Italy Dreams

Tag: Italy travel

  • Sicily Travel FAQs: What to Know Before You Go

    So, you’re booking a trip to Sicily, Italy. You’re excited, but you also have a few questions.

    After all, you’re traveling halfway around the world to go to Italy’s southernmost region. You’ve probably seen beautiful images of Sicilia on social media or shows/movies.

    Yet it’s also a big, expensive trip.

    We’re here to let you know that Sicily, Italy, is a great place to visit, but it’s also great to do your homework in advance. If you’re reading this article, then your homework is already in progress–congrats!

    I share these answers with you as a student of Italy and Italian for more than two years and as a long-time travel/business freelance journalist–meaning, I basically research things for a living.

    I also offer services as an Italy travel planning consultant.

    A view in Noto, Sicily.

    Plus, I traveled solo to Sicily in winter 2026. You can read about many of the towns I visited on my blog. From a tourism perspective, I loved my trip to Sicily, but some things were good to know in advance.

    This article answers some of the most common logistical frequently asked questions (FAQs) about Sicily. Our follow-up FAQ article will cover food and culture.

    Andiamo/let’s go!

    A Sicily map.

    Just how big is Sicily? Where are the major cities, like Catania and Palermo, located? How close is it to Italy and other countries?

    Sicily is about the size of the state of Massachusetts. Catania is on the east side of Sicily, and Palermo (the capital) is on the west side. Both are near the coasts.

    It takes 3 1/2 to 4 hours to drive across Sicily on A19 highway.

    Sicily is only 2 miles from mainland Italy, specifically, the region of Calabria. The two areas of land are divided by the Strait of Messina (which for some reason makes me think of actor Chris Messina). There’s a ferry between Sicily and Calabria that takes 20 to 30 minutes to cross.

    At its closest point (not including some smaller islands), Sicily is only 90 miles from Tunisia, Africa. To give you some context, that’s the same distance from Key West, Florida, to Cuba.

    Sicily is 60 miles from the small but popular island country of Malta.

    Beautiful Vendicari Nature Reserve in southeastern Sicily.

    How do I get to Sicily from mainland Italy?

    The quickest way is by air. Rome to Catania as well as Rome to Palermo are just a little over an hour.

    You could also take a train from Rome to Sicily, and the train actually boards the ferry that we mentioned. The whole experience takes over 12 hours. There are buses that follow a similar route from Rome to Sicily, crossing over with the ferry.

    There’s been talk for many years about building a bridge to connect mainland Italy to Sicily, but it hasn’t happened yet.

    Sweets in Catania, Sicily, yum…..

    Which airport should I use in Sicily, Catania or Palermo?

    The answer depends on where you plan to visit. If you’re focused on Catania, Mount Etna, Taormina, and Noto, fly into Catania Fontanarossa Airport. Catania is the biggest airport in Sicily.

    If you plan to visit Palermo, Cefalù, Agrigento, or Trapani, choose Palermo Airport.

    If you plan to visit various destinations all around the island, then research what works better for your timing and budget.

    Mount Etna eruptions could become a factor in your choice, but we’ll address that in a separate question.

    If you choose to rent a car in Sicily or Italy, consider a smaller one to navigate the narrow streets!

    Do I need to rent a car in Sicily? Are there other ways to get around?

    It depends. If you feel comfortable driving there and you’ll spend most of your time outside the bigger cities, rent a car. It’ll make it much easier to get around.

    If you’ll spend most of your time in Catania or Palermo where driving can be more challenging, don’t rent a car.

    Driving around Sicily was reasonable for me on the main highways and more nervewracking in cities like Siracusa and Modica, where I scraped my car against a building. What can I say, I’m used to wide suburban streets in the U.S.!

    You can find more guidance on driving in Sicily in our article here.

    A view from Maniace Castle in Ortygia, Sicily. We drove from Noto to Ortygia and then walked around the island of Ortygia.

    There are other ways to get around Sicily beyond renting a car. You can use the train and bus system, although we’ve been told by locals that renting a car is better and that the train system isn’t as robust as northern Italy. Yet it’s definitely an option. Plus, it’s easy on the wallet.

    If you’re staying near the most populated areas, you can use rideshare options like Uber if you just occasionally need a ride somewhere.

    If you have the budget for it, you could hire a private driver. Some private drivers also will give you custom tours of the area you want to visit. Just expect to pay several hundred Euros a day for their time.

    The Rick Steves Sicily guide includes names of a few reliable private drivers that you may want to consider.

    You could also do a tour around Sicily–there are many–but our advice is geared toward those traveling independently.

    Say “Ciao!” Outside of Maniace Castle in Ortygia, Sicily.

    How many days do I need for a trip to Sicily?

    This is hard to answer because it depends on your schedule and your priorities.

    If at all possible, give yourself time to travel slowly around Sicily–or really, anywhere in Italy. For comparison, my 10-day trip focused just on southeastern Sicily (Catania and points south, no Taormina) and there were still a couple of places I ran out of time to visit, including a hike/tour of Mount Etna. For the most part, I spent a different day in each town and had a home base in Noto. Two of those 10 days were travel days. Of those 10 days, I also spent about two days in Catania.

    Gelato is always appropriate in Sicily, even in the winter.

    What’s the best time of year to visit Sicily?

    April, May, June, and October are great months to visit Sicily, according to European travel guru Rick Steves. You’ll benefit from Sicily’s temperate climate without the throngs of people visiting in July and August. Sicily has become quite popular.

    July and August are also very HOT and getting hotter, just like the rest of Europe. As one Sicilian told us, complaining about the hot weather there, “I’m not a lizard.” Yes. Exactly. As a Florida resident, I feel that.

    Average July temps are 90°F to 100°F (32°C to 38°C) but may feel hotter. Some feels-like temps have even reached 115 to 120 F.

    Visiting off-season–November to March–can be a great option if you’re heart isn’t set on going to the beach and you don’t mind cooler temps. Expect to wear a jacket, scarf, and layers you can remove if it warms up a bit. Some restaurants, attractions (like agritourism/vineyards), and even B&Bs will be closed, but not all. You can still get a feel for Sicily visiting off-season, and prices will be cheaper, too.

    Don’t forget to visit small towns that are lesser known, like Scicli, Sicily.

    What are some of the major towns to visit in Sicily?

    It’s incredible that Sicily has so much to see and it’s only one region in Italy. When you multiply that times 20–the total number of regions in Italy–you could keep yourself busy for years traveling around the country.

    That said, here’s a very quick list of some of the best-known cities to visit in Sicily:

    –Agrigento

    –Catania

    –Cefalù

    –Noto

    –Ortygia

    –Palermo

    –Syracuse

    –Taormina

    –Trapani

    Mount Etna always looms over Catania.

    Mount Etna is starting to erupt and I’m not sure if I can take my flight out of Catania. What should I do?

    Yeah, this is a downside of traveling to an area with an active volcano, LOL. It may stay quiet for a really long time and then all of the sudden, it’s erupting.

    First, here’s what NOT to do: Don’t rely on some random people on a Facebook Sicily group to give you accurate information. These same people may be well-meaning, but they may not have the most up-to-date answer.

    The best thing to do if Mount Etna is erupting is check with your airline directly and check the Catania Airport website. The airport will sometimes close temporarily while Mount Etna is erupting to avoid exposing flights to harmful volcanic debris.

    That does indeed mean you need to change your flight plans. That could mean getting over to Palermo and flying out from there. It could mean slightly extending your stay.

    It’s frustrating, for sure, but keep in mind that this is a regular occurence in Sicily.

    One of our favorite Sicily pics….getting ready to eat lunch in Marzamemi on a breezy but sunny day.

    Is Sicily cheaper than the rest of Italy?

    I wouldn’t say it’s a bargain-basement destination like some parts of eastern Europe, but it’s also not as pricery as downtown Milan or Rome.

    It also depends on where and when you go.

    My off-season studio-sized B&B in downtown Noto was about 55 Euros ($61 U.S.) a night, a rate that was definitely affordable. By frequenting the bakery for bread, the farmers market held twice a week and a small grocery store, I could make some of my meals right in my kitchenette. That was another way to shave costs.

    Restaurant meals can add up cost-wise but of course, they’re going to be worth it because you’re in Sicily and you must eat the wonderful local food.

