Travel Italian Style

10/31/2024

We finally made it to the local pumpkin patch here in Italy! After years of anticipation, we ventured out to and here are our thoughts:

🎃It’s absolutely worth the experience. It is beautifully set up to mirror the classic American pumpkin patch experience! The space is incredibly organized, offering activities for all ages, from little ones to adults.

👻Arrive hungry, as the menu is packed with fall-inspired Italian and American favorites, all vegetarian and with gluten-free options. And if you haven’t seen the reels already here on Instagram just know they have pumpkin spice lattes.

💀Take your time selecting the perfect pumpkin, as you’ll have about 40 minutes designated for exploring the patch itself. Then we opted for pumpkin carving, but they also offer painting, so you can choose the activity that feels right for you.

🌽 During the day, there’s a free corn maze to explore. Closer to evening and Halloween, you can grab a ticket to the labirinto infestato or haunted trail (though I admit, I wasn’t brave enough for this one).

🍁 Allow plenty of time to enjoy everything; we ended up spending several hours there, just soaking up the experience.

🍂 If you’re planning a weekend visit, be sure to book your tickets well in advance. We reserved ours a month ahead! Keep in mind that it’s typically open only in October and the first weekend of November, so don’t miss your chance in 2025.
Have you been already? Would love to hear about your experience below.

🎃Buon Halloween a tutti.

08/29/2024

This summer, instead of doing my usual 20-region sprint through Italy, I wandered through almost every tiny village, festival, and hidden beach on the Sorrento Peninsula.

It's funny; I kept insisting I was not traveling, yet I was somewhere new every week. When one leads a nomadic life, the nearby places can often seem so easily accessible and, therefore, no longer significant.

However, these past two months have revealed abundant beauty, and I'm grateful that I chose not to do my usual weekly plane or train getaway. I love being on the road and will continue to do so. Yet, I have become so accustomed to constant movement that I sometimes forget that every day is an adventure as a foreigner living abroad.

As with my more extensive journeys, this experience has offered valuable insights—not only about the places I've experienced but also about myself and those closest to me. It reminded me of life's and Italy's simplicity, which essentially motivated me to return to Italy from NY.

I am grateful for the many memories you can see in these slides.

08/12/2024

July and August are always my favorite months in Southern Italy, even though I know many others feel the opposite. What’s your thoughts?

Yes, these months coincide with the peak of the Italian vacation season, leading to traffic, chaos, and even closures in big cities. The heat can be intense. Despite this, I never understood why foreign travelers tend to avoid 🇮🇹 summer. June and September are just as busy, but without the same abundance of local events.

For me, these summer months embody the true spirit of “la dolce far niente” — the sweetness of doing nothing. It’s a time when Italians come together to celebrate with festivals, enjoy long, lazy days at the seaside, and relaxing aperitivo evenings lit by vibrant tropical like sunsets.

If you would like to immerse yourself in Italian culture (and you can handle the heat) then I will be one of the rare travel planers recommending you to experience summer in Italy, particularly during the week of the Ferragosto holiday in August.

See slides for location /festivals in Sorrento Peninsula.

If interested in the next days I can provide more summer tips for other southern Italy regions too! This way you can get ahead of 2025 summer.

Photos Recap:

Naples By Boat
Seaside Hikes and beaches in and around Massa Lubrense
Festivals = Panuzzo / Zucchini / Riavulillo
Light Show = La Luminaria di San Domenico
Saint Day = Celebration of Sant’Anna in Sorrento

07/02/2024

There’s a quirk of mine that’s hard to miss. I never leave a table without capturing the post-meal experience in a photo. It’s become a signature move of sorts for me.

At first, this habit received some strange glances. Knowing their curiosity, I usually, without hesitation, glance their way with a slight smirk and say, “So I remember the day.”

Pretty tables, freshly made food photos, and filtered landscape scenes are easy to create. Yet, with those picture-perfect scenes, you miss the memories of those messy dinner tables filled with laughter until you cry or tears of sadness, pep talks with friends, and simple yet profoundly important life moments. Many that probably changed our lives in some ways.

