A Personal Guide to Travel and Life in Italy

In the countryside around Ragusa in Sicily, fields destined for cultivation were cleared of rocks. But what to do with the rocks? Traditional stone structures or the amazing and mysterious muragghi are the answer.

Sunday lunch in Italy has traditionally been a leisurely family affair, and if there is no one willing to cook at home, the next best thing is an agriturismo in Sicily for a huge farm lunch.

A variety of French Lavender flourishes in my garden in Sicily, and is already in full bloom in March.

Restoring an old house in Sicily may sound like an interesting and romantic endeavor. It’s not. Here are 3 tips from my own life experience with examples of what to expect.

In an attempt to clarify pricing in English, a cafe owner in Pienza risked encouraging some wild behavior. Time for an English-Italian lesson along with cappuccino on a tour in Tuscany.

The most beautiful olive trees in Italy are the oldest ones, and they can be found in Apulia and in Sicily.

The most important thing to keep in mind when learning Italian as an adult is to keep your sense of humor, even when everyone is laughing at you.

Huge sweet onions are on sale at the Giarratana Onion Festival in Sicily, where you can join the celebration with Italian families feasting on onion-based dishes.

A walking tour in the Dolomites with Christopher Buckley takes an exciting turn as we venture onto a via ferrata hike near Cortina. Christopher talks about his tour on video.

When the grape harvest begins in Chianti, it’s time to start thinking about vipers.