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5 (+1) things to do in Bologna
Bologna is a lively university city in northern Italy, known for its deep red architecture, miles of covered porticoes, and a food culture that has shaped Italian cuisine well beyond its borders. Home to the oldest university in the Western world, it balances academic life with a distinctly local rhythm, from busy markets to late-night piazzas. The city’s medieval towers, including the leaning Asinelli and Garisenda, rise above a historic center that feels both well preserved and thoroughly lived in, while dishes such as tagliatelle al ragù and tortellini in brodo anchor Bologna’s reputation as Italy’s culinary capital. I visited Bologna a few months ago. If you’re also planning to…
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9 (+1) things to do in Venice
Venice is a historic city in northeastern Italy, built on more than 100 small islands in the Venetian Lagoon of the Adriatic Sea. It is connected by a network of canals and over 400 bridges, with the Grand Canal serving as its main thoroughfare. Founded in the 5th century, Venice grew into a powerful maritime republic and a major centre of trade, art, and architecture. Today it is known for landmarks such as St Mark’s Basilica, the Doge’s Palace, and the Rialto Bridge, as well as for its ongoing challenges, including flooding, mass tourism, and the preservation of its fragile built environment. I visited Venice last September and today I…
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15 places to eat and drink in Florence
Florence is the capital of Tuscany, as well as one of my favourite Italian cities. I’ve often thought that Firenze, as the Italians call it, embodies the concept of la dolce vita. I’ve been to Florence several times, and every time I enjoyed the city a little bit more. I remember strolling around the beautiful city centre trying to plan my meal times, so that I could dine at as many restaurants as possible, and have as much gelato as possible between or after my meals (quite a task!). Today, I’m sharing my recently updated list of places to eat and drink in Florence, and I’m proud to say that…
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Top 5 tips for 4 days in Siena, Tuscany
Although Siena is only the 12th largest city in Tuscany, with a population of just over 50,000, it is one of the most famous and visited. Its historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, containing buildings dating as far back as the 13th and 14th centuries. Having already shared my tips about places to eat, today I am sharing my top 5 tips for 3-4 days in Siena. 1. Museums & Churches Ticketed One of the main sights in Siena is the Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption, simply known as Duomo. The entry ticket costs 8 euros and it also gives you access to the Libreria…
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9 places for sweets, coffee and dinner in Siena
As I’ve mentioned in my previous posts, I recently travelled to Tuscany. As well as Florence, I also visited Siena, Lucca and San Gimignano. Although Siena is only the 12th largest city in Tuscany, with a population of just over 50,000, it is one of the most famous and visited. Its historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, containing buildings dating as far back as the 13th and 14th centuries. Today, however, I am sharing my tips for 9 places for sweets, coffee and dinner in Siena. Pasticceria Nannini Conca d’Oro Established by Guido Nannini in 1910, the Pasticceria-café of the same name has almost become synonymous with Siena.…
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A day trip to Lucca, Tuscany
As I mentioned in my previous post, I recently travelled to Tuscany. Although I had been to Florence several times before, I had never previously ventured out of the Tuscan capital. As well as Firenze (as it’s called in Italian), I also visited Siena, San Gimignano and Lucca. Also known as “Città d’arte” (City of Art), the latter is famous for its intact Renaissance-era city walls which encircle the old town. Nowadays, Lucca has a population of about 89,000 and is the 7th most populous city in Tuscany. How to get to Lucca Lucca is easy to reach from Florence by train. The journey takes about an hour and a…
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A day trip to San Gimignano, Tuscany
I recently travelled to Tuscany. Although I had been to Florence several times before, I had never previously ventured out of the Tuscan capital. This time, I also visited Siena, Lucca, and San Gimignano, as well as Firenze (as it’s called in Italian). The latter is a small walled medieval hill town in the province of Siena. In fact, it was during my stay in Siena that I visited San Gimignano. Famous for its medieval architecture and home to 8,000 residents, San Gimignano is a popular destination for many tourists, as well as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. I stayed there for about 4 hours before I returned to Siena.…
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A short stay in Milan
I recently wrote about my skiing holiday in Madonna di Campiglio, a village and ski resort in Northern Italy. I combined my holiday with a few days in Trento and Milan. Trento, the gateway to Madonna di Campiglio, is an hour and a half by train from Verona, and two hours and a half from Milan, the second-largest city in Italy and capital of Lombardy. Since I’d been to Verona before, and considering that there are far fewer international flights to Verona than to Milan, I decided to fly to Milan and spent the night there. The following day, I took the train to Trento, where I spend another night.…
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Skiing in Madonna di Campiglio, Trentino
I recently went on a skiing holiday in Madonna di Campiglio, a village and ski resort in Trentino, in Northern Italy. This was my second skiing holiday in Italy. I had previously gone skiing in Cortina d’Ampezzo, a town and ski resort in Veneto, due to co-host the 2026 Winter Olympics (together with Milan). Trentino is renowned for its mountains, such as the Dolomites, which are part of the Alps. It is one of the two autonomous provinces of Italy. The other one is the neighbouring South Tyrol, officially the Autonomous Province of Bolzano. The Trentino and South Tyrol constitute the region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol (South Tyrol), an autonomous region…
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Italian cuisine: books and TV shows
As much as I love travelling to Italy, I love Italian cuisine. A tote bag that I bought in Rome says it all: ‘spritz, carbonara, tiramisu & amore’. Well… perhaps not all. There’s also pizza, gelato, panettone, pannacotta, coffee (un caffe shakerato per favore), wine, vitello tonnato (my new favourite), cacio e pepe, maritozzi, canolli… Just don’t let me get started… My love, as well as my knowledge of Italian cuisine, has grown not only through travelling and eating out, but also thanks to books and TV shows I’ve come across in the last few years. Italian cuisine: Fatto in casa da Benedetta Rossi It was when I visited Verona…