18, 2015/ Michelle Damiani

My favorite books about cooking, food, and cooking with food.

Michelle Damiani

Website for Michelle Damiani, author of Il Bel Centro: A Year in the Beautiful Center, the funny and heartfelt memoir of an American family living in Spello, as well as Santa Lucia, a page-turner set on the Umbria border.

The Silent Madonna: Book Two of the Santa Lucia Series

A ruined castle. A town picking up the pieces. And a mysterious stranger who could change everything.

The Road Taken: How to Dream, Plan, and Live Your Family Adventure Abroad

Loaded with inspiration and practicality, “The Road Taken” will set your feet on the path to your family dream, and show you how to make it happen. Because you owe it to yourself and your family to consider discovering the world together.

Santa Lucia: Book One of the Santa Lucia Series

Santa Lucia is the contemporary saga of an Italian town on the brink of change, and the villagers that call it home. Awarded a place in the 25th annual Virginia Festival of the Book

Il Bel Centro: A Year in the Beautiful Center

By Michelle Damiani

A year in Umbria transforms an American family. Read how it all began. Did you finish IBC and want to know what happened next? Get the FREE Epilogue by clicking the button below! Awarded a place in the 2016 Virginia Festival of the Book

Free Epilogue

Featured speaker on panel discussing Romance for “Santa Lucia”

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It’s our third mother-daughter NYC trip and I’m feeling unbelievably blessed. #familytravel #exploremore #nyc #chinatown #motherdaughter #traveling

I’m not a dog person or a snow person but I learned in Quebec that I can be both. I wonder what new things I’ll learn about myself on our family global journey? . . . . . #mytravelgram #instatravel #quebec #dogstagram #winteradventures #familyadventure #travel #traveling #travelling #travelbloggers #globaljourney #familytravel #travelfam #familytraveller #dogsledding #visitquebec

It’s amazing how you can think you know how something is supposed to taste and then you eat it where it comes from and it’s like HOLY CRAP. What I’ve called a clementine and is called a “mandarino” in Italy tastes like nothing I’ve ever imagined possible. So orange it almost tasted like pine. What flavors have surprised you when traveling? . . . . . #travelblog #travelfam #tasteoftravel #italianfruit #procida #amalfi #exploremore #igers_italy #italy #postcardsfromtheworld #foodietravel #foodiefamily #visitamalfi #travelling #travels #discoveries #italianflavour #travellingthroughtheworld #traveldeeper

This is what one year out from a grand adventure looks like. Maps and atlases and guide books and Nat Geo’s everywhere. And yet, it’s still the personal connection that drives the momentum. Gabe had a teacher in his summer game theory class from Lithuania, and now he’s all about it. He even wrote a blog post for me (link in profile, under what I love, Gabe’s blog). Short story: now I know not only where Lithuania is but how it connects to Russia. And, according to Gabe, how we’ll be biking there. ‪.‬ ‪.‬ ‪.‬ ‪.‬ ‪.‬ ‪#familieswhotravel‬ #travelblog #familytravelblog #familytravelbloggers #raisingtravelers #travelfam #offtoseetheworld #roamtheworld #havekidswilltravel #maps #welltraveledkids #borntotravel #involvethekids #lithuania #baltic #exploretogether #exploretogrow #worldschooling #mapoftheworld

We’re now a year away from leaping into our year around the world! China, Belgium, Albania, Lithuania... ready for us? Find out more about our itinerary, link in profile! ‪.‬ ‪.‬ ‪.‬ ‪.‬ ‪.‬ ‪#travelmemories‬ #travelinspiration #travelinspired #luangprabang #laos #ig_laos #southeastasia #familytravel #familytravels #travelwithkids #traveling #travelling #exploremore #aroundtheworld #aroundtheworldpics #destinations #offbeattravel #travelmore #travelwriter #travelblogger

Hey #bookworms, come to a reading at @chopsueybooks this Saturday at 7 PM! I’ll be reading from “The Silent Madonna” and @douglawson will read from “Bigfoots in Paradise”... so you’ll get romance / suspense in an Italian village AND fast moving and touching stories about awkward, lost adults who just won’t grow up. #freevent #rva #weekendplans #bookworm #localauthor #bookevent #freereading

Sometimes family can be the biggest, and most wonderful, trip of all. #dorayalfonso #magicalwedding #sisters #family

