Author Archives: spigonaj

By: Joanne Natale Spigonardo If you have ever been to Italy on International Women’s Day, you know that it is an extra special day in many ways.  Most regions celebrate women by honoring them with sweets and mostly with mimosa flowers, which are some of the first to bloom in Italy in the spring.  LandscapesContinue reading “International Women’s Day – A Hidden Treasure of Italy – March 8th”

Due to COVID, the opportunity to travel to Italy is limited to many so I sit daydreaming of how fabulous it would be to in Italy during the month of February, celebrating the month of love. Whether it is a romantic love, family love or love for oneself, or maybe all of them? There areContinue reading “Italy, February, Valentine’s Day, and love.”

By:  Judy McMurtry January 10, 2021 As I reflect on past travels, I reminisce about my special trip on Norwegian Epic cruise ship to Western Mediterranean. It was a 7-night cruise that started and ended in Barcelona with stops in Naples/Rome (Civitavecchia)/Florence & Pisa (Livorno)/Cannes/Palma, Majorca. Of the three countries that I visited my favoriteContinue reading “My 50th Birthday Gift – A Singles European Cruise – Featuring Hidden Treasures of Italy”

Niente di Grave January 1, 2021 By: Pam Lazos           What is it about Italy that makes our imaginations soar and our spirits run free?  Is it the incredible array of art and architecture?  The notion that many of the world’s most renowned painters, sculptors and thinkers were domiciled there?  The amazing Italian wines orContinue reading “Niente di Grave – A Hidden Treasure of Italy”

By Joanne Natale Spigonardo December 1, 2020 As the Holiday Season begins, I have fond memories of my trip to Orvieto, many Decembers ago.  Orvieto is located in the Umbria region of Italy.  It is rich in history and the town has numerous artists that sell their wares to locals and to tourists. The cityContinue reading “Pinocchio – A Hidden Treasure in Orvieto”

One of my favorite hidden treasures of Italy is the truffle. I seem to find treasures in food and the experience it has to all senses so thought it would be so interesting to share a few of the many  Truffle festivals that take place in Tuscany, and hopefully, post pandemic, will once again allowContinue reading “Truffle Festivals in Tuscany”

Linda Thatcher Raichle November 2020 Exploring this gorgeous stretch of Italy’s northwest coastline by foot is exciting and exhilarating. My husband and I were on a cruise and had the opportunity to explore this wonderful part of our favorite country.  We hiked all 5 towns of Cinque Terre in one day! Each small town isContinue reading “Cinque Terre – Town Hopping Along the Foot Paths”

When traveling through Italy, part of the intrigue is the fashion that you see on the street, in cafes and restaurants, and on both men and women while riding on a Vespa, an art in itself.  The fashion capital of Italy is Milan, and the fashion is like visiting a museum.  The colors, patterns, textures you seeContinue reading “The Treasure of Fashion in Italy”

Joanne Natale Spigonardo October 16, 2020 Castel Frentano is a spectacular rural town in the beautiful Abruzzese area of Italy. The town dates back to the 13th century and is surrounded by majestic mountains as well as the amazing Adriatic Sea. While these natural and historic wonders are hidden treasures of their own, the bocconottoContinue reading “Bocconotti – By far one of the most unique pastries in Italy – A traditional delight and a hidden treasure of Castel Frentano”

What could be better than indulging in gelato for breakfast, lunch and dinner when in Rome? While on my first visit to Rome, I found love, in gelato!  This is a treat I have never had in the United States, or if I did, it didn’t seem to come close.  Could it be simply being in Rome madeContinue reading “Gelato, a hidden treasure”