Italy in February: 7 great places to visit
In many places in the world, the month of February is still the depths of winter. It’s cold, snowy, and often dark or foggy. In Italy, it’s low season, and while it is definitely chilly, there are plenty of great reasons to visit. Low season means that flights are cheaper, prices are lower, and the…
Off the beaten path in Italy
Because of the name of my company, I get regular requests for itineraries that are at least partly off the beaten track. The definition of off the beaten path in Italy differs depending on how well you know the country. For some, the beaten track includes just Rome, Florence, and Venice, while for others it…
What to do in Florence
How you spend your time – and how much of it to spend – in Florence depends on what you want to do. I plan Italy trips for clients who allocate just one day to the city, and for others who stay a full week. Florence is one of Italy’s most touristy cities, but travelers…
Five ways to visit Florence’s Uffizi Gallery (and one to avoid)
In the five years that I have been creating itineraries for independent travelers to Italy, I’ve never met a traveler who wanted to go to Florence and skip a visit to the city’s famous Uffizi art Gallery. But the Uffizi is a huge and exhausting museum with thousands of paintings and sculptures that can make your…
The living statues of Italy
During a recent chat with a client about her itinerary, she said she definitely wanted to see the living statues in Florence. I racked my brain, running through Florence’s famous statues in my head, thinking she must be referring to something in the Accademia Gallery or the Bargello. But I still couldn’t figure it out, so…
The Baptistery doors in Florence: So what?
Asking yourself “So what?” or “what’s the big deal?” is a great starting point when looking at any famous work of art in Italy. Yes, it’s probably aesthetically impressive, but it may be equally significant because of its historical context. So it’s worth understanding, really, why the work became famous. Taking the Baptistery doors in…
What to see in and around Siena, Tuscany
When I start working with a new trip planning client, I always ask why they want to go to Italy. A recent response inspired today’s post. We want to see amazing museums, historic churches and squares, small atmospheric medieval streets, and a beautiful countryside with charming towns. We love food and wine, and I’m learning…
What’s “The Obvious”?
The name of this blog is “Italy: Beyond the Obvious“, because in my years of guiding, organizing, and coaching people on trips and travel to Italy, I’ve noticed there are a few things that pretty much nobody wants to miss, which I’ve listed below. I highly recommend visiting all of these things, and they are…