This morning ten cities across Italy waited anxiously for the announcement of the winner of the Capitale italiana della Cultura (the Italian Capital of Culture) for the 2022. It was with great joy--and an explosion of cheers and tears--from the organizing committee and mayor, when the island of ...
What’s Cooking? New Thermopolium Uncovered in Pompeii
Over what was a relatively quiet holiday weekend for most Italians, news was released about a recent discovery at Pompeii. The ancient archaeological site has been making headlines lately and just recently I wrote about the new plaster casts from Civita Giuliana. This time the news detailed ...
Life in Plaster: New Discoveries from Pompeii
Of all the haunting images of Pompeii that have been uncovered in the three centuries since the archaeological site was rediscovered, it is the plaster casts of the many victims that drives the tragedy home to the heart. As we see bodies huddled in fear or sprawled on the floor as they sought ...
Climbing Mt. Vesuvius
On a sunny day at the beginning of November we headed over the Lattari Mountains to Naples. Destination: Mt. Vesuvius! After climbing Mt. Etna in Sicily, my mother was very excited to tackle another volcano. I hadn't ever been to the top of Mt. Vesuvius, so I was really happy she wanted to go. Head ...
A Taste of Paradise at Mamma Agata’s Cooking School on the Amalfi Coast
One afternoon not long ago I stepped into paradise. That’s really how it feels when you walk through the doors of the Mamma Agata Cooking School on the Amalfi Coast. The pretty ceramic tile sign outside the door says “The Hidden Treasure,” and as soon as I stepped inside I knew I had discovered one ...
Weekend Reads: “The Wedding Officer” by Anthony Capella
Is there anything better than disappearing for a weekend with a good book? I love stories that pull you in and transport you to another world, especially if that world is someplace in beautiful Italy! For Weekend Reads, Lisa Fantino from Wanderlust Women Travel is here to tell us about one of her ...
A Road Trip to IKEA Salerno
Last Friday morning we set off early for the hour and a half drive to the newly opened IKEA Salerno / Baronissi. There are currently 18 IKEA stores in Italy, one of the newest being the store that opened just outside Salerno at the end of February. With a big long list of items to ...
Apples from the Underworld – Campania’s Melannurca Apples
Maybe it’s an American thing. Johnny Appleseed, as American as apple pie, a visit to the orchard on a cool fall day – we certainly have a distinct apple culture in America. For me, autumn fully arrives when I tote home a big pile of fresh, crisp, tart apples – certainly one of the ...
Road Trip: Mozzarella in Campania
Today we are going to take a road trip from the Amalfi Coast about an hour south to the city of Paestum, where you can see stunning Greek temples and a lot of water buffalo. Wait, water buffalo? While these less than lovely looking beasts certainly don't rival the beauty of the Greek architecture ...
