Your Italian Escape

22/02/2020

It's the last weekend of carnival here in Viareggio and we went out last night for some fun and the traditional risotto with black squid ink. I had fried fish instead but Alessio assured me the risotto was to die for.

14/02/2020

Anyone else here a huge fan of gorgonzola? It's SOOOOOOOK GOOD!

Highly recommended on nice crusty bread, a pizza with nduja, or even just a spoon. 😋😋😋

09/02/2020

Some more pics from today's parade - which is your favorite?

09/02/2020

Carnevale in Viareggio is in full swing. Today's parade was the second and there are four more still to enjoy. Don't miss out on the family friend street parties afterwards and enjoy a couple drinks with music, dancing, and Italian street food!

Low season travel for the win(e)! 😜😜🇮🇹🇮🇹❤️❤️

18/01/2020

Paul McCartney this summer in Lucca! Will be an amazing show (if you can get tickets)!

PAUL McCARTNEY
:: Freshen Up Tour 2020 ::

SABATO 13 GIUGNO
LUCCA SUMMER FESTIVAL
MURA STORICHE

17/01/2020

Celine Dion will be in Lucca this summer.....will you? Will your ❤️ go on in Italy? 😊🇮🇹😊🇮🇹

05/01/2020

.....and in case you wanted to experience it yourself - heeeeeeeeere's Befana!

05/01/2020

We're getting ready tonight with the stockings filled with candy for the kids and a dinner with family. Have you ever heard of Befana before? 🧹🧙🇮🇹

According to Italian traditions, Befana is an old woman who gives presents throughout the country on the night of January 5, also known as the Epiphany Eve.

02/01/2020

I remember the first time I saw the Colosseum. Alessio and I decided to go in with a tour guide to avoid the lineups and when we got in and stood looking out at the center where gladiators fought off lions and world renowned artists have sung resplendent in their Italian finery I turned to him and said, "I thought it would be bigger."

Having been told that they used to fill it with water for ships to battle I expected something much, much bigger and deeper!

Alessio looked at me, not hiding his disappointment and remained silent.

I'm happy to report that we've been back several times now and each time we visit Rome, and the Colosseum, become more magical.

Glad to see people on Trip Advisor agree! 🇮🇹😂🇮🇹😂🇮🇹😂

PS: if you're going let us know and I'll share some of our favorite restaurants and places to visit with you.

Rome's Colosseum has been reconfirmed as the world's most popular tourist attraction, for the second year in a row, according to TripAdvisor.

26/12/2019

If you're planning a trip to Rome why not take a few days for a detour to enjoy the beaches and seafood in Sperlonga, the porchetta in Ariccia, and the historical town of Latina. All places well worth a look.❤️🇮🇹❤️🇮🇹

26/12/2019

An extra bank holiday today in Italy! Patron saint of, among other things, headaches - Santo Stefano is known as the first Christian martyr and is often depicted carrying a pile of rocks or with rocks on his head.

December 26th is il giorno di Santo Stefano (Saint Stephen's day) and an important day in the Italian calendar

25/12/2019

Buon natale a tutti! ❤️🎄❤️🎄❤️

Was a beautiful day here - sunny and not a cloud in the sky. After a delicious lunch the guys went out in the backyard to prune the lemon tree and pick some of them for limoncello! We got a lot more than expected and still have a ways to go!

Fresh bio lemons anyone?

If you're ready for a break after the Christmas festivities why not think about a low season trip to Italy? Less crowded, cooler weather, and fresh picked lemons. What could be better?

Thanks to all of you for making this year the best one yet! We can't wait to serve your Italian travel needs in 2020!

17/12/2019

What do you get when you cross a day excursion from Norwegian Cruise lines from Livorno port with a trip to the Leaning Tower, a private tasting at an organic winery, and a walking tour around Lucca?

Some great memories and a lot of laughs.

We had so much fun and had some amazing weather.

If you'll be on a cruise and think you can't do too much in just one day off the boat - get in touch and let us help you plan something totally special and unique!

13/10/2019

At Palazzo Blu in Pisa from October 11, 2019 to February 9, 2020 there will be an exhibition dedicated to Futurism, the movement that changed Italian art in the 20th century.

