Amici Vacations

12/07/2024

LISTEN NOW TO EPISODE 10: Life in the Val d’Orcia

Our final episode of the year showcases the southeast corner of the region of Tuscany known as the Val d’Orcia. The countryside is quintessential Tuscany as it is made up of charming medieval hill towns and rolling hills dotted with cypress trees, farmhouses, vineyards and olive groves. It’s magical!

We’ve been in love with this area of Tuscany for over 25 years, so it was clear to us that we had to test out living in the Val d’Orcia as part of our new life in Italy. We spent a month living in Montepulciano and exploring the Val d’Orcia countryside and absolutely loved it.

Listen now to learn why it’s an amazing place to both visit and live! https://experienceitalywithfriends.podbean.com/e/ep10-life-in-the-val-dorcia/

Make sure to subscribe so you don't miss an episode and please support us by sharing it with your network!

11/20/2024

EPISODE 9 IS NOW OUT: Plan Your 2025 Trip to Italy Now!

Before we head into the holiday season, we thought this week’s episode would be a great time to talk about planning your 2025 dream trip to Italy. Make use of that quality time with family and friends to talk all about it!

You may also have heard that the Vatican is hosting a little event called the Jubilee in 2025, so we’ll first discuss how that may impact your plans.

And assuming you decide that 2025 is the year for you, we’ll discuss the many ways to go about planning your trip:
• Plan it entirely by yourself
• Sign up for an organized tour
• Enlist the help of travel professionals

It’s another episode packed with useful information that we hope inspires you to start planning your dream vacation to this amazing country now.

Listen Now! https://ExperienceItalyWithFriends.podbean.com/e/ep9-plan-your-2025-trip-now/

Make sure to subscribe so you don't miss an episode and please support us by sharing it with your network!

11/08/2024

EPISODE 8 IS NOW OUT: GETTING AROUND ITALY!

This week's episode is inspired by the fact that since we’ve moved to Italy, we’ve been doing a lot of travel all over the country – a true planes, trains, and automobiles life!

We answer the most frequently asked questions about how to most efficiently and economically get around the country – both within cities and between cities.

It’s an episode packed with useful information and everything you need to know to successfully move you to each beautiful destination throughout your Italian adventure.

Listen Now! https://ExperienceItalyWithFriends.podbean.com/e/ep8-getting-around-italy/

Make sure to subscribe so you don't miss an episode and please support us by sharing it with your network!

11/03/2024

Ok, so like everyone, I’ve seen so many posts about this place. I wasn’t sure if I should succumb to the hype and try it, but I felt I owed it to you all. And, to be honest, as a person that places a high value on authenticity, I was actually hoping to report NO, it isn’t worth the hype.

BUT, I have to vote YES!

Let me explain. Yes, it’s become a chain and while I’d prefer it to be a mom-and-pop shop, here’s what I loved:
1) great bread - some panini are more bread than content; this was thin and flaky
2) a menu with great choices - one of my biggest stresses about going to a make-to-order deli is knowing what to ask for; this made it easy to be creative
3) quality ingredients - it was delicious!

Expensive you ask? Yes, but not crazy compared to other places and it’s actually big enough to share (if you’re with someone willing to do so!)😉.

Buon appetito!

10/23/2024

LEARN ABOUT PISTOIA: A TUSCAN GEM!

This week's episode showcases the charming Tuscan city of Pistoia. It's an historical city in the northwestern part of the region that we discovered almost exactly a year ago when we began searching for potential cities to live.

It was love at first sight and it quickly made our short list!

We've now lived in Pistoia for a month and can't wait to tell you all about our experience. We'll discuss what Pistoia has to offer both as a place to visit during your travels in Italy as well as a place to call home.

Listen to Episode 7: https://experienceitalywithfriends.podbean.com/e/ep7-pistoia/

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10/21/2024

Livorno – A beautiful port city in Tuscany!

We finally had the opportunity to properly explore the city of Livorno and were pleasantly surprised by all that it had to offer. It’s a large but walkable city and in many ways reminded us of a smaller version of Naples, another port city. So many great sights to see: the impressive and authentic central market and outdoor market, Little Venice, the Old Fortress, the New Fortress, the Republic Square and the beautiful church of Santa Caterina da Siena. We finished our day strolling along the checkerboard Terrazza Mascagni and having a wonderful seafood lunch along the water.

Highly recommend adding this city to your itinerary, whether stopping in Livorno on a cruise or staying in Tuscany. You can easily combine it with Pisa!

10/20/2024

Ciao Amici!

I'm loving these posts by dear friends of ours and wanted to be sure to share them with all of you! Make sure to follow Due Spaghetti to learn fun tips about Italian cooking, culture, and travel!

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/GT5s2nYEHE8KAXC2/

Olive oil is good for you, Stefano's dad used to tell us.

10/17/2024

Another great visit to the Cinque Terre in the books!

I have posted about this great place before, but it’s so beautiful that I can’t resist doing another! I first fell in love with the Cinque Terre in 1997 and then Davide and I visited in 1998 as one of our first trips together. It’s definitely one of our favorite places in Italy!

After weeks of rain in Tuscany and Northern Italy, we couldn’t wait to get to the sea on a nice, sunny day. We started in Monterosso where we could visit our favorite restaurant and hotel, and then Davide suggested we hike to Vernazza. It was a good thing I packed some sneakers! I don’t think he realized what he signed up for – LOL – it was a lot of climbing but it was worth it for the most beautiful views. The final reward was gelato and a spectacular sunset in Vernazza. The perfect day trip! A long one though as we left Pistoia around 7:30 a.m. and returned around 10 p.m.

