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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

If you’re planning a summer vacation under the warm Tuscan sun and want to experience a piece of authentic Italian culture, look no further!

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

The perfect day trip to experience the countryside in Tuscany and immerse yourself in the culture during your stay in Florence. Most who travel to Tuscany have their hearts set on views of rolling hills, plates of handmade pasta, and glass after glass of amazing wine. But some want more than that... Some want walks through the countryside to see the details of the landscape. They want to learn how to make the pasta themselves. And they want to take in the view not from a tour

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

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

Let’s jump right into it- packing for a trip to Italy can be a daunting task! You may be wondering if there are cultural norms you need to follow, if the weather will be similar to what you have at home, or if you’ll really have the courage to wear those heels on cobblestone! I have taken long trips to Italy numerous times and I’m only now getting really good at packing. I’ve noticed that I tend to get anxious about the trip and the only way I feel like I’m “preparing” is to

At Creative Edge, we love learning about really unique and interesting cultural traditions- and trust us, there are some very unusual ones-… like the small town in Southern Italy that dresses up real [dead] chickens in little outfits with politically-satirical speech bubbles (yes, this is a real thing- google “Sagra del Pollo Castellana Grotte”). Coming from the same region (and in fact, the same town) is La Notte de I Fanòve, celebrated the night of January 11 in Castellana