    An in-season or off-season stay in glitzy Taormina probably won’t have the same budget plan as I just outlined.

    I’ve seen estimates online that say Sicily is 50% cheaper than mainland Italy. Whether or not the math holds up in today’s economy is hard to say.

    But yes, your visit will likely be cheaper than big-city destinations, and spending wisely on airfare, car rental, food and attractions helps.

    Arancini (rice balls) in Noto, Sicily.

    Where can I get help planning my Sicily trip?

    Here’s what I recommend for more Sicily trip planning:

    —Rick Steves Sicily and Rick Steves Italy. Rick’s staff members visit places every year or two to confirm their advice is up-to-date. In turn, their books get updated.

    Don’t want to travel with a large guidebook? Rick himself recommends tearing out the chapters you’ll use and leave the rest at home! There’s also a Rick Steves Audio Tours app as well as a Rick Steves online forum.

    –-There are a variety of social media groups for people traveling to Sicily Sicily Travel Tips on Facebook has been useful. Double check who’s giving you advice–meaning, is it someone who’s traveled to Sicily recently or who lives there, or are they sharing logistics from a trip 30 years ago?

    —ChatGPT and other AI sites can help with travel planning. For sure. Just keep in mind that you still need to check for accuracy. Your AI buddy is getting advice from the same websites and social media forums you may have encountered online. That means the advice you get may be from a lady named Peggy in Iowa who traveled to Sicily in pandemic-era 2022–not 2026 (no offense, Peggy!). Use it if you’d like but verify.

    —Here at Italy Dreams, we are available to help you plan your Italy and Sicily trip. Our focus is on travel planning consultation–we can answer questions based on our experience around Italy and Sicily and doing research when we don’t know the answers. We also have friends and contacts in a variety of regions around Italy who are happy to help us out.

    Here’s a link for more information to contact us. Or, just look at the “Work With Me” page on our main page.

    We are happy to consult with you by email or via a virtual appointment!

    Buon viaggio /Happy travels to Sicily, and make sure to read our follow-up FAQ article that will publish soon!

    Vendicari Nature Reserve in southeastern Sicily.

  • Ortigia, Sicily, Italy: Italy Dreams’ Recommendations on What to Do and See on This Beautiful Island

    The water in beautiful Ortigia, Sicily.

    If you’re visiting eastern Sicily, make Ortigia part of your itinerary. It’s filled with history, a bustling market, and sunny, scenic views.

    The island of Ortigia is just a little under one square kilometer but packed with plenty to see. It’s part of the city of Siracusa and considered Siracusa’s “Old Town.”

    It’s south of Catania–home to Mount Etna and the Catania Airport–but north of the Baroque-style town of Noto.

    In English, the names Ortigia (or-tee-ja) and Siracusa are Ortygia and Syracuse, but we’ll stick with the Italian names for these cities in our story.

    Spices for sale at the Ortigia Market.

    A Little Ortigia History for Starters

    Ortigia’s history traces back more than 3,000 years. The area was considered part of ancient Greece, and mathematician and inventor Archimedes was born there in 287 BCE–and subsequently died there helping to protect the city against Roman conquerors.

    The name Ortigia comes from Greek–“ortyx” means quail in Greek.

    The Romans conquered Siracusa in 212 BCE, and, like the rest of Sicily, the area went on to be conquered by Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, and the Spanish.

    A major earthquake affected the area in 1693 (we’ve written about it before in our stories about Noto and Val di Noto). As tragic as that was, the subsequent Baroque rebuild gave the area its current classic, historical look.

    A view from Maniace Castle/Castello Maniace.

    5 Things to Do in Ortigia, Sicily

    There’s a lot you can do in Ortigia, and we share here our highlights from an early 2026 visit. This was before high tourist season, but it was a sunny, mild day with decent foot traffic.

    We didn’t have a chance to explore other parts of Siracusa.

    Note that I was traveling solo throughout the trip but I use “we” in the article just to avoid overusing “I”.

    Andiamo/let’s go!

    The Ortigia Market/Mercato di Ortigia in Sicily.

    Ortigia Market/Mercato di Ortigia

    In our home state of Florida, we visit and write about a lot of farmers markets. We also love to write about food because….well, do we need to explain why?!

    So, it makes sense that the Ortigia Market (Mercato di Ortigia) was a big highlight of our visit to Ortigia. This outdoors market is open Monday to Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 or 2 p.m. and spans several blocks.

    You’ll find a mix of tourist-geared items like olive oil, souvenirs, and sweet treats along with daily staples like fish, cheese, spices, and produce. It’s a market frequented by locals and visitors alike.

    Citrus fruits at the Ortigia Market.

    It was terrific to get a mini-culinary, self-guided tour of Sicily’s produce through the market, with fresh oranges, tomatoes from Pachino, strawberries, and other freshly-grown items. It’s funny how much the produce grown in Sicily parallels what’s grown where we live in Florida.

    I’ve read how some markets in Sicily have an Arabic-type feel, with vendors singing to beckon visitors to their stands. There was at least one fish/seafood vendor who did this, and we have since seen videos of him on Instagram.

    Fish at the Ortigia Market.

    Right beside the market is the historical Graziella Fishermen District/Graziella Quartiere dei Pescatori. It once housed the fishermen who worked in the area. Today, the homes along its alleyways still are well-lived in.

    Strolling around the district was another highlight of our Ortigia time and gave us a real sense of daily life as they cleaned, watched TV, or talked to each other. We could hear it all from outside their doors.

    Just be respectful if you go. We saw an angry sign in Italian and English from a resident reminding visitors to pick up their “fithy rubbish” instead of letting it dirty their community.

    Inside the Graziella Fishermen District.

    Walk Along the Water

    If you’d rather wander and see where it takes you, you can absolutely do that in Ortigia.

    There’s a walking path that will take you somewhat consistently around the island, and you can admire the island’s homes, people, and the beauty of the Ionian Sea.

    Ortigia also has steep stairs that will take you to crevice-like beach areas. There were some people enjoying the sun in those areas during our visit, which was a mild day for late February. The water was inviting, but it was too early in the year for beach-day vibes.

    Inside the Cathedral of Siracusa.

    Cathedral of Siracusa/Duomo di Siracusa

    The Duomo di Siracusa/Cathedral of Siracusa, located right in the heart of Ortigia, reflects Ortigia’s ancient Greek heritage as it was originally built as a Greek temple.

    It now has a Baroque-style facade and is definitely worth of a visit when you’re in Ortigia.

    The cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage site, just like the whole city of Ortigia.

    Expect to pay 3 Euros to enter the cathedral.

    A part of Maniace Castle in Ortigia, Sicily.

    Maniace Castle/Castello Maniace

    Maniace Castle was a cool, unexpected place during our Ortigia visit.

    We know that Europe has many castles, but we never thought much about seeing them while in Sicily.

    Turns out, right at the tip of Ortigia and on the water, you’ll find Maniace Castle/Castello Maniace.

    The early days of Castello Maniace began as a fort built by the Greeks in 1038. It then was expanded between 1232 and 1240 and was named for George Maniakes, a Byzantine general who took the city in 1038.

    In Sicilian history, someone new was always taking over the region. You can see all of those influences in the architecture of Castello Maniace. Online sites describe it as “Swabian Gothic military architecture,” which reflects a type of Gothic architecture from the Swabia region of Germany. The Swabian dynasty ruled parts of southern Italy in the Middle Ages, hence this unique style.

    Enjoying our time near Castello Maniace in Ortigia.

    Yet the castle also has clear Norman and Arabic styles as well, leaving us to feel like we were on an archaeological tour in the Middle East.

    Our time in the castle, which is mostly outdoors, made for a good adventure walk and unique pictures.

    Admission to Castello Maniace is 6 Euros; no cash accepted.

    If you look up info online, don’t confuse Castello Maniace with Castello di Maniace, a manor house located near Mount Etna.

    Here’s a short YouTube video posted by a visitor if you want a preview of what the castle looks like.

    Temple of Apollo in Ortigia.

    The Greek Ruins/Temple of Apollo

    In Florida, you can’t exactly take a walk and say to someone, “Oh yeah, there are some Greek ruins over there.”

