Imagine yourself eating fluffy clouds of pasta that practically melt in your mouth. Not only are they full of flavor, but these pillows are packed with memories and history. That's what it felt like making and eating my Aunt Kathleen's ricotta gnocchi, which happens to be my nonna's recipe as well. Learning how to make these over a Zoom call in 2020 was one of the highlights of my year, especially after finding my Italian birth family when I was 55 years old.

In the whirlwind of full-time travel, our Airbnb kitchens are more than places where we cook; they're the heart of our nomadic home. The simple joy of preparing a meal, the comfort of familiar tools, and the occasional indulgence in local flavors define our journey.

Our first visit to Italy was for my birthday in 2017, the year I turned 52 years old. I had been fascinated by anything and everything Italian since I was a little girl, so finally getting to visit was a dream come true. Despite the very high expectations I had, Italy far exceeded them all and completely stole my heart. My heart soared seeing the

No one wants to have their vacation ruined by being a victim of a scam. We walk you through six scenarios that scammers use and how you can avoid being parted from your money.

Don’t think that it’s sufficient to see Rome in a day. You wouldn’t be bored if you spent a full two weeks or more biking through and examining all the gems hidden here. But when you only have a day, it can be fun to do a quick stop and wave to familiar sites and allow your heart to swoon for a few minutes before finding the next place that takes away your breath.…

It’s Valentine’s Day and the homestretch before we leave for Egypt. We’re supposed to be in Assisi today, not Rome, but last week our travel doctor asked us to come back for our second cholera vaccination. Visiting a doctor is not the most romantic way to celebrate, but it’s fine because this day is not typically one that grabs much of our attention.

We arrive at our next destination’s train station on Monday evening. Lecce greets us with cold temperatures, elegant Baroque architecture, and silence. Our original plan for the Christmas season was to visit this eastern city in Italy’s Puglia region and take in its famous paper mâché manger scenes, but we ran short of time. Since Greece is only a hop away, we …

Now that they are older and wiser, they take great care to not repeat their mistakes by packing much lighter and always reading the fine print. But the Airbnb in Lecce bewitches them with its alluring image of a balcony ripe for cozy mornings with cappuccino or sunset aperitivos. They are not prepared for the …

The Mafia can afford to be discreet since everybody in Sicily knows what they are talking about. You don’t need pizzo, or protection money, to be spelled out.

The real bravery in becoming a full-time traveler is not giving up your home and everything you own. It’s being in a foreign country where you don’t speak the language and need a hair color touchup and haircut and trusting that you won’t need to wear a hat for the foreseeable future.…

My first encounter with these fragrant, delicious snowflake cookies was when I was in third grade and a friend who had an Italian mother brought them to school and shared them with me.

We follow the winding alleyways and admire the colorful homes with their wrought iron balconies, charming flower boxes, and fresh laundry drying in the breeze. But it’s the people hanging out of the windows

One of the dilemmas we ponder is whether we’re traveling enough. And who gets to decide what that means?

Our search for cannoli yesterday got sidetracked, so it was the first thing on my mind this morning. Kevin’s primary agenda was to find a good cup of cappuccino. I knew for both of us to be happy, I needed to find a place that sold both.

The bambino has it right. The troubadour is mesmerizing, and this wee baby would not take their eyes off of the musician playing a soulful tune.

There’s an unwritten expectation throughout Italy that pizzas are “personal” size and each person gets their own. Even though they aren’t sized that way, we are game because it means we get to taste different varieties.…

Someone recently asked what surprised me the most about our visit to the ruins of Pompeii. It’s the sheer magnitude…

It’s the second time in as many cities that I’ve wondered if we are making a mistake selling everything we own to experience this adventure.