10/10/2024

We had such a great day in Florence! We were able to visit and see so much:
- Basilica di Santa Maria Novella
- Chiesa Ognissanti and the amazing Last Supper by Ghirlandaio
- The charming Oltrarno neighborhood
- An amazing trattoria for lunch
- A beautiful property overlooking the Arno
- The Giardino Bardini
- A fun bar for aperitivo

And meet with key business partners.

A productive day of “work” and can’t wait to build it into future itineraries!

10/08/2024

HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT TRAVELING IN ITALY? CHECK OUT EPISODE 6 TO GET ANSWERS!

This week's episode is dedicated to answering the most frequently asked questions I receive from my clients as their travel advisor.

We’ll discuss the key topics and tips needed to help prepare you for your trip as well as keep you comfortable during your travels.

This includes:
• Booking flights, passports and visa information
• Travel insurance and cell phone readiness
• Cash and credit card advice
• Packing tips, and
• Staying safe and healthy while in Italy

Our goal is to make sure you're ready to have the best travel experience in Italy!

Listen to Episode 6: https://ExperienceItalyWithFriends.podbean.com/e/ep6-faqs/

Make sure to subscribe so you don't miss an episode and please support us by sharing it with your network!

10/07/2024

Ciao everyone!
Make sure to join our Group "Experience Italy with Friends" to join the conversation with others that love Italy!

09/25/2024

CHECK OUT EPISODE 5: DISCOVER CALABRIA!

Since we've spent the first two weeks of our new life in Italy in Calabria, this episode is dedicated to this beautiful region in the south of Italy.

We discuss our personal connection to the region, provide a brief history of Calabria, and showcase what Calabria has to offer from a tourist point of view.

Learn why and when you should visit!

Listen to Episode 5: https://experienceitalywithfriends.podbean.com/e/ep5-discover-calabria/

Make sure to subscribe so you don't miss an episode and please support us by sharing it with your network!

09/10/2024

EPISODE 4 IS NOW OUT: WE MOVED TO ITALY!

Today's episode is for those considering a move to Italy or those just interested or curious to hear about our journey to achieve La Dolce Vita.

We talk about:
• why we decided to move to Italy,
• the process we went through to evaluate the requirements and prepare for the move, and
• our first week living here in Calabria.

It’s been a long and crazy journey, and we’re excited to share it with you!

Listen to Episode 4: https://experienceitalywithfriends.podbean.com/e/ep4-we-moved-to-italy/

Make sure to subscribe so you don't miss an episode and please support us by sharing it with your network!

08/28/2024

EPISODE 3 IS NOW OUT: EATING IN ITALY!

This week’s episode is about our favorite topic and a key reason we're moving to Italy - the food! And more specifically, eating in Italy.

Food and sharing meals and food with family and friends is the foundation of Italian culture - it's truly their love language.

To help prepare you for an amazing food experience in Italy, we'll discuss:
• Italian meals and mealtimes
• choosing restaurants, as well as
• everything you need to know about dining out and restaurant culture

Listen to Episode 3: https://experienceitalywithfriends.podbean.com/e/ep3-eating-in-italy/

Make sure to subscribe so you don't miss an episode and please support us by sharing it with your network!

08/21/2024

LISTEN TO EPISODE 2 AND START PLANNING YOUR TRIP TO ITALY!

In this episode, we're excited to talk about starting to plan a trip to Italy and answer some key questions:
• when to go
• where to go
• how much time to spend there

While there is never a bad time to go and every region in Italy is wonderful, we'll share with you our insights and personal favorites.

Listen to Episode 2: https://experienceitalywithfriends.podbean.com/e/start-planning-your-trip-to-italy/

Make sure to subscribe so you don't miss an episode and please support us by sharing it with your network!

08/16/2024

LISTEN TO OUR PILOT EPISODE!

Welcome to our very first podcast episode of Experience Italy with Friends - a travel and lifestyle podcast where we will explore our favorite destinations and hidden gems, share key travel tips and cultural insights, and provide real-time updates about our new life in this remarkable country.

In this episode, we are excited to share with you our story - how we met, why we love Italy, our passion for travel, and the experiences that have led us to want to pack up and move to the dolce vita, otherwise known as the sweet life.

We are excited to have you join us on this journey that we hope will inspire you and help prepare you to create immersive and authentic experiences of your own in beautiful Italy.

Listen to Episode 1: https://experienceitalywithfriends.podbean.com/e/ep1-experience-italy-with-friends-pilot/

Make sure to subscribe so you don't miss an episode and please support us by sharing it with your network!

08/13/2024

OUR PODCAST IS LIVE!

After months and months of preparation, we are excited to announce the launch of our podcast!

Experience Italy with Friends is a travel and lifestyle podcast where we will explore our favorite destinations and hidden gems, share key travel tips and cultural insights, and provide real-time updates about our move and new life in this remarkable country.

Join me, Tanya Raso, an Italy travel expert and my Italian husband and producer, Davide Raso, on a journey that is sure to inspire you and prepare you to create immersive and authentic experiences of your own in beautiful Italy.

Episodes 1 and 2 are live today and we will release a new one every two weeks! https://experienceitalywithfriends.podbean.com/

Make sure to subscribe so you don't miss an episode!

Experience Italy with Friends is a travel and lifestyle podcast where we will explore our favorite destinations and hidden gems, share key travel tips and cultural insights, and provide real-time updates about our new life in this remarkable country. Join...