There’s a strange but strong belief in me that these photos can capture all those emotions and memories, making them more than just pictures.

These are just my own captures taken between March 2024 and today. I have hundreds more on my phone from the past ten 🇮🇹 years.

Whenever I have a terrible day or doubt my path in life, I scroll through these post “cena” photos as quick reminders. Ones of beautiful days spent catching up with friends and family, BBQs that started at 11:00 am and went late into the night, those I lost, those I love, accomplishments, change, or simple reminders of how lucky I am to wake up each day and experience all of this in its various forms.

While I’ll continue to snap these photos, I’d be thrilled if you’d like to join in. Tag and use the hashtag to share your own post-table experiences. If you’d like, include us for a chance to have your memory reposted, or share it with us privately so we can be part of your special moment.

Every day may not be perfect, but if we take more time out of our day to reflect on these simple yet profound encounters, it can remind us of that love, hope, happiness and kindness are always around us. 🤍



Photos: Florence, Sorrento Peninsula and beyond!

06/13/2024

Are money belts back in style?! Or maybe they never left. Our founder shared some thoughts about the latest trend of money belts and their comeback with journalist Valentina Valentini and CNN Underscored

Read more about what Cassandra and other travel professionals have to say at the link below.

Are money belts making a comeback? Absolutely! These are the 11 best money belts that blend safety, style and convenience for your travels. From RFID blocking to chic designs, find the perfect money belt for your next adventure.

06/04/2024

After years of working in hospitality, it was in December of 2014, I had an idea. What if started a travel company but I transformed the traditional agency model?

Instead of offering free information to clients, what if I introduced a planning fee before sharing the itinerary?

What if I replaced the office number with a “book a call” link?

What if I personally traveled through Italy to craft unique experiences in place of relying on an online booking system?

What if I provided consulting calls where I got paid to share my expertise?

What if I combined my passion for storytelling and vulnerability with the story of my late father Joe and his Italian heritage on social media, rather than solely posting about Italy travel?

When I launched Travel Italian Style with these “crazy ideas,” many were skeptical. They admired my enthusiasm but doubted its viability. Initially, they weren’t wrong. The first five years were among the toughest of my life. Yet, I never abandoned my dream. From these modest ideas emerged not only a thriving company but also opportunities for global speaking engagements, writing, and traveling across all 20 regions of Italy.

As we approach our ten-year anniversary, it’s time to evole once more. We woud like introduce the next level of Travel Italian Style and showcase more of the Italian team behind it. My personal stories and glimpses of life in Italy will continue, but you’ll find more of them on . While here on this page you’ll discover travel tips, dreamy Italy scenes, and a chance to experience the local life and beauty of Italy through our team’s perspective too!

The coming weeks will be a period of transition, and we welcome your feedback and thoughts to help us grow this page in the best way possible. We hope you appreciate our new look and new goals!

We’re excited to bring you along for the next chapter, which we hope will be the biggest yet. Thank you for your support! We look forward to sharing even more of Italy with you here.❤️💚
Grazie, Cassandra Lena Santoro / CEO + Founder


Photos from traveling working throughout Italy for the past ten years.

05/30/2024

Our goal at Travel Italian Style is to curate custom Italian itineraries that make for an unforgettable vacation. This dreamy location in Sicily does not look like the typical Italian restaurant, making mealtime a highlight of the day.

Interested in learning about this hidden escape? Connect with us today: www.travelitalianstyle.com

05/21/2024

Life in Sorrento has been full of great lessons lately.
The most important one I’ve learned is to “believe in faith over force.” I came across this quote a while back, but it’s meaning only truly resonated with me in April.

Throughout that month, I tried to make several things happen, but nothing seemed to come together. Each time something I thought I desperately wanted or needed fell through, I became angry and frustrated. One example was apartment hunting.

After ten years of traveling across all the regions of Italy, I decided to stay put for a year. However, it was becoming increasingly challenging to find a long-term rental in Sorrento.

