Switzerland
Join us on this space-limited tour offering one-of-a-kind experiences in the heart of Europe. Switzerland stands as a true center of today’s Europe; a staunch and stolid, incredibly beautiful land.
Art Tour: Florentine and Flemish Renaissance
This exceptional tour will begin in Florence, Italy: the “Birthplace of the Renaissance”. For six days and nights, we will explore in and around Florence, including excursions to Siena, San Gimignano, Lucca, as well as a full-day excursion visiting Renaissance masterpieces in the Tuscan countryside, all with expert local guides.
Sicily
Our first week on the Amalfi Coast is spent in beautiful accommodations offering unique and incredible views along the coastline. Capri and the Amalfi Coast have lured travelers for many years.
Puglia and Basilicata
Puglia is one of the most surprising of Italy’s regions. A broad amalgamation of cultures offers visitors a region replete with generous people, exceptional foods and wines, as well as a veritable mosaic of artistic, architectural and religious influences.
Lake Region & Northern Italy
Our tours of Northern Italy include adventures to crystal clear alpine lakes, surrounded by the Italian and Swiss Alps. Exceptional local specialties prepared by cooks and private excursions across northern Italy await you on this memorable trip.
New Documentary: Ospedale degli Innocenti, The Innocents of Florence
A fascinating new documentary about the Ospedale degli Innocenti in Florence, an orphanage established in the 15th Century, will be premiered in Florence on May 17, 2019. Basilica della Santissima Annunziata (white facade) and the Ospedale degli Innocenti Read an article about the orphans of the Renaissance, and this unique institution, on our [...]
A Holiday Opera for the Child in all of us: Amahl and the Night Visitors
It was in 1950 that then director of NBC's opera programming, Peter Herman Adler, commissioned composer Gian-Carlo Menotti (1911 - 2007) to compose the first ever opera for the American television audience. This was no easy task and it is one of the many credits due to the exceptional talent of Menotti that he made [...]
Sicilian Hospitality and Comfort – Ramo D’Aria, Giarre, Italy
Ramo D'Aria Entrance Many of our readers write with questions about places to stay on Sicily, places away from the crowds and cacophony of a large city, a place with true Sicilian 'character'. Recently, I had the opportunity to enjoy an overnight stay at a relatively new accommodation, located in Giarre, about thirty-five [...]
A Haven of Peace Close to Milan: Hotel La Perla, the Valle Vigezzo and Santa Maria Maggiore
As I write this article, I am sitting in a small hotel in the village of Vocogno di Craveggia (VB) in the Valle Vigezzo of northern Italy. Located a mere two hours by train from the intensive noise and traffic of Milano, you will find peace, quite, tranquility and rest in this lovely area of [...]
OUR FAVORITE RESTAURANTS IN FLORENCE
The possibilities seem endless in a city like Florence; from true Sicilian recipes that delight the palate and bring the sea to land to deep red Bistecca Fiorentina, Florence offers any lover of Italian food as many options as you can imagine. We have traveled across Italy for over forty years. Some of our old [...]