Archive for the ‘Italy’ Category

Aug 12, 2010

How to Grocery Shop in Italy

Embrace the Experience!

By Lisa T. Bergren

My cousin and her husband are renting a private villa in Tuscany this Fall with three other couples and I’m drooling with envy. Sure, the villa and views will be sumptuous. But I’d kill to sink my teeth into the hand-crafted mozzarella or perfect, Roma tomatoes or spicy, local sausage or tart, dry Pecorino cheese…We love cooking in Italy! For us, it’s a part of the experience. And so is the grocery shopping. Continue reading

May 19, 2010

A Dinner Among Friends

Locanda Rosati, near Orvieto

By Lisa T. Bergren

Our arrival into Rome is less than auspicious. Everything takes longer than expected or proves impossible; the rental car, the Friday night traffic, the phone with international access, the directions to the inn, the GPS.  By the time we roll up in front of Locanda Rosati, we are stressed, bickering and exhausted. Continue reading

Mar 28, 2010

View on a Venetian Neighborhood

A Different Kind of Canal

By Lisa T. Bergren

In Venice, ancient city of mariners and merchants, we rented a second floor apartment facing Via Giuseppe Garibaldi. This wide avenue, once a waterway, now a canal of stone and cement, swirls with grandmothers pushing children too old to be in umbrella strollers (but in them anyway), schoolchildren, businesspeople. Here, the tolling bell of a neighborhood church awakens us each morning, calling parishioners to mass. We hear the creaks and groans of shutters pushed aside, the metallic grate of gates opened in front of tiny shops and markets and bars. Continue reading

Feb 14, 2010

Happy Valentine’s Day, World!

What's the most romantic place you've visited?

OK, where is the most romantic place you’ve been? Comment and share the “love”…Via Dell’ Amore—the “Way of Love”…Happy Valentine’s Day to you all! Continue reading

Feb 6, 2010

Venice, Italy

Venezia for the entire family

By Lisa T. Bergren, 2007; updated 2/6/10

Our entry into Venezia was less than auspicious. Our GPS wasn’t programmed right, so we weren’t sure we were heading the right way (signs were surprisingly unhelpful!); it was pouring rain, and we were almost out of time to get the rental cars turned in and our keys for the apartment in time. STRESS! Continue reading

Feb 3, 2010

3 Generations Tour Tuscany

Siena, Florence, San Galgano and Chianti

By Lisa T. Bergren, 2007, updated 1/31/10

We did a March 2007 trip with two grandparents (in their 60s), two parents (in their 40s) and three kids (ages 11. 8 and 4). Our first leg of the trip was in Rome, and our third was Venice, but Tuscany, as always it seems, stole our hearts.

Day 1:

We drove up from Rome (about 2 hours from the airport) on Saturday afternoon and had to get groceries before reaching our agriturismo, the incredible Odina, where we shared the luxurious, roomy, fabulous Redento villa, complete with full kitchen and wood-burning pizza oven (see pizza oven tips below). Continue reading

Jan 31, 2010

3 Days in Rome

Three generations travel together

By Lisa T. Bergren 2007, updated 1/30/10

Our March 2007 trip included grandparents (in their 60s), parents (in their 40s) and three kids (ages 11, 8 and 4). We traveled to Rome-Tuscany-Venice over 12 days. Continue reading

Dec 16, 2009

Romantic Italian Getaway, Pt. 6/6

Montepulciano, Italy

By Lisa T. Bergren

We are nearing the end of our romantic sojourn in Tuscany, and we’ve saved the hill town behind us, known for its vino nobile, for last. We’ve been to Montepulciano before, briefly, but today we have the luxury of slow, casual observation and touring. Continue reading

Dec 15, 2009

Do you know what these are?

Montepulciano, Italy

Old cemetery stones? Roman settlement stones? Fill us in! They were incorporated into a wall on the main street through Montepulciano, Italy. Please comment below! Continue reading

Dec 10, 2009

Romantic Italian Getaway, Pt. 5

Pienza, Classic Medieval/Renaissance Town

By Lisa T. Bergren

We’ve been circumventing her perimeter for days now, and can see her in the distance from our villa, Terre di Nano. But today is the first time we’re setting out, solely to tour the ancient city of the pope, once called Corsignano, but renamed in honor of his holiness’ presence, Pienza. Continue reading

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