Italy Travel News 07/28/2011

An environmental organization in Italy is trying to retrain beach-goers so that they don't just drop their spent cigarette butts on the beach. They're distributing pocket-sized ashtrays to smokers on the beach. (via @TravelwithJulie on Twitter)

My latest post for Under the Tuscan Gun is all about Rome's favorite springtime vegetable – the artichoke.

My friend Amie posted this article about her family's recent trip to the Italian Riviera – and even though she went to a less-known town, it was still packed with people. Such is summer on the beaches of Italy!

Oh, yay! The new Italian soccer schedule has been released…

Rome-based foodie Katie Parla is on the hunt for "natural" gelato in the Italian capital, and she offers her suggestions for the best gelaterie in the city serving all-natural gelato.

This is a great post by the crew of the No Reservations show from when they filmed in Naples that shows the good & bad that come with the city. The bad? One of their cameras was stolen when they were busy loading gear into a car. The good news? They ended up having some damned fine coffee at the police station as a result.

Italy is known for its history, art, monuments, and food – but there are national parks in the country, too. Here are the national parks in Calabria.

So, I'm just not sure what to say about this. I'm kind of hoping one of my Rome pals will explain this statue to me… But really, it's probably more amusing if I don't know what the hell it means.

My friend Jen Miner went to Italy with her family this summer, & I love reading about their trip. I especially love that the sight of the Colosseum made her a little weepy. I'm glad I'm not the only person who gets emotional about buildings!

A few major tour operators have announced that they're absorbing the new hotel taxes in Rome, Florence, & Venice.