The Best Things to Do and See in Ponza, Italy As a travel journalist, I’ve seen some bellissime isole here in Italy, however, Ponza is by far my favourite Italian island. It’s dramatically beautiful, full of friendly locals, a mix of tranquil paradise, rustic eateries and a buzzing scene of young Romans ready to flirt […]
When Italians speak of any destination – be it a city, a village, a beach – the inevitable question “Si mangia bene li’?” (does one eat well there?) is posed with the ubiquity with which Anglosaxons might ask “How far is it from here?”. Distance is immaterial for Italians if good eating is promised. Yes, […]
What is it about this city? What is that intangible euphoria you’re feeling when you step outside? Do you find yourself writing emails to those back home and dissolving into platitudes? Do you take photos of cobblestone, crumbling palazzi, fountains or bridges with heartache because the beauty is so ‘obvious’ and yet even the non-conformist, […]
Once upon a time I came on holiday to Italy and fell, like you, madly in love with everything. I thought to myself, this is where I belong; this is where I’m at my best; this is where I don’t have to apologise for being theatrical or dreamy or wearing heels every day or spending […]
An Interview with Penelope Green, Author of “When In Rome: Chasing la Dolce Vita“ If you’re wondering whether you can make it as an expat in Rome, look no further than Green’s award-winning When In Rome: Chasing la Dolce Vita for invaluable inspiration and insight. After living and working in the Eternal City, Penny moved south […]
The First Signs You’re Becoming Italian … It’s 10.30pm and you’re still deciding where to go for dinner. … It’s May but you’re still wearing stockings and closed shoes and a jacket because otherwise signore will look at you and shriek “troppo estivo!!” … Instead of responding with real words your reaction to anything in […]
The other night I was invited to a friend’s house for an impromptu dinner. I arrived at his palazzo around 11pm and even waiting on the street I could hear Bellini’s opera ‘Norma’, the aching cry of Maria Callas wafting from his open shuttered windows. These balmy nights render Rome so smug, ever conscious of […]
I’m writing this from a villa in Tuscany, lying beside a swimming pool, still drenched in sunshine at seven in the evening. And as Under-the-Tuscan-Sun saccharine as this sounds, there is even the dulcet chime of church bells echoing from the local village and a heady scent of campagna. My skin is golden brown; my […]
“Where does this myth come from?!” she shrieks, wheeling her bicycle down the cobblestone lane as I walk beside her. “Latin lovers indeed! Ugh! I feel like I should spread the word – Italians aren’t better in bed Maybe they were at the time of the Roman Empire but not in 2011!” I hope this […]
Expats in Rome Profiles If you’ve read my column before, you’re no doubt accustomed to me gushing about Rome. I’m not just filling the page with what I think you want to read. I truly find life here cinematic. I make choices in my day based on whether they would segue well into an Antonioni, […]
