Summer in Italy

How to get out of the Tuscan sun

Palazzo Pfanner is a beautiful green oasis in the middle of Lucca, especially when you need to get out of the tuscan sun.

A cheesy story from Garfagnana

The Garfagnana is a beautiful jewel in Tuscany. Two hours north of Lucca, this rural enclave of outstanding natural beauty is nestled between the spectacular jagged ‘marble mountains’ of the Alpi Apuane and the rolling ‘spine of Italy’, the Apennines.

Cooking lessons in Lucca

Eva’s kitchen overlooks the hills surrounding Lucca. Cooking lessons are fun, especially with Eva’s big personality and glasses of local wine.

Bella Lucca

t’s a hot day in Lucca when I arrive. It’s Sunday and everything is shut – no bars, no alimentari for provisions for my fridge, no beautiful shops…the city is at rest. I’m here for a week to do a language and cooking course. I’m interested to see how it compares with my favourite language school, InClasse, in Verona.

Returning to Genova

Verona is a city that’s hard to beat for its beauty, style and of course, the friendly Veronesi. Genova, ‘La Superba’, on the other hand, is a city much magligned by tourists but it is a fascinating city with a long and prosperous history, rich in culture, great shopping and food, with the stunning ligurian coastline, the jewel in the crown.

Italian train etiquette

Train travel in Italy can be a fraught experience for the uninitiated. Here are my 8 tips for getting the most out of your train ride.

Beautiful Bolognese gardens, facades & porticoes

A whirlwind visit to Bologna where I walked the city for 3 days. Although famous for its porticoes, Bologna also has beautiful buildings, parks and secret gardens behind tall walls. It’s a vivacious city and I would definitely recommend a longer stay to appreciate the vibrant culture.

Earthquake in Modena, Italy

An earthquake measuring 5.9 struck Modena, Italy early this morning around 5am. Modena is a northern Italian city 108km from Verona.The tremor was felt In Verona but amazingly, I slept through it! Much devastation, six people killed and many injured. Read more here… http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2147065/Northern-Italy-earthquake-claims-4-lives-Staggering-pictures-buildings-cracked-half.html Isabella