Attitudes to public drinking in Italy seem to be more lax than in most other places I've been to. This is hardly shocking if you remember that we're talking about a wine-exporting Mediterranean country, but still, what you can matter-of-factly do here may very well surprise your typical New Yorker.
One example: during the last Rome expedition of this site's core group of contributors (which neatly coincided with Ree's ?th birthday), we got it into our heads to finish the evening with a glass of champagne next to the Trevi Fountain. Guess what?
Italy is known for its coffee, and rightly so.
I don't know what the secret is, but I suspect
it's something in the water, the atmosphere, or possibly the technique involved in ordering and drinking it because try as I might, I cannot replicate the perfect espresso experience anywhere else. Follow these simple guidelines and you too can discover the joy of drinking coffee in Italy...
My fiancée and I were in Rome because I had to get a visa
at the Canadian Embassy. While in town, we managed to
avoid most tourist traps, staying at a reasonably priced hotel
and working a couple of delicious meals into our busy schedule
- all while remaining consistently vague about our nationalities...
And of course, doing as the Romans do...
When (or if) you ever get sick of all those remnants of the Roman Empire and that over-rated Michelangelo and you really want to forget where you are, check yourself into the Zoo in Rome. It's also one place in Rome where you probably won't run into your neighbors from Nebraska, your roommate from the hostel, or anyone other than Roman grandpas with little kids in tow.
The entire Zoo is in a gentle state of decay, and the reptile room was vaguely "under construction" when we visited (that is to say, Not Open). A few peacocks wandering around adds to the general mêlée, and the surrealistic atmosphere is sad but pretty...
Monteriggioni is a thirteenth century fortified town
on a hilltop in Tuscany. It was founded to defend the
city of Siena against invaders from neighboring
Florence, hence the high walls interspersed with
towers and only two entry gates.
If you want to understand Siena and its people, you should attend the Palio at least once in
your life. The Palio of Siena is a basically a twice
yearly horse race during which the usual nightlife
trinity of sex, drugs, and rock and roll is replaced
by wine, drugs for the horses, and medieval songs...
On your tour of Italy you may have
reserved a day or two to see Florence. The names are probably already
echoing in your mind: Piazza delle Signorie, Palazzo Pitti, Giardini
di Bobboli, Galleria degli Ufizzi, Il Duomo, Davide, Dante...
But even if you've been running around Italy trying to see and do
everything, I advise you to take it slow once in Florence.
Relax and enjoy the city at the heart of Tuscany...
Expect the unexpected. This is our mantra when we travel abroad. Lost luggage, misplaced reservations, poor directions, delays at the airport-all are possible, but so are unanticipated pleasures.
It was just an overnight trip, a convenient stop en route to Malpensa Airport in Milano. We had booked one night in the Hotel Excelsior San Marco in Bergamo, but this quick stop turned out to be one of the highlights of our vacation.
Attitudes to public drinking in Italy seem to be more lax than in most other places I've been to. This is hardly shocking if you remember that we're talking about a wine-exporting Mediterranean country, but still, what you can matter-of-factly do here may very well surprise your typical New Yorker.
Italy is known for its coffee, and rightly so.
I don't know what the secret is, but I suspect
it's something in the water, the atmosphere, or possibly the technique involved in ordering and drinking it because try as I might, I cannot replicate the perfect espresso experience anywhere else. Follow these simple guidelines and you too can discover the joy of drinking coffee in Italy...
My fiancée and I were in Rome because I had to get a visa
at the Canadian Embassy. While in town, we managed to
avoid most tourist traps, staying at a reasonably priced hotel
and working a couple of delicious meals into our busy schedule
- all while remaining consistently vague about our nationalities...
And of course, doing as the Romans do...
When (or if) you ever get sick of all those remnants of the Roman Empire and that over-rated Michelangelo and you really want to forget where you are, check yourself into the Zoo in Rome. It's also one place in Rome where you probably won't run into your neighbors from Nebraska, your roommate from the hostel, or anyone other than Roman grandpas with little kids in tow.
Monteriggioni is a thirteenth century fortified town
on a hilltop in Tuscany. It was founded to defend the
city of Siena against invaders from neighboring
If you want to understand Siena and its people, you should attend the Palio at least once in
your life. The Palio of Siena is a basically a twice
yearly horse race during which the usual nightlife
trinity of sex, drugs, and rock and roll is replaced
by wine, drugs for the horses, and medieval songs...
On your tour of Italy you may have
reserved a day or two to see Florence. The names are probably already
echoing in your mind: Piazza delle Signorie, Palazzo Pitti, Giardini
di Bobboli, Galleria degli Ufizzi, Il Duomo, Davide, Dante...
Expect the unexpected. This is our mantra when we travel abroad. Lost luggage, misplaced reservations, poor directions, delays at the airport-all are possible, but so are unanticipated pleasures.
