High life in Italy on a budget

Yes, it's possible to enjoy the famed dolche vita on a budget. With a little planning and know-how, you can travel cheaply in Italy without skimping on all the pleasures that Italy has to offer, especially the eating and drinking part. Catch the train - Italy has a cheap and excellent train system, which leaves Australian...

Passegiata with a ferret

Well, I've seen it all now. In the picture-perfect town of Ascoli Piceno in Italy's eastern Le Marche region, this rather dapper gentleman was taking his ferret for a passegiata. There were no eyebrows raised by the good people of Ascoli Piceno as he strolled around the main square with families, couples, poseurs, old men...

Dolce fa niente. Aka sweet doing nothing

There's a whole lot of dolce fa niente going on in Italy. I'm talking sitting around a bar, aperitivo o'clock and a general feeling of doing nothing (and yes, I'm talking about the infamous scioperos or strikes - often on Fridays or the day between the weekend and a public holiday). Little did I know...

Lucca for free (or bugger all money)

Lucca is one of Italy’s wealthiest cities. Not too much of Il Crisi for Lucchesi! A mix of Tuscan villa wealth, well-trod English ex-pats, day-tripper distance to both Cinque Terre and Florence will do it. Plus Lucca has plenty of its own many attractions – walled city, medieval towers and alleyways and, being Puccini’s birthplace, lots...

Arezzo: the “other” Tuscan town

So, you’ve done Florence, Venice, Rome. You’ve even knocked off a few heavy Tuscan hits, Siena, San Gimingnano and Cortona. But have you been to Arezzo? Or even heard of it? Here’s six good reasons to go there: It’s on the major train line between Florence and Rome, so it’s a cinch to get to....

Molto elegante – Italy’s Capital of French Flair

Turin, capital of Piedmont, in north-west Italy is an unsung hero. Sure, it's not a Venice or Florence, but that is all the more reason to like it. Real Italians live here and they seem to enjoy it! (Hint: Ferrero Rocher is made here). It is home to the largest number of Egyptian artefacts outside...

The prima reason I love Italy!

Wine Wednesday: the Barolo wars

Welcome to a new segment ... Wine Wednesday! Every Wednesday I'll do my take on some wine I've been sampling lately. My qualifications? I'm Australian (and therefore don't mind a drink!!) I've done a few wine tasting courses over the years and done the rounds of Australian and Kiwi wine countries. And a few overseas ones...

The Quiet Italian

"You are too noisy", says the proprietor. Say what? This is Italy. The Quiet Italian. There's no such thing. She laughs uproariously then pours the wine. That's better. Italy, noise, confusion, jibes. Finally something I can work with. We are at a co-op restaurant, which doubles as a community centre, crèche and unofficial choir practice...