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You've surely heard of Tuscany, but perhaps you're not sure where exactly to go in Tuscany. For those who want their Italy vacations to consist of nothing more than lazy mornings waking up to dreamy views and days filled with slow-paced and authentic experiences a stone’s throw away, you’ll want to take note of Tuscany’s hidden green valley: Mugello. Though parts of Tuscany are well-known, there are still hidden places to explore. The charming and rarely-visited territory of

There’s a common misconception that Tuscany, Italy has been overrun by tourists and there are no hidden gems left to be found! For certain areas of Tuscany there may be some truth to this. But the majority of the region still holds many secrets waiting to charm its more adventurous visitors. Mugello, for example, is an area north of Florence that goes virtually untouched by tourists. Today we’ll dive into some of the fascinating history that makes this secret place a speci

From my very first trip abroad, I was never really interested in seeing famous tourist sites. I just wanted to connect with the culture and get outside the cities to experience the natural landscape and meet local people. I remember being in Spain and asking a local friend if she’d hike the mountain behind the town with me. She looked at me so strangely and explained that people don’t really hike there. At the risk of getting funny looks, I always try to squeeze in a hike on

My favorite area to wander and live in Florence is Oltrarno, the area just across the river from the main tourist center where you can quickly sink into local life centered around Piazza Santo Spirito. One of the many things I love about Oltrarno is that it is still full of hidden artisan studios where, with the right insider know-how, you can discover ancient techniques still in use today to create timeless masterpieces. I recently met with one of those master artisans, hum

You know those moments when you experience something just incredible and you know you’ll always remember it? Visiting the sea caves of Polignano a Mare in the “heel” of Italy’s boot was one of those moments for me. I can still feel the sense of world-expanding freedom as the speed of our private boat sends a rush of warm air over my wide-open arms from the very front of the bow. Salty droplets splash up and cool my sun-browned skin. The view approaching the cliff-clung city o

Written by Elisabetta Verdone What I am going to tell you about my dear region is something that I like to whisper with a low voice and there is a reason why. Italy, outside of the stereotypical postcards of beautiful cities and historical monuments, is a colorful, patchwork blanket of 20 various and differing regions. Every region is a specific world, with different traditions, landscapes, colors, weather, food and even different dialects! Besides many well known, famous and

Before I teach you how to use buses and trains in Italy, let me give you some background info so you can understand just what a feat this was for me. Picture an innocent country girl, who grew up in the mountains of North Georgia, and never saw so much as a city bus until she was in college. That girl is me. When I was a kid, cars or tractors were the only methods of transportation, except maybe the big yellow school bus that picked me up at 5:50AM or horses, if you had any.

The history of Puglia is multilayered and complex. The region has been tossed about from one invader to the next, from about 270 BC until the unification of Italy in the late 1800s. Most articles you find on the topic are frankly boring to read and heavy with names of random invaders you’ve never heard of, making it difficult to grasp the overall concept of where Puglia’s been and how it relates to the culture you’ll experience there today. Below, I attempt to break things do

Guest post by Mehek Punatar So you’re traveling to Italy and you want the most authentic experience. But you’re also vegetarian! Italian cuisine is extremely vegetarian-friendly (probably the most vegetarian-friendly of all European cuisines). You’ve got pizzas, pastas, paninis, gelato and coffee. Some spots even have vegan options! But you have to look in the right places if you want the authentic stuff. Here are some pro tips and recommendations for exploring the best of ve

Where do Italians go for great food? Straight to Puglia, where the cucina povera tradition celebrates the profound flavors of fresh, local produce. What’s amazing about the food in Puglia is that it boasts great flavor with minimal ingredients- only about 3-5 per dish. On your way to a restaurant, you might pass fields of artichokes, fava beans, and of course, olives- all of which you’ll find featured on your plate in a variety of creative and tasty ways. However, Puglia is

It’s a funny thing, that greener grass on the other side… I recently met an Italian man named Marco who describes the United States the same way I would describe Italy…exciting, rich in culture and history, immense natural beauty, and people that are more open and friendly than back home. The things I find lacking in my life in the US I find vibrantly present in Italy..yet Marco would say the same for the US. How is that? I’m not sure, but I was so intrigued by the passion Ma

It’s a funny thing, that greener grass on the other side… When I met Marco at a language exchange Meetup event in Florence, I was so intrigued by his immense passion for the colonial Northeastern US that I asked to interview him. In our initial conversations that would later blossom into a friendship, I discovered that Marco feels about the US the same way I feel about Italy. I wanted to understand and explore this paradox that we could be so equally in love with each other’s

Creative travelers need a way to capture their experiences! Up until my first trip to Europe, art was my greatest love and passion. Then Travel charmed its way into my life and so ensued a jealous battle between the two. Luckily I’ve learned that beautiful things happen when I combine them both. Sparks fly when I’m sitting on an ancient stone doorstep sketching the cobblestone street. Whether you call yourself an “artist” or not, getting creative during your travels will hel

Hi my fellow travelers drooling over endless wanderlust instagram profiles and dreamy Pinterest pins… Welcome to the club! I started off just like you, with an innate desire to explore far-flung places where I could experience the authentic culture. Then I took that big leap to finally journey abroad and saw all my fantasies come wildly true beyond belief. I never let go of that passion and when the time was right, I let it carry me forward to start Creative Edge Travel where

I’m currently living in Florence on a constant lookout for off-the-beaten-path Italian experiences. But like, experiences experiences. The kind that you can’t wait to tell people about but when you do, you quickly realize it’s no use– they weren’t there and they can’t fully understand the level of raw beauty you’re trying to convey. On a recent day trip to a village called Anghiari, I fell upon one of those experiences. It was really more like falling upon one of those peop