When we hit traffic, I knew we were in trouble. We needed to get the car back by 10:30 am, and it was already 10:30. Further, we had yet to navigate the twisty, turning allies of Perugia’s city center to drop our bags at our hostel. Driving in Italy is a headache, because of both […]
Upon arriving in Perugia, I picked up the rental car (26 euros/day) and headed for the nearby town of Assisi. The hilltop city, complete with gothic steeples, looked beautiful, and I’m sorry to leave before fully exploring it. Fortunately, I’ll be returning after tomorrow’s Cantine Aperte, Italy’s epic wine-tasting event.
I wanted to learn more about Umbria’s traditional foods, especially that strange Norcian mortadella with the chunk of mystery meat inside. When I found the store, Il Parma Delizie Alimentari, with a large man carving meat behind the counter, I knew I had the right place.
Follow me as I journey from the southern tip of Italy’s Puglia region all the way up to the Trento Alps. I’ll be focusing on budget-friendly travel, and I’ll rarely use a car. Along the way I’ll sample traditional foods, visit lesser-known ruins and cities, sample excellent wines, and visit local cooking schools, the entire […]
Yesterday was one of my favorite days of the year: Cantine Aperte. A countrywide wine tasting, the event’s name literally means “Open Wineries.” I started just outside of the Montefalco region, a D.O.C.G. region that produces wines made with the Sagrantino grape. The word sagra means festival or party, so I like to think of […]
Central Italy includes the regions of Emilia Romagna, Tuscany, Umbria and Le Marche. This area includes beautiful towns and charming landscapes steeped in culture and history.