Get the FREE Guide: How to Connect with Locals in Italy - Click Here!

On the coast of Gargano, the “spur” of Italy’s boot, there’s a well-known restaurant built on a wooden pier jutting out into the sea. It’s actually an ancient fishing machine called a trabucco , and visitors flock there to sit at rustic wooden tables with a glass of prosecco in hand as the sun goes down. Naturally, I loved the idea of combining food, local tradition, and nature, so I had to check it out for myself. It was… okay . The food was too fancy for its own good and t

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

One of my favorite favorite favorite  things to do is meet Italian people. I am always amazed by their genuine warmth and passion for helping me learn about their culture. Often times I end up learning about a quirky tradition I didn’t know about or a hidden village I’d never heard of. Sometimes I end up at their dinner table, pouring through old family albums after a meal. But every single time, no matter what, I walk away with a new friend. And just as mi casa es tu casa

As much as I’d love to keep this on the DL, the artists represented in this artsy, handmade shop in Puglia are too fabulous to keep hidden away. When I stumbled upon this cute shop in Puglia, Italy, it felt like finding a hidden treasure trove all for myself. For a second there, I couldn’t decide whether to share it with the world or keep it my own little secret! In honor of International Women’s Day though, I’ve decided to let the spotlight shine on the talented women that m