Travel & Writing in Liguria with Ciao Andiamo
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I had no idea how much teaching writing in Italy would deepen my love of both writing and Italy.
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Here’ll you find trip reports from up and down the Boot, from Turin to Sicily, from Cinque Terre to Puglia. If you want new wanderlust stories delivered to your email inbox once a month, make sure you sign up for my newsletter, the Grapevine. As a special welcome gift, I’ll send you an e-copy of my bestselling novel, Santa Lucia. Imagine that! In a few keystrokes, you’ll be transported to the landscapes, the cities, and the beauty of Italy. No passport required.
Life in Truffle-Scented Turin
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As part of the Local Guide Series, Olivia Windsor (known as Livguine to her fans) opens the door to Turin, a jewel-box city in Italy’s northern foothills.
Read MoreThis is Cinque Terre
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It took me 30 years to return to Cinque Terre. Here’s what I discovered.
Read MoreA new perspective on Venice
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How a beloved children’s book changed how I think about Venice. With loads of recommendations to help you enjoy even an off-season visit to La Serenissima.
Read MoreMatera is more than a sad story
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The story of Matera lingered in my heart for years before I visited.
Read MoreMangia Pesce in Gallipoli, Puglia
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How Gallipoli takes the Italian concept of “mangia pesce” and turns it into a lifestyle and an art form.
Read MoreFive days in Torre Chianca, Puglia
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I bet you’ve never heard of Torre Chianca. Will you want to go there after reading this post? Let’s see….
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I have a thing for Italian street lights
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I love Italian details, especially light fixtures.
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Your First Family Trip to Italy
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Planning your first family trip to Italy can be daunting. From getting passports to using ATM’s to planning an itinerary to asking for a highchair, I’ve got you covered.
Read MoreTo the Adriatic
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During our summer trip to Italy we realized that Le Marche is like Umbria’s pool. Or at least Spellani’s pool. Almost everyone we talked to had just been to Le Marche, went when we were there, or was planning a trip. Most of those we talked to went to Numana, and so, like true Spellani, that’s where we set our sights.
Read MoreWildflowers and Ruins in Segesta, Sicily
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You'd think that since Sicily is where Keith and I began our decline, it would be associated with illness and shortness of breath. But it's not. It still seems magic—painted in bold brushstrokes and wreathed in sunshine. Such is the power of Sicily.
Read MoreThe good and the bad in Scopello, Sicily
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Scopello is also home of a tonnara, a historic tuna fishery that sounds evocative but was actually an example of the downside of under researching. Yes, going in cold can lead to adventures and a sense of discovery. It can also lead to significant grumpiness.
Read MoreLearning to See in Sicily
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Sicily is scented with jasmine and wild herbs—fennel and oregano and something sweet and toasty, maybe fenugreek? This mix of cultivated and untamed is seen everywhere. Trim lines of grapevines leading to dramatic, craggy mountains. Neat rows of olive trees divided by a riot of shimmering undergrowth. Stately Greek ruins rising from a profusion of colorful, delicate wildflowers. That's just Sicily, or at least the tiny corner of Sicily we were able to explore.
Read MoreDo's and Don'ts in Rome
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DON'T fall for it when your daughter tells you that her fashion forward boots are actually her most comfortable shoes. You'll see what I mean about half-way through the day when she takes an opportunity of taking off those charming instruments of torture and reveals feet swollen and splotched with alarming white patches. The smell won't be any good either.
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