    But you can say that when you’re in Ortigia.

    The ruins date back to 6th century BCE, and they’re located in front of Piazza Piacali, not far from the market.

    The area is fenced off but you can walk the perimeter around the fenced area to fully see the ruins. With the piazza nearby, you could also potentially sit on a bench and contemplate all of the history that’s there.

    Plus, you can see more Greek ruins in the city of Siracusa, including the Greek theatre.

    Locals fishing in Ortigia.

    A One-Day Itinerary for Ortigia

    Now that we’ve outlined some things you can enjoy in Ortigia, we’ll share what we did during our one-day visit.

    After driving through Siracusa morning traffic, we easily found parking toward the right of the island. Some of the most stressful driving of our Sicily trip was in those few morning minutes in Siracusa because there were many cars. We drove in a circle about three times before finally feeling safe enough to make the turn onto the island.

    Just like in the U.S., we paid for parking online using an app.

    Next, we used our GPS to walk toward the market but stopped along the way for un cornetto e un succo d’aranchia (croissaint and orange juice), sitting outside in the sun and enjoying a view of nearby cats lounging on chairs.

    One of the many kitties we spotted in Ortigia. They were everywhere, it seemed.

    Although the market was open, it was a little early, so we pivoted to check out the Greek ruins and then walk towards the water. This was a great way to get our bearings and see daily life. The water was gorgeous but being late February, we weren’t planning a swim. We also stopped by the cathedral.

    Next we walked a kind of long way to Maniace Castle–see our earlier description. Then we made our way to the beloved market, enjoying many sights, smells, and tastes, including fresh strawberries.

    We meandered between the market and the nearby historical Graziella district, always looking out for another picture to take.

    That led us back to the market, which naturally made us hungry. The restaurants near the market were busy but also the easiest option. We sat down to people watch and ordered a caprese sandwich and an Italian soda and listened to the various customers speaking in English and Italian.

    Sun-dried tomatoes at the market.

    Here’s a summary of our Ortigia one-day itinerary, which you could follow exactly or mix up the order:

    –Grab a small breakfast at a cafe.

    –Walk toward the water for a scenic view, and make sure to stop by the Greek ruins/Temple of Apollo.

    –Visit the cathedral.

    –Visit Maniace Castle.

    –Take your time wandering around the Ortigia Market and the Graziella Fishermen District

    –Get some lunch.

    Buongiorno, fragolina! Good morning, little strawberries!

    A Few Tips for Your Visit to Ortigia, Sicily

    —Consider using Ortigia or Siracusa as your base to explore southeastern Sicily. I stayed in Noto during the trip, and I don’t regret that. It was a great base town. Yet if you’re really keen on getting to know Ortigia/Siracusa, you could stay there instead and explore other nearby cities as you want.

    Siracusa may be better for your stay than Ortigia if you’re renting a car or you want better hotel prices. After all, Ortigia is popular and quite small. Yet if you can find something that suits your budget, go for Ortigia.

    As mentioned, you can do Ortigia in a day trip but if I had more time, I definitely could have turned Ortigia and Siracusa into a three-day exploration.

    —Support the market vendors. Learning about market products is so interesting, and that applies in Italy as well. Even if your Italian is basic or nonexistent, do your best to chat up a couple of vendors and ask for a sample (they may already have samples available) or buy something.

    Our market haul included strawberries, oregano that we’re still using, and a scarf for a family member.

    Another view at Castello Maniace.

    —Wear comfortable shoes. We walked a lot around all of the towns, but we probably did the most walking in Ortigia. That included stairs at several points. Plus, exploring a castle that’s pretty much outdoors may be hard to do in rubber flip-flops.

    —Don’t worry about Mount Etna’s rumbles. We’ve seen people on Sicily social media travel sites fret over their stay in Ortigia and how Mount Etna’s recent eruptions may affect them. Could they affect your flight into or out of Catania airport? Sure. But in terms of your time around Ortigia itself, no, as the two areas are more than 60 miles apart.

    —Explore the restaurants. Although we had the perfunctory sandwich during our lunch, we didn’t get a chance to explore restaurants in Ortigia due to timing. Yet we hear there are lots of fabulous places to eat, so take your time to explore.

    After all, you’re in Italy, AND you’re in Sicily.

    Buon viaggio!

  • 7 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Planning Your Trip to Italy

    Visitors outside of Milan’s Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, a shopping area.

    There are certain mistakes that visitors often make when they plan a trip to Italy, especially as first-timers.

    If you want to hop on larger tour in Italy and take a, “If it’s Tuesday, it must be Venice,” approach, kudos to you. There’s nothing wrong with that, you’ll probably have a great time.

    If you’d rather arrange your visit around Italy independently—meaning, you and your travel companions decide where to go and what to do–this is the article you need.

    Our visit to Scicli (sheek-LEE), Sicily, Italy, took us off the beaten path.

    Below, we share six travel mistakes to avoid when planning a trip to Italy.

    If you start to feel a little lost about your current or upcoming Italy plans as you read on, don’t worry. You can always contact us directly for Italy travel planning consultation. That’s a fancy way of saying that we’ll eye your itinerary and give feedback to help you plan a wonderful trip.

    See our link here for more details and to book an appointment.

    Andiamo/let’s go!

    Visitors at the Galleria dell’Accademia in Florence, Italy, home to Michelangelo’s David.

    1. DON’T plan to reach all of Italy’s major cities in just a week or two

    Cramming all of Italy’s highlights into a week or two is just an exercise in exhaustion. In fact, if you’re from the U.S. and you currently have an Italy itinerary, take a look at it right now. Next, cut it in half or by a third.

    Here’s why: You’ll get a much richer experience if you can slow down and spend more time in the places you plan to visit.

    Can you hit the high spots of Rome in 3 days followed by Florence for 2 to 3 days, etc., and continue that way until you check them all off your list?

    Sure—but you’ll spend a lot of time running around to get places, hopping on trains and feeling like your brain is generally spinning as you try to adjust to a new language/time/culture, etc.

    Let’s face it, we Americans like to keep things moving. Your Italy trip should be a time to slow down and really absorb another culture and pace of life.

    Try to choose the one—or if needed, two—destinations that are reasonably close and that you really want to see. Plan to spend your trip just in those two places. Less hassle, more time for relaxing and soaking in the Italian culture.

    And here’s a benchmark from Leslie Coleman, travel expert and founder of Suitcase Gals, which focuses on small-group, luxury travel for women 40+: Aim for three to four days in each city or town you want to see. Of course, you could stay longer.

    “People often overestimate how much they can do each day and this leads to a very hectic and rushed vacation,” she says.

    Should you rent a car in Italy? See what our article says.

    2. DON’T assume you should rent a car while you’re there

    This is especially true if your trip focuses on the big cities and coastal areas. Michael Kovnick, founder and CEO of Culture Discovery Vacations, sums it up while describing a typical bucket-list trip to the Amalfi Coast, Rome, Florence, and Venice:

    “Aside from how nervous Americans get driving in Italy, people end up parking in all four places. On the Amalfi Coast, parking is extremely difficult, and it’s easier to get around by boat. In Rome, they are likely to drive through multiple ZTL areas (restricted traffic areas in historic city centers) and have a stack of fines waiting when they get home – plus, it’s easier to get around by metro,” Kovnick notes. “In Florence, they will end up parking outside of the city and walking everywhere. And Venice? Well, no cars in Venice, so they park outside and walk everywhere.”

    Instead, use high-speed rail to travel to or from these bigger cities. During our trip to Florence and Milan in 2025, we mostly used our own two feet and a few Ubers/taxis to get around. For Florence to Milan, we hopped on a train and then did the same thing for a day trip for Milan to Lake Como. The train was once again the best option to go from Milan to one of the city’s airports upon the return home.

    The train was easy to use and the only issue was a very crowded train returning from Lake Como, thanks to everyone else taking a day trip there.

    Having a car did make it easy to get to cities like Modica in southeastern Sicily.

    That said, there may be some destinations where renting a car would work for you, if you feel up to driving. For our trip to southeastern Sicily this year (2026), we rented a car. It was the right decision as a local recommended it, and public transportation is not as common there.

