Italy

I FINALLY made it to Capri! I’ve spent a lot of time in Italy but never made it to the Amalfi Coast or Capri (shameful, I know). So after our recent Windstar Cruise from Barcelona to Rome, we decided to tack on a few days and visit Capri. We had one experience on Capri that was truly the highlight of our 2-week European trip. You’ll have to read on to learn what it is –…

Most visitors flock to Lake Como in hopes of catching a glimpse of the island’s most famous resident, George Clooney. But many are missing out on what is truly the region’s most impressive lake, Lago Maggiore. Over the years, I’ve recommended choosing Lake Maggiore vs. Lake Como. People thank me for introducing them to this surprising destination in Italy’s lake region. Surrounded by mountains and a rigid coastline, Lake Maggiore has a completely different vibe…

My travel style has certainly evolved over the years. And while I’ll never turn down a stay in a luxury hotel, I have found that I prefer to stay in independent accommodations when I travel to Italy. We go to Italy every year and always opt to rent a villa in Tuscany or Umbria or anywhere we decide to go. When we moved to Milan, our first month I decided to rent a villa in…

It seems like a lot of people are thinking about moving to Italy from the U.S. these days. I did it several years ago and it was a magical experience. I’ve had friends ask me what it was like moving to Italy as an American and it certainly requires a lot of patience. Families may be curious about moving to Italy with children. We moved to Milan when my children were 7 and 9 years…

Last fall, I convinced my husband that he really needed to experience all of the beauty that Umbria, the lush, scenic region that borders Tuscany,  had to offer — including the picturesque rolling vineyards and incredible wine tasting experiences. I had traveled throughout the region when we lived in Italy, but he had never seen the true Italian countryside. So we set off to tour a few wineries in the region and received the VIP…

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to live abroad as an expat, a Diplomat, I’m about to spill my secrets. Aside from the Diplomatic passport (best souvenir ever!), there were many perks to being an expat. I’m the adventurous one, so when my husband had an opportunity to move to Milan, Italy for work with the government, I had us packed up before he could say “no”. My kids were only 7 and 9…