April 16, 2018

Il Bel Centro

April 16, 2018/ Michelle Damiani

A synopsis of the beloved tale of family transformation in an Umbrian hilltown. Available in e-book, print, and audiobook.

April 16, 2018

Editorial and Reader Reviews

April 16, 2018/ Michelle Damiani

See what people say about Il Bel Centro.

April 16, 2018

Book Club Questions

April 16, 2018/ Michelle Damiani

Questions to guide your book club reading of Il Bel Centro.

April 13, 2018

IBC around the Web

April 13, 2018/ Michelle Damiani

Find places Michelle has discussed IBC and expat life on other sites.

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.

Rumors. Romance. And more than a little espresso.

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After a week of botanical drawing and painting in the Pyrenees earlier in the month, Keith and I felt inspired by the alpine flora of the Dolomiti. My daughter Siena as well, but she’s an artist, therefore inspired by a gum wrapper if the light

What I didn’t expect about hiking in the Dolomiti in the summer is that ski resorts become paradises of outdoor fun. We rode individual bobsleds through alpine meadows, mountain carts (a three wheeled, low riding bike with no pedals and respons

We went to the Dolomiti in search of beautiful hikes. We sure found them. But we found more… the agriturismo experience I posted about yesterday and thrills and still moments I’ll share in upcoming posts.

Less than 24 hours in Venice meant we didn’t really consider what a magical interlude it could be. Luckily, Venice reminded us.

First stop in Italy…Venice! My husband, eldest, and I flew from Bordeaux and waited for my youngest’s flight from Dublin (my daughter arrived the next day from Houston, for our family trip to the Dolomiti), then we dashed to our Venice a

Last photo from France before we hop over to Italy (but I do have a reel coming about epic seafood experiences centered on Île de Ré). I wonder if you’ll miss my French photos as much as I’ll miss posting them?

The nice thing about needing a stopover somewhere in France to break up a drive between two friends’ homes is it allows you to discover gems like Cahors, a medieval market town with great food, a great market, and great life. See my stories for

When you speak twenty words of a language, it’s a major triumph when you crack a joke. At this tucked away restaurant in Cahors, I decided on the menu shown, awed that the meal would cost as much as a sandwich back home. When Keith ordered, he

You can imagine the dreams I had the night we spent in this castle.

A trip to Italy is better with language basics! Here’s my recommended course to learn Italian and make your trip fantastico!

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

Featured speaker on panel discussing Romance for “Santa Lucia”