    There were some nerve-wracking moments while driving on more narrow streets (the highway was fine and similar enough to the U.S.). Plus, there was that scrape on the side of a car we got along a narrow street. Oops! That’s where the insurance policy we purchased came in handy.

    You can read all about our driving experience and find more tips here.

    Bottom line: Generally speaking, you won’t need a car if you’re staying in or traveling to or from bigger cities. If you’ll be somewhere more rural, do a little research before deciding yes or no on car rental.

    If your budget allows, you could hire a driver or use tour guides who offer day tours and will take you around.

    Remember, gelato is calorie-free in Italy. You heard it here first on our blog!

    3. DON’T rely on blogs (or social media posts) as your only information source

    Logistics change quickly in Italy. The information you read on travel blogs may be outdated.

    “Major cities keep changing rules, ZTL zones change all the time, and scheduled events are rarely reliable for future dates,” Kovnick notes.

    One example of how quickly things change: Kovnick has to pick up passengers outside of Rome’s Fuicimino Airport regularly and finds that arrival instructions change all of the time.

    Of course, we want you to use blogs like ours to plan your Italy trip. 😊 Yet a blog may be best to give you a bigger picture sense of where you want to go and what you want to do.

    When it comes time to buy tickets and truly make your plans, check directly with business websites or social media for more information.

    Even then, expect a little deviation from what you might see or read. It’s Italy, after all!

    Although Sicily is a hot tourist destination, our visit to smaller towns like Scicli in March made us feel like we were in places lesser known to those outside of Italy.

    4. DON’T stick just to tourist spots

    This is a big no-no we’ve seen often, and we want more people to consider this trap when planning their Italy trip. Yes, Rome, the Cinque Terre, the Amalfi Coast, etc., are amazing…but if you’re traveling in-season, you’re going to share that amazing view with quite literally thousands of other people.

    In summer 2025, we wrote about a group of local cyclists going through parts of southern Italy that had practically zero tourists. Their spring 2026 trip through parts of northeast Italy was a similar experience with sparse crowds.

    A few quick examples of alternatives to consider:

    –If you like Tuscany’s rolling hills, consider Umbria.

    –If you like Tuscany and Umbria, look into Le Marche.

    –If you like nature and rural or even coastal views, visit Abruzzo (our Italian friends mention Abruzzo A LOT).

    –If you want to visit a beloved city that gets less attention, go to Torino/Turin in Piedmont.

    Sicily’s Marzamemi was pretty even in February, with many of the stores closed for off-season. If beach time is less important to you, then an off-season trip to Italy could be a great option.

    5. DON’T stick only to tourist season

    If you can only make a trip to Italy when everyone else visits, then fine. You just have to put up with the crowds.

    If you have any scheduling flexibility, consider visiting when crowds die down and you have a better chance of truly connecting with your destinations.

    July and August have the hottest weather and biggest crowds, according to European travel guru Rick Steves. This is true of Italy but probably all of Europe.

    May and June or September and October are potentially good times to visit as the crowds are down (maybe just slightly in some places) and the weather will be more pleasant. Depending on where you go, it’ll probably still err on the side of being hot.

    Yet don’t neglect November to April! Would you like Christmas in Italy? Buon Natale e si! Those European Christmas markets you see on the Hallmark Channel sure would look cute in person.

    Christmas aside, if you’re willing to put up with some cooler weather and a few potential closures due to off-season, November to April can still be a terrific time to visit Italy.

    An indoor market view in Florence, March 2025.

    Both our 2025 and 2026 trips to Italy were in February and March. The cold was a relief from the Florida heat, and traveling there was definitely cheaper compared to peak season.

    There were still a reasonable amount of tourists, especially during the March visit to Florence, Milan, and Lake Como. Yet it wasn’t the craziness you find in the summer.

    In southeastern Sicily (FYI, not Taormina but areas south of there), we had places (almost) to ourselves, with a smattering of tourists mostly not from the U.S. There were several businesses closed for off-season that would have been nice to see, but we 100% got an authentic feel for the region that may have been harder to achieve in full-swing tourist season.

    Visitors in Bellagio, one of the towns on Lake Como.

    6. DON’T ignore basic research on local customs and the language

    Generally speaking, Italians are a welcoming bunch.

    Yet the culture is surprisingly more nuanced than we expected from movies and pop culture.

    Depending on where you go, the culture might be a lot more traditional than you expected (we’re looking at you, southeastern Sicily).

    In other places, you’ll almost think you’re in New York (hello, Milano).

    And to say all of the customs, cultures, and politeness in Italy are the same in all parts of the country would be like saying people from New York City have the same customs, cultures, and politeness as people from rural Alabama.

    Do a little research on local customs—both local Italian customs and customs specific to the region you’ll visit. Rick Steves is always our top choice for European knowledge, but there are etiquette experts who can help, like Nick Leighton, co-host of the podcast, “Were You Raised by Wolves?”

    “Knowing a little bit about the local customs can really help make things easier, especially for first-timers. It gives you more confidence and it also gets you significantly better customer service, meals, and experiences,” Leighton says.

    Two examples he shares: “If you walk into a coffee bar and say ‘Ciao,’ that’s way too informal for many Italians. It’s truly better to lead with a ‘Buongiorno’ with strangers instead. The greeting you use can really set the whole tone for the entire encounter, for better or for worse,” Leighton says.

    You don’t need to do a crash course in Italian, but learning some basic greetings and words can definitely make a difference. We’ve enjoyed online videos from Italy Made Easy and Italian Teacher Valentina to help.

    Another example from Leighton relates to planning meals. The message: Plan to eat later than you might eat at home.

    “I love a good 9 p.m. reservation, which gives me plenty of time to enjoy aperitivo before dinner. If you book a 6 p.m. reservation, chances are it’s catering to tourists and it also means you’re missing out on aperitivo,” Leighton says.

    And who wants to miss out on an aperitivo?!

    And Coleman of Suitcase Gals remains us all of “Italian time.” “People often expect American service, which means rushing through everything. Italian time is deliberate, slow and relaxing,” she says. That’s good to know in advance.

    Fish market in Catania, Sicily.

    7. DON’T arrive with multiple pieces of large luggage

    If you’re one of those “I only travel with a carry on” travelers, more power to you. If you’re like us, you’ve paid one too many luggage fees because it’s a challenge to pack minimally.

    And that can be a problem in Italy.

    “You are responsible for getting your luggage to and from your hotels as most city centers are filled with cobblestone streets, hills and are not accessible by cars,” Coleman says.

    “In addition, vehicles in Italy are built to fit in small places. If you are driving, many times the larger suitcases will not fit in a typical vehicle,” she adds. True.

    Plan your luggage carefully, and keep in mind that laundry facilities are available through most hotels even if you have to pay a small fee to use them.

    DO plan your trip well

    We hope our suggestions help you to be more thoughtful about your Italy trip.

    If you have an upcoming trip that’s not yet locked in and you’d like us to review your itinerary, this link tells you a little more about our new Italy travel planning consulting work, available at an affordable rate.

    If you’re considering a trip to Italia and want to speak with us before you start to make reservations, we also can help you with that.

    We’ll share more travel mistakes and travel wins in future articles.

    Buon viaggio!

    Yes, you can still come to Italy for the pizza. Yum…..

  • 7 Things to Do When You Visit Scicli, Sicily

    Scicli, Sicily, Italy.

    Are you thinking about a visit to Scicli, Sicily–or heck, you just want to learn how to pronounce the name correctly? (It’s SHEEK-lee, by the way.)

    Let our article help you.

    Scicli is a charming small town in the Val di Noto in southeastern Sicily, Italy. It’s an ideal day trip if you want a real slice of Sicilian life with some tourism mixed in.

    We wrote an earlier article about Scicli’s A Rutta Ri Ron Carmelu (The Cave Home of Don Carmelo), and we’ll briefly recap A Rutta in this article, too. Yet there’s even more to see and do in Scicli.

    A view from the hills in Scicli, Sicily.

    Before we dive in further, here are a few fun facts about Scicli:

    –The population of Scicli is about 27,000 people.

    –Scicli is a 40- to 45-minute drive from the popular destination of Noto, Sicily.

    –The town was hit badly by a 1693 earthquake, which also destroyed much of the Val di Noto (Noto Valley). The upside, however, is that the whole area rebuilt itself over the following century in the Sicilian Baroque style that makes Val di Noto so famous today.