I was scheduled to leave town on a Wednesday and as of the Saturday prior I was without an apartment.

Feeling desperate and depleted, that morning at 9:30am I went into my favorite church in town. I dropped a euro coin in the donation box, grabbed a mass card (swipe to see), sat down and told God I surrender. I admitted that maybe it wasn’t meant to be. So I decided to leave it up to Him. If that meant continuing to live nomadically for a while, then so be it.

On that same day at about 10:40am my friend called me, “Cassandra, you will never believe it, I found you a place.” The story ends with me moving into that perfect, charming apartment in Sorrento on the very Wednesday I thought I would depart.

Reflecting on the month, I realized that none of those previous offers truly suited me, and deep down, I always knew it. The same goes for the other scenarios that didn’t’ work out. How often do we find ourselves in such predicaments in life—staying in or entering situations that don’t align with our intuition? Despite sensing it’s not right we often lack the bravery to say no, especially when the future remains uncertain.

Or how often do we fail to trust? If all those earlier attempts hadn’t failed, if I had tried to force those mismatched scenarios, I would have missed out on discovering what was perfect for me.

Life has a way of working out. Non è vero?
Don’t forget for more personal stories follow and stay tuned here for even more Italy tips, videos and photos!

05/07/2024

Planning a summer trip to Sorrento? Don't miss out on my insider tips as a local! We have shared all the details with over at
https://appetitomagazine.com/guides/top-dining-destinations-in-sorrento

03/31/2024

Buona Pasqua from Sorrento! Today here many began the day enjoying church, chocolate Easter eggs and colomba cake. Now we are preparing for a long typical lunch. Follow our stories for a recap of the day. 🌸

For those that celebrate, which family traditions will you follow today? And speaking of family, check out this oversized pastiera made by the Bar Veneruso srl family here in town!

03/25/2024

On a sunny day this week we made our way to Positano. Everywhere I looked, I spotted traces of summer on the Amalfi Coast, bringing with them those comforting sounds, scents, and signs of the season.

As a native New Yorkese, I'm occasionally questioned by friends about relocating from this area of Italy to a more bustling location. But how could I ever leave? These sounds are my meditation. They're the ones, since 2009, that always welcome me back home.

Who is heading to Italy this year? Where will you experience this same bliss? Feel free to share below.

03/19/2024

Swipe to see the pizzeria that belonged to my dad’s Sicilian family. They established it over 40 years ago on Long Island, NY, following their move from Italy then Brooklyn.

I recall sitting at the back of the store, assisting my nonna as she expertly sliced mozzarella and crafted arancini by hand. My nonno would sit in his three-piece suite cooking or directing, whatever mood he was in that day.

My brother recently reshared the photo and I noticed the menu displayed in the window. It was always a blend of American and Italian-American dishes, different from the traditional cuisine of Sicily. They were from Italy but they embraced American life.

It may seem strange but after my first visit to Italy in 2006 I held some resentment with my family. Why wasn’t I taught Italian or Sicilian dialect? Why didn’t I spend my summers in Palermo like other Italian American kids. Why wasn’t I schooled in the art of Italian pastas or jarring sauce?

Why did I instead grow up idolizing Kelly Kapowski from “Saved by the Bell” and not Sophia Loren 😅?

Yet it was the reappearance of this photo that reminded me. Italy had always been woven into the fabric of our lives.

I hadn’t been deprived of anything; if anything we were given the greatest gift imaginable. They allowed us to blossom as ourselves, to grow up like typical American kids—a dream, perhaps, cherished by our immigrant grandparents.

The wonderful aspect is that they preserved enough of my Italian heritage for me to return to Italy when I felt prepared. Allowing me to experience Italy firsthand through my own eyes and soul and to appreciate it that much more.

I’ve come to terms with the fact that I’ll never truly blend into the Italian or even Italian-American community. I will always be somewhere on the threshold between cultures.

However, finally, I’ve reached a place of acceptance and gratitude.

