I had the great fortune of being on a trip organized by Trafalgar Tours, specifically, its Be My Guest program, which opens usually closed doors and permits travelers to utterly savor the tastes and notions of a region. On my trip, I visited gorgeous Tuscany in Italy.

Normally, I avoid group tours, but I was so busy laughing and learning on this trip that none of the usual tour group dynamics—monotone guide voices, instantly forgotten facts, half-stabs at visiting anywhere, etc.—were able to seep in. And joy of joys, there always seemed to be red wine to sip and fried zucchini flowers to munch on. ... Read More

I recently took my second-ever international trip to Italy. Although I was tempted to jam as many sights into our 10-day itinerary as I could, my husband and I made a tough decision. We decided to spend three days in each of Italy’s major cities: Venice, Florence and Rome.

Although we knew we would miss out on the style and fashion of Milan, the quaint village towns of Cinque Terre and the spicy flair of southern Italy, we thought the sacrifice would be worth it. ... Read More

The most special stay we had during our recent trip to Italy was at La Palazzetta del Vescovo in Spinetta. This small villa had nine rooms varying in size from 23 to 36 square meters, the two largest of which were suites. Originally built in 1763, La Palazzetta del Vescovo served as a summer residence for local bishops.

After acquiring the property several years ago, the owners, Stefano and Paola, carefully transformed it into a lovely country home with the intention of providing a comfortable place for their guests to experience. They have achieved exactly what they set out to do.... Read More

While in Itay in early July, we were fortunate enough to learn about the small town of Montepertuso. This town is about a 10-minute ride up into the hills from Positano. 

Some Montepertuso restaurants provide a free round-trip shuttle, but we also saw some adventurous people walking down a winding path after dinner back towards Positano. Rumor has it this is not difficult and takes 15 minutes.... Read More

The inventor of the GPS was obviously a genius.  What this person didn’t invent, however, was intelligent users.  Let me tell you about my recent experience with a GPS enduring during a driving trip in Italy.

Of great importance is the fact that I was traveling with my husband, who had appointed me to be the navigator after his muddled attempts to fill the position.  Armed with written directions, maps, a GPS and little sense of direction, we set off on various driving excursions within Umbria and Tuscany, the first of which to find our hotel.... Read More

In August 2009, I wrote about a trip we took with our oldest grandson. We called it our “Grand Adventure” since it included grandparents (my husband and me) and our 13-year-old grandson, along with our friends and their teenage grandson. Two years have passed, and I’m eager to share a second grandparent/grandchild 17-day trip we titled “Paige’s Princess Adventure,” because we were on the Ocean Princess cruise ship and because Paige is truly her grandma and grandpa’s 12-year-old princess! ... Read More

Even when I spend a massive amount of time planning an adventure, I derive the most pleasure from the unplanned, atypical experiences. I’ve learned to make a plan, but be open to deviations. This year, my mom and I celebrated her birthday, a big one, by spending two weeks in Italy. We wanted to spend most of our time seeing the famous sights of Florence and Rome, but worried it would be overwhelming. So we decided to spend three days between city visits at Fattoria Castiglionchio, a Tuscan farm about 10 miles east of Florence.

When the train pulled up to Pontassieve, the town closest to the farm, we noticed a contrast from the Florentine landscape. Although, Pontassieve had medieval roots, much of the town was destroyed by Allied bombing during WWII. The restoration in the ‘40s and ‘50s resulted in a more industrial, concrete appearance that hasn’t aged well. After the majesty of Florence’s medieval edifices, Pontassieve appeared worn down. The weary gray buildings matched the dreary sky that day. We were relieved to escape the bland city blocks as we headed toward the textured greenery of the Tuscan vineyards. ... Read More

I recently completed my 16th cruise in 25 years  -  a wonderful 12-day Mediterranean  adventure on Holland America’s Nieuw Amsterdam. I say, cruising is the BEST way to see the world!  More on that in a minute, but first, the latest trip:

The  Nieuw Amsterdam just launched this past summer and so reflects the highest quality (as my fellow blogger Paul Lasley noted as he viewed the ship's construction and detailed its impressive art collection), along with friendly and efficient staff.  Our itinerary included Venice, Athens, Istanbul, Mykonos, Ephesus, Santorini,... Read More

Question: Melissa Famiglietti asks: I am a member of AAA who has never used this service to book travel. Recently, I won a trip from a radio station from Boston to Milan, Italy! I am very excited about the free tickets, but also very nervous about booking the travel and hotel stays. My sister and I will only be there for a little over a week, but wanted to know the best way to see Milan, Lake Como, Switzerland and France on somewhat of a budget.

Answer: Renuka Sastri, AAA Publishing marketing manager says: Your AAA travel professional can... Read More

Question: B.N. asks: I am planning a trip to Italy this summer and I’m looking for interesting cities/sites. We are thinking about seeing Florence, Rome, and the west coast near Naples. What are your recommendations?

Answer: Betsy Sell, AAA Travel Services Managing Director and frequent Europe traveler, answers: The west coast is one of my favorite areas in Italy. Naples (the original home of the "Neapolitan" pizza) is a big, sprawling port city with little to offer in the way of interesting sights and things to do. It is, however, the departure point for the ferries... Read More