    –It’s one of eight towns in the Val di Noto that’s been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

    –Amazingly, the town dates back to the year 300 BCE.

    Un gatto dolce/a sweet cat spotted in Scicli.

    I visited Scicli in early 2026 as part of travels around southeastern Sicily and found it be one of my favorite towns during the trip. It has the same beautiful Baroque architecture as Noto, which is more famous, but the town had a different feel.

    Its rockiness reminded me of the state of West Virginia in the U.S.

    Plus, people seemed….friendlier. I was happy that the people I met in Scicli were a chatty crowd, even with my just-emerging Italian language skills.

    Note that I was traveling solo but sometimes use “we” in my writing just to avoid overusing the pronoun “I”.

    Let’s go to Scicli!

    7 Things to Enjoy in Scicli, Sicily, Italy

    Mr. Carmelo shows the cave home where his grandparents lived with six children.

    A Rutta Ri Ron Carmelu

    We covered A Rutta Ri Ron Carmelu in a previous article but to recap this unique attraction: Signore (Mr.) Carmelo gives you a tour of the cave home where his grandparents raised his father and five other siblings. The cave home is set up with all of the “comforts” that came with their crowded cave life.

    After the cave tour, Mr. Carmelo proceeds to show you his many, many creations, from soaps to ceramics to other souvenirs you may want to buy. During our visit, he demonstrates his spinning-top skills with a child-like enthusiasm.

    All of this is done in Italian as Mr. Carmelo doesn’t speak English. Yet somehow, you still understand most of what he shares.

    I’d rank A Rutta Ri Ron Carmelu toward the top of your list for a Scicli visit. Just double check hours in advance to make sure Mr. Carmelo will be available, and be ready for some uphill walking toward the Chiafura cave district. If you have a car, you should be able to drive most of the way there.

    The Scicli Town Hall entrance seen often on the show “Inspector Montalbano,” which was set in the fictional Sicilian town of Vigata.

    See Places from the Famous Italian Show “Inspector Montalbano”

    As an American newly learning Italian language and culture, I’m a recent fan of “Il Commissario Montalbano”/”Inspector Montalbano”, a detective show set in Sicily that became a hit all around Italy.

    I subscribe to MHZ TV through Amazon Prime to watch the series and the subsequent show, “Il Giovane Montalbano”/”Young Montalbano.”

    “Inspector Montalbano” reached as many as 11.3 million viewers for an episode in 2017 and 1 billion viewers cumulatively during all of its 37 episodes, which spanned from 1999 to 2021. Each show is like a film, lasting almost two hours. The same is true of “Il Giovane Montalbano.”

    Actor Luca Zingaretti plays the grumpy, seafood- and sea-loving inspector in the main show, and Michele Riondino plays the younger version of the inspector.

    The show is based on a series of books by the late Sicilian author Andrea Camilleri that he began to publish at age 70. The books were in Italian but sprinkled with the Sicilian dialect, and the same is true of the show.

    With my interest in Italian language and Sicilian scenery (because clearly I have a past life connection to Sicily, LOL), the two Montalbano shows have become fun weekend watching.

    The shows are set in a fictional Sicilian town called Vigata, located in a fictional province called Montelusa.

    Here’s the Scicli connection: Scenes from “Inspector Montalbano” were filmed around southeastern Sicily, and the fictional police station is Scicli’s actual town hall. It’s seen a lot in the show.

    Another view of Scicli’s town hall.

    I saw the exterior of the town hall when I visited Scicli and snapped a few pics. Sadly, I hadn’t yet watched the show so I didn’t have the foresight to go inside and see the fictional set-up the town hall still has in honor of Montalbano. Next time!

    Even if you don’t know the show, it’s worth a look if you want to appreciate something from Italian/Sicilian pop culture.

    If you are indeed a Montalbano fan, there are day tours you can take to see various sites from the filming of the show.

    Inside the beautiful Church of San Bartolomeo in Scicli.

    Enjoy Baroque Architecture and Churches

    As stated earlier, Scicli is one of eight towns in the Val di Noto famous for its beautiful Baroque architecture.

    Some of the Baroque highlights in Scicli include:

    —Church of San Bartolomeo (not far from La Rutta Ri Ron Carmelu), a quiet wonder during our short visit

    –Palazzo Beneventano

    –Church of San Matteo

    –Church of Santa Maria La Nova

    You’ll find other examples, including some sites that occasionally appear on the Montalbano shows.

    The more well-known Baroque examples often have signs beside them in Italian and English to help you better understand their history and significance.

    The famous Teste di Moro (Moor’s Heads) statues, seen here in Scicli.

    Eat and Shop, Shop and Eat

    If you’re anywhere in Italy, you gotta eat, right?

    If you’re in Sicily, famous for So.Much.Good.Food., this rule applies double.

    Why not enjoy some of that famous food in Scicli?

    We only grabbed breakfast while there, so we don’t have any Italy Dreams-approved restaurants to recommend.

    However, folks online praise places like Baqqala, My Name Is Tannino and Prosit Sicilian Bistrot. If you’re looking for dessert, remember that gelato is calorie-free while you’re in Italy. 🙂

    As for shopping, we made our way to several souvenir shops in Scicli, some of the higher-end variety with beautiful handmade items and others a little more generic. We had already purchased a small black vase at A Rutta Ri Ron Carmelu, so we didn’t make another purchase beyond some olive oil.

    Yet we appreciated that shop workers were friendlier…not that they were unfriendly in other towns we visited. Perhaps in Scicli, they appreciated the business as it was still off-season.

    Our croissaint and orange juice in Scicli.

    Absorb Daily Life in Scicli

    There was something about Scicli that made it easier to get a sense of daily life there.

    There was the encounter we had with a local female police officer who got annoyed that we initially parked in the lot for the train station/police office (oops!).

    There was the young couple arguing near the Church of San Bartolomeo, seemingly unaware of others listening.

    There was the shopkeeper who swapped stories with me about his dog, after I pointed out (in Italian!) that a picture he had in the shop looked like my own dog.

    There was the aforementioned encounter with Mr. Carmelo, who’s a real character.

    A black cat spotted in the Chiafura cave district in Scicli.

    There was the time spent in a small but maze-like supermarket where we compared prices for pasta, bread, produce and other items against our U.S. prices.

    Could you have these types of encounters in another southeastern Sicilian town? Sure. Yet there was something in Scicli that made them more accessible, friendly, and easier to observe.

    You can also find that kind of life interaction in Catania, for example, but there’s so much happening at once there, I found it harder to take in. That’s why Scicli was perhaps more appealing.

    Enjoy Nearby Beaches

    As we visited Scicli in the winter, we never made it to nearby beaches. Yet even with the hill-like feel of Scicli, you’re not too far from a dip in the sea on beaches like:

    –Spiaggia di Sampieri

    –Spiaggia di Mannara

    –Spiaggia Pantano Arizza

    Double check online or with locals about these or other beaches before you visit.

    If you’re driving back towards Noto or Marzamemi, you have many other coastal options, including San Lorenzo or the beaches at Vendicari Nature Reserve.

    And in case you were wondering: There are beach scenes from “Inspector Montalbano” filmed in Punta Secca, east of the beach destinations mentioned here.

    A morning view in Noto, Sicily.

    Visit Other Nearby Baroque Towns

    Whether you’re staying in Scicli during your time in southeastern Sicily or visiting for a day trip, you can absolutely take the time to take day trips to other nearby towns. This will be easier to do if you rent a car or hire a driver.

    As mentioned before, there are eight towns in the Val di Noto that are considered UNESCO World Heritage sites for their Baroque architecture. They include:

    –Caltagirone

    –Militello Val di Catania

    –Catania

    –Modica

    –Noto

    –Palazzolo

    –Ragusa

    They’re all relatively close to each other (Catania’s a bigger city, of course). Between our experience and that of others, we favor Modica, Noto, and Ragusa.

    Although it’s not a Baroque area, we enjoyed nearby Marzamemi as well.

    Drive safe–here are our lessons from driving around Sicily–and enjoy your visit to Scicli and the surrounding area.

    Buon viaggio!

    Some more information about the UNESCO towns in Val di Noto.