This is a great chance to see a lot of famous and lesser known works and a nice addition to any trip into Pisa.

Tickets costs and other details on the link below. 👇🏻👇🏻

Dall’11 ottobre al 9 febbraio 2020, a Palazzo Blu, i picchi più significativi di questo straordinario movimento artistico.

12/10/2019

A little antipasto anyone? Having dinner tonight and needed to whip up a little snack....how does it look? 🇮🇹😋😋🇮🇹

16/09/2019

Hey! Ciao! 👋

Missing summer already? I know I am! 🏖

Look at this guy though! He's just waiting for us to join him on an (extremely expensive) gondola ride around Venice.

I'll be back at the end of October (and then again in November)....anything you want to know about Venice that I can tell you or find out?

Let me know in the comments! 👇👇👇

13/03/2019

This is definitely something you want to think about visiting!

A major exhibition dedicated to the scientific genius of Leonardo da Vinci opened in Rome on Wednesday, part of a programme of special events across the country to mark the 500th anniversary of the death of the artist and inventor.

07/03/2019

Not sure how I feel about the fines, but some of the trails definitely warrant proper shoes. The Via dell’Amore is an easy walk that could be definitely done in flip flops though! 😂

Italian officials want tourists to know that Cinque Terre's hiking trails are not a day at the beach.

02/03/2019

People always ask me if I learned Italian before I moved here. I didn't.

I learned Italian by living here, forcing myself to read in Italian, and watching (often really horrible) daytime television. Also - having inlaws who don't speak English really helped. 🙂

If you want to learn Italian (or any language really), the best way is to put yourself out there and practice. Immerse yourself where the language resides. You'll enjoy it more than boring grammar books and will get some great stories out of it too.

Want to learn Italian? Come on over to il bel paese and live la bella vita.

A presto 🇮🇹❤️🇮🇹❤️

It’s common to learn your colors in Italian as a beginner, but have you come across any idiomatic expressions using these colors?

28/02/2019

All of you Under the Tuscan Sun fans - you can now rent the villa!

Does this sound enticing? Or perhaps you'd prefer making your own mark on your own villa?

We've got you covered!

Since it was used as the Bramasole for the movie Under the Tuscan Sun, Villa Laura has been beautifully renovated to a 5-star vacation villa

27/02/2019

As if we needed another reason to visit Rome!

The restoration of now rundown Largo Argentina will be financed by fashion house Bulgari.

24/02/2019

Have you ever been to Lake Como?

Not only is it one of the most breathtaking places you will ever see but they have some of the best food you'll ever eat. Buckwheat pasta, potatoes and cheese (Pizzoccheri Delle Valtellina)? Sign me up!

Stay in Varenna though, it's easy to reach, less expensive than staying in Bellagio (yes, the same one they reference in Ocean's Eleven) and has gorgeous walks along the lakeshore.

🇮🇹❤️🇮🇹❤️🇮🇹

20/02/2019

Check this out! Here are 10 small villages in Italy you've probably never heard of. I thought I'd open it up and see a few familiar names but I didn't recognize even one!

Ten new places to check out.

Have you been to any of these? What were they like? 🇮🇹❤️

If you wish to discover the true soul of Italy, you need to see at least a couple of small villages among those scattered all over Italy. We listed here the best (and hidden) villages of Italy you should definitely visit!

16/02/2019

It's been a while but we're back and going strong!

Did you know that Italy is full blown into Carnevale season? Everyone knows Venice, but did you know that Viareggio has one of the largest carnivals going on now and for the next three weekends?

The towering floats reach up to 2-3 stories and are often robotizied. Hundreds of locals dedicate their weekends to this event and sign up as early as October to be allocated to the different floats where they will then learn the float's choreography and start working on their costumes and makeup.

Sun. Music. Dancing. Colors. Wine. Fritto Misto.

An experience not to be missed when travelling in Italy during the low season.

Other perks of low season travel include having the most sought after locations to yourselves and a sense of peace from not having to elbow your way through the summer crowds.

26/12/2018

Buon Natale to everyone this year! After enjoying time with family and friends don't forget to take time for yourself - perhaps with an escape to Italy? 🎄😂🎄😂🎄