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What To Do in Rome with Kids

What To Do in Rome with Kids

March 15, 2023

One of the great things about being in Rome with kids is that many of the city’s main tourist attractions are ideal for families – and are sights you’d want to see anyway. With a few days in Rome, the…

Syracuse Guide: What to See and Do

Syracuse Guide: What to See and Do

February 28, 2023

Sicily captivates with its tangled web of history that can be traced back to the Phoenicians. The island has a distinct patchwork of hyperlocal architectural styles, dialects, and cuisines that reflect thousands of years of invasion and conquest that began…

Jewish Sites in Emilia-Romagna

Jewish Sites in Emilia-Romagna

February 11, 2023

We often have clients who are curious to explore Jewish sites in Italy so we work historic and cultural treasures into their itinerary like the Jewish Ghetto in Venice, the ancient Jewish catacombs in Rome, and Florence’s Great Synagogue in…

The Mosaics in Ravenna

The Mosaics in Ravenna

January 31, 2023

Ravenna’s dazzling mosaics dating from the 5th and 6th centuries are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and are famous across the globe. Considered among the best-preserved Byzantine mosaics in the world, these treasures are more than worth a visit, so…

What to Pack for Italy in Spring

What to Pack for Italy in Spring

January 15, 2023

Spring brings a dramatic uptick in Italy trips after the relatively quiet winter months, and it’s one of the best seasons to visit Il Bel Paese. From March through May, Italian cities, towns, and even coastal resorts (beginning from Easter)…

Shopping at Street Markets in Italy

Shopping at Street Markets in Italy

December 31, 2022

Over the many years of planning custom Italy itineraries for clients, we’ve realized that travelers often have misconceptions about shopping Italy street markets. Many imagine a souk-like maze of stands that sell a bit of everything for one-stop art, clothing,…

Italy Travel Tips

Italy Travel Tips

December 15, 2022

After two decades of giving Italy travel advice and planning Italy trips for independent travelers, I sat down and put together my top 100 Italy travel tips.  Read on for insider intel for visiting Rome, Florence, and Venice plus how…

How to Get a Tax Refund in Italy

How to Get a Tax Refund in Italy

December 02, 2022

We’ve had a number of clients ask us recently for information about how to get a tax refund in Italy. VAT is the sales tax (called IVA in Italian) that is applied to most purchases—including consumer goods like clothing and…

Tipping in Italy

Tipping in Italy

November 14, 2022

Almost all of our clients ask us about tipping in Italy before leaving on their trip, including guidelines about who should be tipped, how much is a typical tip, and how tips should be paid. The short answer is that…

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