  • Italy Dreams’ Visit to Eastern Sicily–Details Coming Soon!

    Beautiful Marzamemi in southeastern Sicily.

    Buongiorno! Italy Dreams shares stories and inspiration from all across Italy, but don’t be surprised if we focus more on Sicily for awhile. After all, we just returned from a 10-day trip to southeastern Sicily, and we have a lot to share.

    Going off-season (late February) made the trip especially interesting. It was easier to enjoy some popular spots, but it also meant getting some skeptical glances in smaller areas–especially as a woman traveling solo.

    Stay tuned for a story later this week about one of our favorite small towns in southeastern Sicily, followed by more tidbits and tips to help you on your own Sicily adventure, particularly if you visit places like Noto and Ortygia in southeastern Sicily.

    Subscribe to our blog so you don’t miss a story! And if you can’t wait to read our articles, check out the video we made here about our trip. It’s geared toward students learning English.

    Arrivederci!

    Arancini, or rice balls, in Sicily.

  • Access Italy Welcomes Visitors to Experience Italia With Passion

    The Amorico family of Access Italy. All photos used in this article are courtesy of Access Italy.

    “Italy isn’t a destination you conquer. It’s one you’re welcomed into,” says Simone Amorico, co-founder of the Rome-based Access Italy, a destination management company.

    “At Access Italy, we’re here to make that welcome feel warm, personal, and unforgettable.”

    He must be on to something when you consider that Oprah Winfrey trusts Simone and his brother/co-founder Marco as well as their father Angelo to plan her Italy trips.

    So do Sylvester Stallone, Stanley Tucci (Mr. Italy himself), Emily Blunt, Jessica Alba, and several other well-known celebs.

    Although Simone discreetly declines to answer questions about his celebrity clients, you can tell they must be happy with the results from the smiling photos these famous folks have posted on social media.

    “What we can say is that what people are really searching for is connection: with the place, with the people they meet, and with the moment they’re living,” Simone explains about his company’s clientele.

    Courtesy of Access Italy.

    What Access Italy Offers

    For Access Italy and its staff of 40, their sweet spot is an itinerary designed exactly around the client’s wishes.

    “Every viaggio (trip) is tailor-made, seamless, and designed around the people traveling, never around a template,” Simone explains.

    The company began in 2009 by Angelo Amorico; Simone and Marco now lead the firm along with their father. The 40 team members are destination experts, travel designers, and local insiders.

    Simone says that their personal relationships with artisans, historians, winemakers, families, and hotels across the country bridge together thoughtful travelers with these locals.

    The vast majority of the guests working with Access Italy are American.

    “They share the same mindset. They don’t want to just see Italy, they want to live it,” Simone says. “They travel with intention, preferring quality over quantity and meaningful moments over rushed checklists.”

    Team members usually work with 2 to 8 guests when designing a trip and sometimes groups of 10 to 14, including extended family. Travel groups may be couples, families, or small groups of friends.

    With a focus on tailored, luxury travel, the travel designers at Access Italy will speak with guests about their exact needs and desires for the trip. This could mean coordinating a completely private visit to a famous museum, choosing upscale Italian hotels and villas, or organizing a Michelin-star dinner with your travel partners.

    Courtesy of Access Italy.

    Of course, don’t forget other classic Italian experiences like:

    –Cooking classes or even a home cooking class with the Amorico family

    –Early-morning visits to famous sites

    –Personalized shopping tours

    –Yacht excursions

    –Private events

    Access Italy also can lead you to fewer crowds at the busiest destinations. Again, just ask Oprah. Here’s a testimonial from her shared on the Access Italy website:

    “If you’re ever in Italy, call these guys! Angelo has been showing me the best of Italy for 30 years now. His sons were toddlers and now Simone and Marco have joined the business. We were in and out of the Coliseum in an hour! Same for the Vatican. Their company is aptly named, cause they have real ACCESS!”

    (Find pics of Oprah and bestie Gayle King’s time in Italy, along with some pics of Angelo, at the link here from Oprah Daily.)

    Another fun way to discover just how a trip with Access Italy might work is a description on the company website of the Anderson family experience. The Andersons collaborated with the company to plan their southern Italian trip in 2023.

    The top areas that Access Italy visits with clients include Rome, Tuscany, the Amalfi Coast/Capri, Venice, Lake Como, Puglia, and Sicily.

    For places a little more off-the-beaten path, their travel designers will direct guests to places like Piedmont (in northeastern Italy), the Dolomites (where the recent Winter Olympics were held), Umbria in central Italy, and the island region of Sardinia.

    “We often combine iconic destinations with lesser-known regions to create balance and surprise,” Simone says.

    Courtesy of Access Italy.

    5 Tips to Plan Your Trip to Italy, Courtesy of Access Italy

    If you’re dreaming of Prosecco and pasta after reading this article, then Simone has a few tips to help you with your Italy plans:

    1. Don’t cram everything into one trip. “Italy is about depth, not checklists,” Simone says.
    2. Balance cities with countryside. “It changes the rhythm of the trip,” he explains.
    3. Take to heart recommendations on when to go to specific destinations. Timing matters as much as where you’re going.
    4. Leave room in your trip for the unexpected.
    5. Contact Access Italy to set up your trip. “Save time and energy. We plan, you Prosecco,” Simone says.

    Find Access Italy online here and their contact page here. You can also find them on Instagram here and on Facebook with the name Access Italy.

    Buon viaggio!

    Courtesy of Access Italy.

  • 10 Fun Facts About Cortina and the Dolomites in Italy

    The beautiful Dolomites in northeastern Italy. All pictures in this story taken from Wikimedia Commons.

    With the Winter 2026 Olympics around the corner, the world turns its eyes to Milan and Cortina, Italy. Although the name “Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games” makes it sound like these two areas are close to each other, they are actually more than 255 miles apart—basically, an almost five-hour drive. In fact, this year’s Winter Games will be the most geographically widespread of any prior Olympics.

    We shared some fun facts about Milan in a previous post, so we wanted to give some equal exposure to Cortina d’Ampezzo (called Cortina for short) and the beautiful Dolomite Mountains, where Cortina is located.

    Andiamo!/let’s go

    1. Cortina is called “Queen of the Dolomites” and “Pearl of the Dolomites.” It’s famous as a luxury ski resort area.
    2. Cortina previous hosted the Olympics Winter Games in 1956.
    3. The movies “For Your Eyes Only” and “The Pink Panther” were filmed in Cortina.
    4. Olympics events that will be held in Cortina include Alpine skiing, the biathalon, bobsledding, curling, and luge. In addition to Milan and Cortina, some Olympics events will take place in the towns of Valtellina and Val di Fiemme in northern Italy, along with a closing ceremony in Verona.

    5. There’s a lot to do in Cortina. In addition to those famous winter activities, there’s golfing, mountain biking, horseback riding, and kayaking. If you’re a little less adventurous, you can browse more than 250 shops.

    6. The Dolomites (called Dolomiti in Italian) are part of the Italian Alps. Just like you’ve heard of the Swiss Alps, the Italian Alps are famous and include the Dolomites, the Aosta Valley, South Tyrol (a German-speaking region) and Piedmont. In addition to Switzerland and Italy, the Alps also span Austria, Germany, France, Liechtenstein, Monaco, and Slovenia.

    7, The Dolomites are part of the UNESCO World Heritage sites because of beautiful rock cathedrals and natural beauty. One nearby resident said when you climb to the top of a peak in the Dolomites, you can see the world from a completely new perspective.

    8. The Dolomites stay busy! Do some research online, and you’ll see that many recommend that visiting from June to August is an ideal time for spectacular hiking views. However, this is also peak season, when you’ll explore there along with many other visitors. You also will face higher prices. Of course, winter is the best time to visit if you’re into skiing and other winter sports. Perhaps a visit in the fall or spring is best to enjoy some of the views without the full impact of crowds.

    9. It’s not all pasta, all the time in Cortina and the Dolomites. Much of the famous local cuisine features German influences and includes knödel (a type of bread dumpling with herbs), Schlutzkrapfen (a ravioli dish), Spinatspatspazlen mit Schinken-Käsesauce, which is spinach spaetzle with ham and cheese sauce. We’ll let you google the pronunciation of that one as we’re not sure how to say it! Another famous dish in the Dolomites is Spaghetti Bolognese mit Speck, or bolognese spaghetti with a type of local ham. Another dish recommended to us? Turtres, a type of fried dough filled with spinach and ricotta. Find a recipe for them here. And don’t forget to try any local cheeses!

