A Few Things to Love About Southern Italy
Last week my friend and expat-in-southern-Italy counterpart, Tina of Tina Tangos wrote about three things to love about living in Italy.
And yes, it is all about the food.
Auntie Adventures: Italian Beach Bums
A couple of weeks ago I started off my Auntie Adventure tales with a story about how Cole, my nine year old nephew, stalked met some Calabrese women on the lungomare in Catanzaro. Unfortunately (for me) it didn’t stop there.
Things Southern Italians Know … like how to ward off the malocchio
Adjusting to life in southern Italy-without a drop of Italian ancestral blood in my veins-took a bit more practice than it did for my Italian-American counterparts. You see, I didn’t grow up eating seven fishes at Christmas or fearing the dreaded malocchio.
Five Fabulous Fortresses in Calabria
Like most of southern Italy, Calabria has castles sprinkled throughout its medieval towns and villages. There are hundreds of them, some with barely a glimmer from their glory days, others remaining imposing monuments of their ancestors’ conquests.
How to Spend a Perfect Spring Day in Catanzaro
Choosing to spend your vacation in Calabria is just the first step in planning the perfect southern Italy vacation, but between beaches and mountains, ruins and architecture, your options are downright daunting.
First of the Month Recipe: Homemade Calabrian Lasagna
You know you are loved when you visit a home in Calabria and are served a generous helping of homemade lasagna. For many Calabrians, lasagna is a special meal and in the busy world we live in today-yes, even here in Calabria-it is hard to find time to prepare this dish the way you should.
Some Like it Hot: An Overview on Calabrian Cooking
Seasonal ingredients, local olive oil and red hot chili peppers form the foundation of Calabrian cooking and have spurred the now-famous reinvention of home-style, Italian paesano food.
Pasta, always al dente, is usually eaten once a day and is served in heaps and tossed with the perfect sauce to complement its shape and texture.
Medieval Villages of Calabria, Part I
After the fall of the Roman Empire, a host of invaders flocked across southern Italy, establishing some of the most charming villages in Calabria. This period in our history is called “the Middle Ages,” and the towns they created along the way-Medieval villages-are everywhere in Calabria.
Five Fun Things to Do When You Are in Calabria
Until now few people have had the chance to travel in Calabria, opting instead to visit the Big Three or basing themselves in Italy’s northern regions.
But things are changing.
Medieval Villages of Calabria, Part II
Last week I ran down six beautifully well-preserved Medieval villages in the provinces of Reggio Calabria and Crotone. The more popular villages of Gerace and Stilo made the cut, but that list was far from complete.
How to Pack a Beach Bag for a Summer in Calabria
Summertime is just around the corner and here in Calabria things are heating up and everyone is preparing for the beach. If you are planning a trip to southern Italy this summer, you might be wondering what you should pack for your beach bum days.
Ciao Chow! Five Things to Try When You are in Calabria
Last week I was invited to join the hosts of Eye on Italy for their podcast taping and to share information on traveling in Calabria. Inevitably, the subject of food came up and I was asked, along with fellow American in Calabria and podcast co-host, Michelle Fabio, which Calabrian foods are our favorites.
My Five Favorite Italian Slang Words
Last week Jessica of Why Go Italy shared her five favorite Italian words as part of a meme over at Italofile.
Melanie tagged me for this meme way back when and I thought there was no better time than now to partake.
Five Places to Go in Sicily
Sicily is one of the most diverse regions in Italy, so it is darn near impossible to narrow it down to just five places you should consider visiting.
But I tried.
Auntie Adventures: Boardwalk Surprises
I’ve been in southern Italy almost two weeks now and no, I’m still not in the swing of things. You see, this time when I returned from my summer trip to Texas, I wasn’t empty-handed. In fact, I now have not one, but two adolescent boys-my nine year-old nephew, Cole and a friend’s 14 year old son, Jake to show around Calabria.
Spotlight on Capri
Over the last few months I’ve tried to feature southern Italian travel destinations outside of my beloved Calabria-and few places in the bel paese are more beloved than Capri. If you are considering a visit to this chic and stylish island, here are a few ideas to add to your itinerary by avid Italy traveler, Katie Greenaway.
