Martha has traveled extensively in Italy for more than 30 years and she currently has a home in the Lunigiana region, an off the tourist track part of northern Tuscany, where she spends about half the year, using it as a base to explore Italy and getting to know the local food and culture. Follow her writing on Martha's Italy. Martha's travels have included every region of Italy. She enjoys attending traditional festivals, visiting historic sites, exploring undiscovered towns, and sampling the regional cuisine. Her first Italian experiences were on the island of Sardinia, where, as a member of the staff, she helped plan the logistics for an archaeological project, cooked traditional Italian cuisine for the crew, and managed the dig house for five summers. She also participated in a summer archaeological survey on the Salento Peninsula of Puglia, the heel of Italy's boot, walking fields and stopping to interview locals about possible artifacts in the area. Martha wrote the Italy Travel site on About.com for 10 years. She has also written about Italy for the Grand Wine Tour, HomeAway UK blog and Qatar Airlines Inflight Magazine. She wrote two mobile apps, Puglia and Italy Travel Tips, with Sutro Media.
The picturesque Cinque Terre villages, built into the cliffs by the sea along the Italian Riviera, make up one of Italy’s most popular tourist destinations. While many people visit Cinque Terre on a day trip, the best way to experience their beauty is by spending a couple of nights to enjoy the ambiance after the crowds have gone. Choosing Where...
Piedmont is home to some of Italy’s top red wines including Barolo, Barbaresco, and Nebbiolo. The Piedmont wine regions of Langhe, Roero, and Monferrato make up a UNESCO World Heritage site based on their preservation of their historical wine-making methods and the natural landscape. One day for each of the three regions is fine, although a longer time in Langhe...
Rome Christmas Sights: Visit the city where the celebration of Christmas mass, and the nativity display, originated.
Tuscany is known for its picturesque medieval hill towns that dot the region. Although most hill towns can be reached by public transportation, they are best explored on a road trip by car. Driving inside the historic centers is restricted so park in a parking lot outside the center. This itinerary takes you to 6 of Tuscany’s top hill towns...
Dan Brown’s popular book (and later movie), Angels and Demons is set in Rome and Vatican City. You can visit the top places mentioned in the story in this itinerary. While the itinerary can be done in one day, if you want to spend much time inside the monuments and sites, it’s best to allow more time. Filming for the...
The Vatican City, also called the Holy See, is really the world’s smallest country but it’s a top place to visit on a trip to Rome. Because there’s a lot to see and do, and it can be very crowded, allowing a full day is advisable if you want to see everything. The Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel Start your...
As our Italy specialist Martha Bakerjian says, “With its picturesque canals crossed by more than 400 small bridges, Venice is one of Italy’s most unique and romantic destinations. It’s also one of Italy’s most popular cities for visitors. The city’s unusual architectural style reflects both eastern and western influence. It developed during the time of the Venetian Republic, a city...
Most visitors to the Veneto see only the city of Venice but this northern Italian region has several beautiful cities, small towns, and Paladian villas. Parts of Lake Garda and the Dolomite mountains are in the Veneto. Its wine regions produce the sparkling Italian wine of Prosecco as well as Soave and Valpolicella wines. Veneto Highlights: * Verona, known as...
Milan is known as the fashion capital of Italy but its historic center holds many interesting sights. Top Things to See and Do in Milan Milan’s Duomo, or cathedral, is the world’s largest Gothic cathedral and Europe’s third largest church — be sure to go up to the roof for a close-up look at the hundreds of gargoyles and statues...
Near Venice in Northern Italy, the two stately cities of Padua and Vicenza are well worth a visit and the top sights can be seen in 48 hours. Padua’s university and botanic gardens are among the oldest in Europe, Piazza delle Valle is one of Italy’s largest public squares, and the Scrovegni Chapel has beautiful frescoes by Giotto. Vicenza is the...
See the top sights in Aosta, an interesting city in a pretty setting below the mountains in Italy’s smallest region, Valle d’Aosta. Aosta was founded as a Roman military colony in 25 BC although there was a megalithic settlement long before then. Its strategic position made it a frequent target for invaders. Thus it became part of the Kingdom of...
Assisi, known as the birthplace of Saint Francis, is one of central Italy’s most picturesque medieval hill towns. While you can visit Assisi on a day trip from other parts of Umbria, Assisi is a great place to spend a couple of nights (or more). This allows you to enjoy the atmosphere in the evening and following morning without so...
Siena is one of Tuscany’s most popular hill towns and although it’s also the biggest, it’s still possible to see the top sights in one day. Siena is best known for its Palio horse-race, run twice in summer around the large main square known as il Campo. With about 4 miles of walls surrounding the historic center, there’s lots to see and...
Portovenere and Lerici are two picturesque Italian Riviera towns very near the Cinque Terre in the Gulf of Poets, an area that once attracted famous writers and poets. Lord Byron used to swim at Portovenere and there’s a grotto in a rocky cove dedicated to him. Shelley lived in the village of San Terenzo and died when his boat hit...
Southeastern Sicily is home to two unique UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Greek temples and Baroque architecture, and with 2 days you can visit them both. The Valley of the Temples, in Agrigento, has some of the best-preserved Greek temples still standing. Several towns in the Noto Valley have buildings that are outstanding examples of Sicilian Baroque style. Day 1: Agrigento...
While there’s a lot to see and do in Rome, it’s possible to see the top sights in just two days. More days are recommended though, especially if you want to visit the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, and Saint Peter’s Basilica. This whirlwind itinerary takes you to the Colosseum and Roman Forum and the city’s major monuments. Remember Rome wasn’t built...
Known for its excellent beaches, charming towns, wine, seafood, and olive oil, the Salento Peninsula of Puglia is a great destination for a leisurely road trip. Start by exploring the city of Lecce with its fine Baroque architecture. Plan to spend at least half a day in Lecce (although longer is better). Salento’s Adriatic Coast Driving down the east coast,...
Trulli, unique stone houses with conical roofs, are one of the sights most associated with the Puglia region. The Itria Valley, especially in and around the town of Alberobello, has the largest concentration of trulli. Therefore Alberobello is the perfect place to see them, especially since its trulli zone is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. These small houses, usually having...
On this classic one week itinerary, you’ll visit the top places to go in southern Italy’s Puglia region. Puglia has a diversity of great places to go, from seaside towns and beaches to charming villages and the unusual trulli and you can see the best of them with a week. A car is recommended although it would be possible to...
The Gargano Promontory, the northeastern part of Puglia known as the spur of the boot, offers a complete vacation in one place. From clean beaches and picturesque seaside towns to charming inland villages and the mountains of the Gargano National Park, there is a lot to see. Here’s how to have a fabulous 48 hours on the Gargano Promontory. Day...
Being inside the Sistine Chapel with only 12 people on an after-hours visit with the Roman Guy.
Central Italy’s Le Marche region and the interior of the island of Sardinia.
That depends on where I’m going. If I’m visiting cities and big towns, I love taking the train, sitting back and enjoying the scenery. For visiting small towns and the countryside, a road trip by car is definitely the best option, not being on a schedule and stopping wherever something looks interesting.
Just about any place I go in Italy I can find something interesting to see or do.