    10. The locals are multilingual. There’s more than just Italian spoken in the Dolomites. German and Italian are spoken by most people from the Dolomites, in addition to the ancient romance language of Ladin. Still, if you’re visiting a local tourist area and speak English, you should be in good shape to communicate with others.

      Buon viaggio!

    1. Kapuhala Sicily Amazes Guests With Tranquility, Sicilian Heritage, and Vegan Meals

      Drinks and a sunset view at Kapuhala Sicily, a resort near Noto. All pictures shared courtesy of Kapuhala Sicily.

      If you’re dreaming of Sicily and want some wellness with your getaway, then look no further than Kapuhala Sicily, located near Noto and Marzamemi in the southeast corner of the Italian island.

      Kapuhala Sicily was created as a sustainable, wellness-focused resort by chef Crystal Lee and her husband, Stefano Passarello, whose father is from the area. Crystal is originally from Hong Kong but trained in Milan to be a chef.

      “We’d been going to Sicily for 20 years and absolutely love it,” Crystal says. “When the resources and land became available, we decided to build something there.”

      Kapuhala Sicily debuted in June 2020, almost a year after the couple opened Kapuhala Koh Samui, an eco-friendly resort in Thailand. They divide their time between the two properties. Kapuhala means “holy tree” in Hawaiian.

      Relax among the vineyards at Kapuhala Sicily.

      “Ahhhhhh”–What to Expect When You Visit Kapuhala Sicily

      If you’re visiting Sicily for Kapuhala Sicily, you’ll make your way through the countryside of the Valle di Noto region–an area Crystal describes as famous for its natural beauty, olive groves, and traditional Sicilian heritage.

      Upon driving up to the resort, you’ll find 60 acres of vineyards, olive groves, and organic gardens–with much of the food served at the resort grown onsite or sourced from local farmers. The owners of Kapuhala Sicily also were able to revitalize 300 trees that would have otherwise been uncultivated.

      Kapuhala Sicily can accommodate up to 30 guests in total in small individual homes and in buildings once used for wine-making; most of the places to stay there can host up to four people at a time. Each unit has a private bathroom, and some units have kitchenettes.

      Kapuhala Sicily focuses on sustainability, wellness, heritage architecture, and plant-based cuisine. It also follows many of the “blue zone” principles for living longer and staying healthy. Sardinia, another island in Italy, happens to be one of the world’s blue zones, and one area of Sicily is considered an emerging blue zone.

      Chef Crystal Lee operates Kapuhala Sicily along with her partner, Stefano Passarello.

      Italy is already famous for its cuisine–it was just recognized by UNESCO this December–yet Kapuhala Resort takes plant-based cuisine to another level. How about spaghetti with Sicilian curry, tenerumi (a summer squash-like vegetable in Sicily) and tomato confit? Si, per favore! With some of the dishes, you may be fooled into thinking you’re eating the traditional meat version, only to realize the vegan option is just as tasty.

      Spaghetti with Sicilan curry served at Kapuhala Sicily resort, located in the southeastern corner of the island.

      In addition to the great food, there’s lots more to enjoy at Kapuhala Sicily, including:

      –Wine tastings

      –A pool

      –A botanic yoga studio

      –Sunset views

      –Nature walks

      –Doing absolutely nothing!

      –Day trips just a short drive away, like Noto (famous for its baroque architecture–see our article here), Marzamemi (a former fishing village that’s popular to visit), and nearby beaches

      Yet there’s nothing wrong with just enjoying your time at Kapuhala.

      “Kapuhala Sicily isn’t just a hotel but a lifestyle-oriented retreat. It’s a place designed for people who value sustainable living, plant-based food, mindful living, nature, and authentic local heritage,” Crystal says.

      It’s also considered a “heritage farmstay” because guests have the chance to connect with the land and rural Sicilian traditions.

      7 Tips to Plan Your Visit to Kapuhala Siciliy

      If you’re hopping on your favorite travel website right now to book your stay at Kapuhala Sicily, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

      —Plan to rent a car while you’re in the area. There’s not much public transportation.

      —Slow wayyyyyyy down. Keep your type A side tucked away in your suitcase while you’re vacationing, both in SIcily in general but also specifically at Kapuhala. “It’s about relaxation, wellness, a connection with nature, and simplicity,” Crystal explains.

      —Stay open to vegan cuisine. You may be surprised by how much you like it!

      —Bring comfortable shoes. It’s hard to get around the countryside in high heels, Crystal says.

      —Plan your local trips to include beach visits, local historical towns and the countryside. Crystal calls this a “balanced Sicily experience.” Staying for a few days in the area gives you a better chance to get to know the resort’s part of Sicily without feeling rushed.

      —Check online to make sure the resort will be open before you book. Like many other accomodations in the area, Kapuhala Sicily is generally open from April to the end of September, which is the main tourism season for Sicily.

      —Staying elsewhere in Sicily but still want to check out Kapuhala? You can visit their restaurant, Vivi Vinu, for an apertivo or dinner.

      Buon viaggio!

    2. Find the Sweet Scent of Italy With These Two New Perfumes

      Cortile Dolce and Ferragosto, two perfumes that will transport you to Italy.

      If you’re looking for a permanent vacation to Italy, we’ve got some sweet-smelling suggestions for you.

      Two new perfumes from Jordan Samuel Scent will transport you to Sicily and Capri in Italy without ever leaving your living room sofa.

      The unisex scents are sold by New York City’s Jordan Samuel Pacitti and his eponymous Jordan Samuel Skin. Pacitti, a former professional ballet dancer and esthetician, worked with famous Italian perfumer Luca Maffei to create the scents (more on their collaboration below).

      So, just what do the perfumes smell like? Once we describe them, we’ll have you booking your flight to southern Italy in no time–and spraying on the scents.

      “Our fragrances really are a transportive vacation in a bottle,” Pacitti says.

      Cortile Dolce and Ferragosto

      Cortile Dolce, which means Sweet Courtyard in English, brings together sweet, soft, and citrusy scents that define Sicily–a region that Pacitti has gotten to know through several visits all around the island.

      Cortile Dolce’s scent notes include:

      –Lime leaf (Sicily is famous for its citrus)

      –Jasmine, which fluorishes on the island

      –Cedarwood, a grounding scent you may experience along seaside cliffs

      –A touch of sweetness, which promotional info for Cortile Dolce describes as “a taste of la dolce vita” and “silk-spun notes of almond granita and brioche buns”

      –White amber, which “hints at the spirit of the Italian isle”



      Then, there’s Ferragosto, named for the Italian national holiday on August 15 that leads many Italians to their famous beaches. The fragrance is inspired by the island of Capri near Italy’s Amalfi Coast.

      With Jordan Samuel Scent’s lovely Ferragosto, here’s your scent combination:

      –Fig skin and sap, just like those from the gardens of Villa San Michele in Capri

      –Apricot, famous on the island, and “juicy, sun-drenched, and just shy of too sweet”

      –Cardamom, the famous spice that adds structure to the fragrance without stealing the show

      –Cut grass accord, described as “the hum of heat rising from the terraced hillsides near Chiesa di San Michele with summer, like an anchor clinging to the air”

      –Sandalwood, wrapping it all up in a soft-focus haze

      Jordan Samuel Pacitti and master perfumer Luca Maffei.

      The Scent Story and the Italian Connection

      You can probably feel Pacitti’s passion for Italy just from the descriptions above. Yet what led him on his Italy scent journey?

      Pacitti had aIways been fascinated by fragrances. In his early adulthood, he was a ballet dancer living and traveling around the world for his career. After several years of dancing and putting on and removing makeup for shows, his skin became more sensitive.

      After two serious injuries, he realized that it was likely time to bow out of his dancing career and pivot to something new. He had always loved the beauty industry and its associated products, which led him toward skin care. He earned his aesthetic license and starting practicing hands-on within the skincare world.