Now, here I stand, a citizen of both Italy and America, drawing inspiration from all that I cherished and learned in my upbringing. I may never speak perfect Italian but I still hold a remarkable fusion of cultures that made me who I am today. La vita è bella .

01/03/2024

Is biking the hot trend for exploring Italy in 2024?

“Boh.” While I can’t confirm its full-fledged trend status, I’ve added it to my list of “IN” activities as an Italian travel planner. Biking has become one of my preferred ways to soak the islands of Italy’s beauty on a sun-drenched summer day. During this ride, we pedaled past mobile beach bars and along the shores of crystal-clear waters, all within the backdrop of the filming location for Hulu/Disney +’s latest series, “The Lions of Sicily” (I Leoni di Sicilia).

This captivating series tells the true story of the Florio family, a prominent name you should be familiar with when traveling in these parts of Sicily and southern Italy. The Florios have an incredible history and are the driving force behind the export of important Sicilian products, such as canned tuna and Marsala wine.

Being Sicilian, it was not my first visit. Yet, my fascination with the family was sparked during my month-long stay and numerous returns to the area in 2023. I found myself exploring Palazzo Florio (swipe to see), unaware of the upcoming book or series.

For those also intrigued by Florio’s history, I recommend checking out the series or novel. Afterward, reach out to us to organize a visit to the Aegadian Islands while they still showcase their naturalistic beauty and remain relatively under-touristic.

If you’re looking for insider tips, tricks, meaningful, unique trends, or general travel ideas for Italy, stay tuned in the coming days for more.

With almost two decades of experience in Italy and the travel sector, I figured it was the right moment to leverage even more of that knowledge here on social media, particularly before the season hits its peak.

Until then, let me know if you have started watching the series or reading the book or have already visited or heard of these islands.

01/01/2024

This week holds special significance as I celebrate not only the start of a new year but also my 40th birthday and the 9th anniversary of founding my travel company, Travel Italian Style. Amidst the natural inclination for reflection during this period, my mind takes me back to a conversation I had a few months ago with an older Italian woman I met on my travels.

We chatted about how I found myself in Italy and my upcoming celebrations. With so much on the horizon, I brought up the theme of accountability and the typical New Year’s resolutions.

As I immersed myself in philosophical thoughts, she gracefully interrupted me to inquire about my birthplace in the USA. Upon mentioning New York, she nodded knowingly and remarked, “Ah, si, I thought so, with such a set plan and determination.” She went on to commend my New York-style determination but gently reminded me not to overlook the fact that dreams and goals are also expressions of love.

According to her, this love includes various dimensions—self-love, a love for the inner child full of dreams, and a love for others on similar journeys. Emphasizing her perspective, she wished my accountability was inherently tied to love. This approach would lead to a gentler response and a different perspective if my dreams took longer to materialize or plans deviated from the original course.

Essentially, her reminder was a call for greater compassion and understanding towards myself in the face of life’s unpredictable twists and turns. She advised, “They don’t all have to come true in 2024, and if they don’t, well, maybe they weren’t supposed to anyway.”

Reflecting on the many desires I still hold for my life; I’ve realized she is right. Whether these aspirations unfold in the next week, month, year, or even decade, my belief in deserving the right people and situations (in life) has never been stronger. As the saying goes, “What is for me shall not pass me.”

Thanks to the wisdom of this stranger, I step into the new year armed not only with resolutions but with a commitment to choose and embrace more love, belief, and trust in every aspect of my life, no matter the outcome.

Auguri. Per noi è un nuovo inizio.🤍

12/24/2023

Christmas Eve is typically a day I quote Bill Murray from my favorite holiday film, "Scrooged." Consistent with the Charles Dicken's story, the ending lines of this movie express his realization of finally seeing the true meaning of Christmas and life.

Murray shares how this time of the year is a reminder of the importance of generosity, kindness, and gratitude. The sentiment also shares how the season represents forgiving. It's letting go of past hurt and the heaviness you put on yourself.

Change happens when you let go of the invisible grip of life and remember the happiness and fulfillment of the simple everyday moments. Life can change when you give, not only in a monetary sense, but extend your whole heart to deserving people and situations around you.