Sometimes the Sonoran desert is so ridiculous it doesn’t even seem real. Do you know places like that? #desert #nogales #arizona #exploremore #travelgrammer #instatravel

Scenes from the border... #nofilter #travelgrammer #travel #mexico #arizona #nogales #bordercrossing #exploremore

For the bloom where you are planted files... spring in #Charlottesville reminds me how wonderful a home base can be. #flowers #dogwood #spring #bloom #cville #beauty

Travel means food adventures! Here’s Gabe tucking into food that just might bite him back in Sicily. #foodtraveler #familytravel #travelwithkids #sicily🇮🇹 #favignana #foodiegram #travelgrammer #travelblogger

What is there in the world more beautiful to see than teenage Buddhist monks frolicking in a waterfall? #laos #buddhistmonks #luangprabang #waterfall #exploremore #travel #traveling #familytravel #postcardplaces #seetheworld #theroadtaken

This photo sums up so much about what I love about #italy... pink stone walls,quiet alleys, hidden devotions, ancient spaces, and freedom. #italy🇮🇹 #italyiloveyou #italian #italiandays #italiandays🇮🇹 #familytravel #familytravels #travelwithkids #ig_italia #ig_italy #igers_italia #igers_italy #spello #umbria #theroadtaken #travelmemories #travelholic

Our last adventure was a year in an Italian village. Our next will be a year around the world. It means more novelty and discoveries, but also less connection. I know we won’t be able to build the relationships we did in Spello, like this one with my beloved Italian teacher, at our favorite pizza restaurant. Will the constant exploration make up for the lack of settled relationships? I wonder... #spello #umbria #familytravel #familytravels #globalcitizen #exploremore #travelblog #italian #travelwriting

The best thing about #familytravel is that kids can make even icicles funny. #whistler #travelwithkids #travel #exploremore #traveling #travelinglife #lovemykids

Well, hello gorgeous. #whistlerblackcomb #whistler #britishcolumbia #beautifulbritishcolumbia #springbreak #mountains #explore #theroadtaken #canadatravel

My fictional town of Santa Lucia lived in my heart, but not until a reader entreated me to make a map did it occur to me to create a representation of my little Italian village. I think this little map brightens the book, don’t you? #bookstagram #santalucia #michelledamiani #bookstoread #bookclub #booklaunch #epicreads #bookworm_insta #bookworm #bookworms #writersofinstagram #authorsofinstagram #authorlife #romance #escape #travelreading

I made Thai curry for dinner tonight and offered up yet another word of thanks for this cooking class we took on Koh Phangan. For our family, cooking classes are the best souvenirs because a) no clutter, b) they teach us about local cuisine which helps us appreciate our stay more, c) we meet interesting people, and d) we can recreate those wonderful flavors at home and remember our trip. Does your family take cooking classes? What are your favorite kind of souvenirs? . . . . . #familytravel #familytravels #travelmemories #cookingtogether #cookingclass #kohphangan #kohphanganisland #thailandtravel #thailand #thailandfood #souvenirs #explore #theroadtaken #travelblogger #traveling #travelling #travelwithkids #foodie #foodiesofinstagram #foodietravel #familytrip #igersthailand #welovetravel #travelthailand

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Michelle Damiani, Author

It’s our third mother-daughter NYC trip and I’m feeling unbelievably blessed. #familytravel #exploremore #nyc… https://t.co/3wKce9FEoD
about 14 hours ago
Michelle Damiani, Author

My 17-year-old daughter and I are headed to NYC tomorrow on the train... who has a movie suggestion to get us in th… https://t.co/lSo3vdeOPP
about a day ago
Michelle Damiani, Author

Not to stir up anything, but women of the #WritingCommunity, any of you write your own #metoo experience into your… https://t.co/KfHNRw5vJX
about 3 days ago

Festival participant, speaking about “Il Bel Centro: A Year in the Beautiful Center”

Books and Movies

Book lovers, here's your spot. Pull up a cozy chair, a glass of vin santo, and peruse these books. I hope you'll stumble upon a new favorite, I hope you'll share your own favorites!

I'm starting small, but have lists almost ready to go of favorite expat memoirs, favorite travel memoirs, favorite Italian cookbooks, and more. So check back often, or even better, sign up for my newsletter (on the right), and I'll let you know when there is new content here.