We are all pilgrims who seek Italy
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
There isn’t a better blogger for your Italian explorations! Indeed, all my Italy travel guides come directly from an insider. In fact, as most of you know, I am Italian. I am born and raised in the sunny Sicily, where I grew up eating granita at breakfast and swimming at least for 5 months a year. Here, I spent most of my childhood and teenage days until I started university. For my studies, I moved in Tuscany where I lived for over 3 years. Just at 10 mins walk from the Tower of Pisa. I cherish those days a lot and remember them as some of the most beautiful years of my life. When I moved to the UK for my PhD, I also spend 2 years in Venice going back and forward from the city to complete my academic research.
I can say that in the past 30 + years of my life, I toured my country from the very South to the very North. I explored most of Italy’s beautiful and diverse regions and small islands. Beacuse of this, I have a vast knowledge of everything about Italy and I also use this in my everyday job as travel specialist for the country. Building a very detailed repertoire of all my Italian trips is kind of an ongoing project. Therefore, not all the places I visited (and lived) are yet on this blog. BUT keep an eye on the page as I update the guides regularly with new places from my past and new adventures.
Me and Italy Now
I am still living in the UK but I visit Italy regularly for both of my job and to visit my parents. Only this year, I have already been four times. Every time I visit, I try to get to a place I never been before. A city, a restaurant, a hotel so I take back with me something new to tell here.
To have a more update status of my Italian trips, you can follow my Instagram here.
Embark on your Italian Odyssey
Italy awaits your exploration and I’m thrilled to be your guide on this virtual journey. Join me as we unlock the allure, unravel the mysteries, and savour the delights of this extraordinary country. Get ready to fall head over heels for the irresistible charm of Italy!
Embark on a journey of practicality with my insider travel tips and recommendations. I’ll guide you on the best time to visit, how to navigate the efficient public transportation system, and where to find hidden gems off the beaten path. Uncover charming accommodations, dine at local trattorias, and create unforgettable memories as you explore Italy through the lens of an insider traveler.
Italy Travel Information
The capital city of Italy is Rome. Not many know, but Rome is not only the largest city in Italy but also the third largest city in Europe. In 2019, just before the Pandemic, Rome was the most visited city in the world. I think that visiting Italy without visiting Rome is really a shame! So, if you are planning a trip to Italy and you never been, check out Rome first!
Italy’s currency is Euro. This replaced the old Lira when the country adopted the new currency in 2002. You can obtain Euro from any currency exchange office or ATM around the country. It’s always better to have some currency before arriving in the country, in case you need to buy anything or take a bus from the airport. In fact, despite many places are accepting now contactless payments, cash is still king for small transactions. Particularly in southern Italy and in the countryside.
Italian is the main language of Italy. Nevertheless, a very extensive range of Italian dialects are widely spoken around the country. Some of these dialects are even considered as a separate language from Italian. This is particularly true for the dialect of Sardegna, or the Ladinian language spoken in the Dolomites/Northern Italy.
Italy has three different types of plugs. Type C, Type L and type F. If you are traveling from the United Kingdom, or any other nation outside Europe, it’s worth to invest into an universal adapter. So that you don’t need to buy one for every destination I visit.
Booking your hotel in advance is essential to avoid last minute scams and stay at your preferred accommodation. I always get the best rates on Booking.com and I booked here all my stays in Italy.
Safety in Italy
Italy is a relatively safe country to get around. However, pickpockets, particularly in big cities like Rome or Naples are unfortunately frequent. As you will walk a lot in crowded places, I recommend to place your passport and cash in a Invisible Money Belt. My best suggestion is to keep on your wallet only small pieces of cash and hide the rest in the money belt. Indeed, this is very discrete and will ensure you can go around safely and without gaining unwanted attention.
Where I have been in Italy
Explore Italy by Region
I think it’s easier to organise your Italian trip according to the region you would like to visit. As I said before, my Italian guides are a work in progress. Indeed, I have been to countless places and there’s a lot to write! Therefore keep an eye on this section of Italy travel guides as this will be updated on a constant basis.
Campania
Campania is probably one of the most visited regions in Italy. It’s the land of pizza, Pompeii and the idyllic coastal towns that make Italy famous all over the world. Indeed, the bay of Naples, the Amalfi Coast and the scenic Mount Vesuvius are all part of this incredible region. If you want to experience a taste of la dolce vita, Campania is your place to go. Naples is the capital of Campania. No trip to the region can be considered complete without a trip to this bustling, picturesque city. Of course, it’s here that you must to try the PIZZA before going everywhere else. In this regard, I am the living proof that someone can live on pizza and buffalo mozzarella for weeks and being happy as a child with a new toy.
Indeed, had the glorious opportunity to spend a lovely summer in Campania exploring most of it’s postcard locations. Therefore, you’ll find here the most accurate guides to this beautiful region.
Sicily
Sicily has a special place in my heart because is where I grew up! To me is the place of my teenage summers in Vespa and the scampagnate (i.e. trips to the countryside) with my family. I am not very proud of this, but I started appreciating more Sicily only when I grew up. Indeed, I didn’t have any interest in exploring Sicily on my own when I was living there (what a shame). Maybe this is a normal thing when one grows up into a place.
Of course, I visited lots of places with my family. But I wasn’t more than a kid so I couldn’t appreciate them as much as I do today. Luckily, I came to my senses around my Uni years and decided to not miss any more opportunity for getting around. I visited almost every single main site in Sicily. Now, I am focusing more on its hidden gems and new places to discover every time I go for a visit. Read below all the travel guides to Sicily!
