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TV host and best-selling travel guidebook author Rick Steves openly expresses his deep appreciation for Italy. It's actually his all-time favorite country in Europe. While his favorite Tuscan escape is Volterra, the most underrated hill town in Italy, Steves is also fond of the popular San Gimignano. On his website, he describes the enchanting San...

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The small hill town once had 72 towers, built by rich families in the middle ages. Torre Grossa, the tallest of the surviving towers, was built in 1298 and is 177 feet tall. Climb the stone staircase to the top for countryside views. Palazza del Podesta, the ancient town hall, sports another of the tallest towers, Torre della Rognosa. La Collegiata...

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One of the cool, and most interesting places in the world to take a course on wine is in Italy, and it is San Gimignano, home of Vernaccia, the most famous Tuscan white wine. The American magazine, Wine Enthusiast, selected the medieval village w and other destinations around the world as the best travel destinations to enrich one’s knowledge of wi...

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I’ve spent many months in Italy over the years, absorbing its history and beauty. I have even written guidebooks about the Amalfi Coast and Rome. My husband and I decided to return to Italy’s quiet "green heart," the region of Umbria, a couple of hours drive from Rome. We hoped to recharge and do what Italians are known for: "dolce far niente' – th...

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Another testimony of the Romans’ love for wine, in addition to the profound competence with which they produced it: in San Gimignano, in the Vernaccia area - already suitable for centuries - a cellar from over 1,800 years ago was discovered during an archaeological excavation campaign. The location is the Roman villa of Aiano, dating back to betwee...

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If you’re visiting Tuscany you certainly won’t want to miss the important cities that are rich in history, where it seems that little has changed in the last 500 years and the Renaissance seems as alive today as it was then. Indeed, if you’re in Florence on June 24, you may feel like a time traveler as the city honors San Giovanni, the patron saint...

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There’s no way around it – Tuscany is home to some of the most charming small towns in the world. From awe-inspiring hilltop perches offering panoramic views of rolling vineyards to hidden gems nestled within lush valleys, each exudes a distinct character and beckons with a rich tapestry of history and culture. Imagine wandering through ancient all...

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There are many interpretations of the Divine Comedy, and even for an absolute historical figure like Dante, there are a thousand legends, but only a few certainties. One of these is that the politician man Dante knew San Gimignano and that, not surprisingly, in the current “Sala Dante”, among those towers that today attract millions of tourists in...

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Juniors and seniors from West Orange High School's Italian classes, Italian Club, and Honor Society had the opportunity of a lifetime when they traveled to Italy from April 6 to 15. Italian teachers Rosanna Zamloot (WOHS), Carlo Felici (LMS), and Anna Maria Grammatica (RMS) chaperoned the trip, which was organized by Zamloot. "It was a journey fill...

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Italy holds claim to 58 UNESCO sites (the most of any nation), with 31 additional sites on the tentative list right now. It’s incredible; all that history and enlightenment from a country slightly larger than the state of Arizona. And it means that no matter how many times you’ve been to Italy, there’s always so much more to see, and do. While I do...

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