Florence, Tuscany and Umbria
Florence, Siena, Pisa, Lucca, Assisi and the Cinque Terre.
The Tuscan Maremma Travel Guide
Although Italy isn't an overly large country, there are still places that are still relatively undiscovered by the tourist hordes - even in arguably the most popular region of Tuscany.
Top 10 Things to Do in Florence
Before my first visit to Florence , I'd heard and read that one could easily spend a week in the city madly running from museum to gallery and still not hope to see all the art there is to see.
Things You Should Know About the Cinque Terre
Once upon a time, the Cinque Terre actually was a collection of "sleepy fishing villages" - unlike today, when that phrase is still used to describe what has become one of Italy's most popular…
Fishing Tours in the Cinque Terre
You'll read over and over again - including on this site - that the five towns that make up the Cinque Terre are "fishing villages." The description somehow makes them seem work-a-day, when in…
"The Genius of a Place" & the Impact of Tourism in Cortona
Some years ago, before I was working at BootsnAll and before WhyGo Italy even existed, I visited the Cinque Terre for the second time.
What to Do in Lucca
There's much of Italy I have yet to explore, so in an effort to get more information to you more quickly - at least more quickly than I can cover every spot on the map - I sometimes have other Italy…
Leaning Tower of Pisa
I've written before about my experience visiting the Leaning Tower of Pisa , and even about how to avoid the lines by buying tickets to climb the tower in advance .
Itinerary for 4 Days in Florence
This is a stop on my perfect itinerary for Italy - if you've been following along, you've already spend 2 days in Venice and 2 days in the Cinque Terre . Now, it's time for Florence!
Itinerary for 2 Days in the Cinque Terre
This is part of my perfect Italy itinerary series - it's the second stop on the tour. If you missed the first one, go back and see what to do with two days in Venice !
Things You Should Know About Florence
When most people think of visiting Italy for the first time, their first "must-see" destinations are what I call Italy's "Holy Trinity" - Rome, Venice, and Florence.
Day Trips from Florence
Florence is one of those compact, walkable, and packed-with-tourist-sights cities that makes it easy to overlook the idea of taking a day out of your stay to venture anywhere else.
7 Favorite Family-Friendly Accommodations in Tuscany
Traveling to Italy with kids isn't just about finding fun stuff to interest them in the places you'll visit - it's also key to find an accommodation option that fits the unique needs of a traveling…
Free Things to Do in Florence
Even in times when Italy is seeing a downturn in the number of visitors and really craving tourist money, it's still not what most people would call a cheap vacation destination.
Hiking Guide to the Cinque Terre
No matter how crowded the tiny villages of the Cinque Terre are getting these days, they remain intensely beautiful, almost impossibly charming, and reasonably accessible to visitors - all of which…
What to Do in Pisa
Most of the people who visit Pisa do so for a couple of hours, usually on their way to or from Florence or Siena , only to get a picture of themselves "propping up" the leaning tower of Pisa and…
Avoiding Lines in Florence
Anyone who's planning a trip to Florence has probably heard the horror stories of people who had to wait 5-6 hours in line to get into the Uffizi Gallery.
Siena
Although most people spend their Italian vacation in the "holy trinity" of Italian cities - Venice , Florence , and Rome - those who branch out and go just a short distance off the well-trodden…
Bargello in Florence
The Bargello might have once been a prison, but by telling you to visit the Bargello in Florence I'm not saying you should commit a crime and get yourself arrested.
Accademia Gallery in Florence
I've met several people who walk into the Piazza della Signoria in Florence, look over at the statues flanking the entrance to the Palazzo Vecchio and think, "Oh, wow, there's Michelangelo's David!
The Duomo in Florence
If you're used to Gothic cathedrals like Notre Dame in Paris or Westminster Abbey in London , stoic and stately in all that gray stone, you might be in for a shock when you see the Duomo in Florence…
Uffizi Gallery in Florence
For many, a visit to Florence just isn't complete without some time spend in the famous Uffizi Gallery ("Galleria degli Uffizi" in Italian).
Weird & Wonderful Florence
Bathed in the history of the Renaissance, Florence might seem like the ideal destination if you're into the offbeat sights. But every city has oddities, and Florence is no exception.
What to Do in Florence
The cradle of the Renaissance, Florence attracts countless visitors all year round. There are, clearly, things that everyone wants to see when they visit.
"Little Jerusalem" in Tuscany
Italy is intensely Catholic, being the home to the Roman Catholic Church's headquarters, and statistics show that roughly 90% of the population identifies itself as Roman Catholic.
The Cinque Terre is Closed
Okay, it's not really closed, but I'm beginning to think it should be. At least sometimes.