I understand that during a season of so much pressure, it's tough for everyone to have a "Scrooged" turnaround in life. However, when I watched my Instagram recap video of my 2023, I did have my own realization.

Here is the recap: https://www.instagram.com/p/C1PUL6Bu9n9/

Look how much fun I continue to have while doing what I have done for almost 20 years! I have traveled thousands of miles throughout Italy and visited many new cities. I discovered and met new collaborators for our guests. Yet, I know when I was experiencing some of those moments, I didn’t quite understand how powerful and memorable they would be.

If 2023 taught me anything, it was this.

Where I came from, why I started, and where I want to be, has changed. My path is constantly taking new directions, and that is okay. I will be okay.

On this Christmas Eve, as Bill Murray says, the spirit of the holiday season is always within us. We must only have enough courage and faith in ourselves and others to hold it close enough to our hearts year-round.

The first step to living a present life may be as simple as closing the year with acceptance and grace of where we are and what’s ahead of us in the coming months.
So, Andiamo, let’s all take our baby steps forward and begin again.

Buone Feste + Buono Anno everyone. I am so grateful to be here and to have you on this journey. Grazie.
-❤️Cassandra

12/18/2023

Cozy Christmas scenes from the mountain towns of Friuli Venezia Giulia and the South Tyrol regions of Italy. Read the caption under each picture to find out more. Now that I am back in NY, it’s a bit too warm and rainy for me. Are you a snowy or beach holiday traveler? I will always choose the mountains or the most Christmas filled village possible.
Buone Feste. 🎄

12/10/2023

The lights twinkling throughout the city of Salerno are for an event called Luci d'Artista Salerno. However, did you know the event did not start in Salerno. It instead was inspired by an Luci d’ Artisa in the region of Piedmont.

It was in Fiorenzo Alfieri in 1998 that introduced this intuitive of contemporary art made by light and poetic words throughout the streets of Torino.

Then in 2006 the Mayor of the Campania region Vinenzo del Luca loved the idea so much he brought it here to seaside city of Salerno.

So if you have already visited Salerno’s lights be sure to visit Torino during your next visit to Italy during Christmas time!

11/20/2023

CHRISTMAS IN ITALY/STORY #1: Christmas is always a reminder of my late father. He was known as the “Clark Griswold” of our family. You could always count on him to be on the roof right after Halloween, filling my childhood home with color-twinkling holiday lights. He was also famous for his traditional snowy Christmas villages.Coincidentally enough, they resembled the Italian presepe.

After his passing, I always had a choice. Avoid Christmas or I could continue to live it for my dad, which I have done since. That is why I haven’t missed a festive season while living in Italy.

Over the past years, I have visited about 30 + Christmas markets throughout the country, posed in front of dozens of sparkly trees, tried every kind of festive cuisine possible, and drank more mulled wine than I could count. I have watched The Nutcracker in a charming historic theatre and experienced Christmas mass in the Florence Duomo.

My dad never made it to Italy. Yet that is why I know that while all of this knowledge is essential for my travel business, in my heart, these holiday experiences were always for him. I know this by the overwhelming love and peace I feel whenever I pass one of those traditional ceramic villages in a Milan window display or department store.

For those who have been asking for holiday travel tips. Let’s start with the basics.

The area famous for the markets are in Trentino-Alto Adige. However, you can also find festive experiences in places such as Arezzo (Tuscany), Torino (Piedmont), or even far south as Sorrento(Campania) or throughout Puglia. Remember, you can also feel the Christmas cheer in Rome or Trieste. My suggestion is first to decide how cold you prefer to be.😉

For more tips on how to experience the ultimate Italian-style🎄in Italy, stay tuned in the coming weeks.

And for those who can relate to this post. I hope you, too, can find joy in the memory of your loved one who is no longer by your side. There is something to say about having the courage to believe again, especially during the holiday season. It’s never too late.

PS: This photo was taken in the first town Mozart ever performed in Italy. The second photo is the actual structure.