      Pacitti decided to start his own skincare line, which led to the creation of Jordan Samuel Skin. His cleansers, serums, eye gels, and more often have names that give a nod to his ballet background, such as The Performance Eye Gel and The Matinee Gel Moisturizer.

      Jordan in Capri, which serves as the inspiration for his Ferragosto fragrance.

      That inches us closer to the fragrance and Italy connection.

      “I used to make fragrances myself, but I always wanted to work with a perfumer,” Pacitti tells Italy Dreams. “I knew that in addition to the skincare line, we one day were going to have fragrance or fragrances.”

      Yet after several attempts, it wasn’t happening just yet.

      In 2022, after Pacitti and his partner returned to the U.S. from a trip to Italy, they brought with them several half-ounce fragrance samples that were, incidentally, mostly created by master perfumer Luca Maffei.

      Realizing that Maffei was the common demonitator for the favorite fragrances he had purchased, Pacitti reached out to him online to discuss a potential collaboration. He didn’t hear back.

      Meanwhile, with momentum still behind him, Pacitti worked with other Italian contacts to get his Italian-inspired fragrances off the ground. As an Italian-American himself, Pacitti has fallen hard for the country’s beauty and spirit, leading to many trips there.

      “I wanted the perfumer to add their essence and bring it to life with what I had said,” Pacitti says. He continued to work with his contacts to get the scent combinations just right, although he initially was not in contact with the perfumer.

      As the fragrances continued to evolve, Pacitti eventually realized who was working with his contacts to develop them–Luca Maffei.

      “It was truly a serendipitious-like moment,” Pacitti says. The two are now collaborators and friends.

      Cortile Dolce became available via the Jordan Samuel Skin website in December 2024, and Ferragosto became available in October of this year (2025). The fragrance is available for sale in the U.S.

      Jordan in Lipari, Sicily, Italy.

      A Love for Italy: Pacitti’s Picks

      As evident through this story, Jordan Samuel Skin’s Cortile Dolce and Ferragosto are both a testament to business expansion as well as love letters to Italy–a place he actually had not traveled to prior to 2012.

      “I’ve been all over Asia, to Turkey, Belgium, France, and Denmark, but it was so strange that for being Italian-American and wanting to go to Italy, I just thought, ‘We’ll get there one day.’”

      And that he did. Here’s how he describes the country now:

      “Something that’s always fascinated me with Italy is it’s such a small country, but then from top to bottom, you can experience so many different dialects and types of food cultures and other patterns…It’s just so wildly different and extreme and beautiful. That also is why outside of being personally obsessed with it, I feel like it’s the most beautiful muse because each area tells its own story through food, scent, and the people.“

      With Pacitti’s extensive travels throughout the country, we asked him for a few of his favorite travel locations:

      —Rome, which he calls his “absolute favorite place in the world.” He and his partner have vacationed there but also have worked there for several weeks at a time and know the city well.

      —Sicily, where he had a great time in southeastern Sicily but then later visited Palermo on the west coast and realized that both areas of the island were amazing

      —The Aeolian Islands off the coast of Sicily, which he visited with his partner and his parents. “We all want to go back,” he says. “It’s clean, beautiful, not busy, and affordable.” Plus, there was some terrific seafood.

      —Torino/Turin, the northern city where his perfumes are manufactured

      Check out Jordan Samuel Skin’s product line here, and check out his fragrance shere.

      Follow Jordan Samuel Skin on Instagram (@jordansamuelskin) or TikTok (@jordansamuelskin).


    3. Here’s Why to Visit Italy in the Winter and Off-Season

      Snowy mountains as seen from Lake Como, Italy, in early March. The winter can be a great time to visit Italy.

      Italy says “Buongiorno!” to about 70 million tourists this year (2025), with most arriving in the summer months. If you’ve been to Florence, Venice, or Rome that time of year, then you know what it feels like to have thousands of new friends who all want to visit the same places as you, right?

      If you’re an astute traveler, you may be asking yourself what it’s like to visit Italy other times of the year, such as in the winter or off-season. The good news: There are some real advantages if you’re willing to brave a little cold.

      Let’s take a look at why you should consider visiting Italy in the winter or off-season months. Then we’ll suggest a few choice destinations for those quieter months.

      Florence’s Duomo/Cathedral looks impressive any time of the year.

      Why to Visit Italy in the Winter or Off-Season

      You’ll have more destinations to yourself

      We’re not saying you’ll be the only tourist there, but most destinations will have fewer people. Enjoy the so-called la dolce vita with fewer visitors! It’ll make it a lot easier to book museums, hotels, etc.

      Enjoy cooler temps

      Let’s face it, Italy can get hot in the summer. Walking around Rome, Sicily, and even Milan in June, July, or August can get uncomfortable. Although many places have air conditioning, it’s not as chilly cold by default as in the U.S. The solution? Bring a coat, scarf, and gloves, and come in the winter!

      Plus, keep in mind that Italy has a diverse climate depending on where you go. For instance, Milan’s temps can average in the 40s (Fahrenheit) in the winter, compared with average temps in the 50s (Fahrenheit) in places like Puglia and Sicily.

      We visited Florence, Milan, and Lake Como in early March and got around most days with the requisite jacket and scarf. One day in Milan even reached near 70 and was sunny.

      A Christmas market in Trento, Italy. Picture from Wikimedia Commons.

      Christmas markets!

      Whether you’re familiar with European Christmas markets from previous in-person visits or just Hallmark movies, this shopping experience is a real pleasure. Find dozens of vendors with hand-crafted Christmas items that are perfect as unique gifts for others or souvenirs for yourself.

      Here are a few Italian areas famous for their Christmas markets, according to the tourism operator Discover Your Italy-FuorITinerario:

      –Trento in north Italy

      –the Dolomites, a chain of mountains in north Italy

      –Florence, which features a German-style market

      –Arezzo in Tuscany, which takes on the feel of a Tyrolean village

      –Rome, where you can find a festive market feel in Piazza Navona

      Artichokes are one vegetable that some Italian residents enjoy more in the winter.

      You can try different types of foods

      It’s no secret that Italy is known for terrific food. With eating in Italy a hyper-local experience, it’s probably also not a surprise that food changes seasonally there based on what’s available at certain times of the year.

      So, the special dishes you may have in the summer could have a completely different feel in the winter or other times off-season. One Rome resident we spoke to sung the praises of artichoke dishes in the winter. Root vegetables like potatoes as well as greens are commonly in season in the winter, and citrus season in Sicily (like blood oranges and regular oranges) goes through the winter and spring–just like here in our home state of Florida.

      The Dolomites in northern Italy welcome visitors in the winter and year-round.

      Pursue winter sports

      If you’re into skiing, snoeshowing, ice skating, or other winter sports, then visiting Italy in the winter is an obvious choice. You’ve got your pick of mountainous destinations (see below). The Winter Olympics held in 2026 in and around Milan and the town of Cortina will further shine a spotlight on Italy as a winter destination.

      You’ll need to find different angles for pictures in the winter and off-season in Italy. This picture, taken in Sicily, is from Wikimedia Commons.

      Get new perspectives for pics

      A view of Italy in the summer, with historic buildings drenched with sun and everything colorful? That’s low-hanging fruit. Yet how do make those same buildings look interesting on a rainy, cold day? If you’re into photography, visiting Italy in the winter can become a fun photographic challenge. If you’re creative enough without using filters on your phone, you can still have blockbuster pics from your trip.

      Bellano, Italy, on Lake Como, in early March.

      6 Places to Visit in Italy in the Winter

      Here are six specific destinations to consider in Italy for the winter or off-season. Don’t be afraid to explore areas outside the typical big-city destinations.

      The Dolomites

      This mountain chain that spans several northern Italian regions can become your winter playground for sports or relaxing by a fire. With its close proximity to Austria, both Italian and German are commonly spoken here.

      Lake Como

      This famous destination in north Italy, just an hour by train from Milan, will lead you with charm through towns like Bellano and Bellagio. Hop on a train to traverse between towns. The ferry on the lake operates year-round although it’s on a reduced schedule in the winter. Find out more about day tripping around Lake Como with our articles here and here.

      Florence

      For the heart of Renaissance art and culture, you can’t go wrong with Florence. Find Christmas markets if you visit around the holidays, or find fewer crowds if you visit in the months thereafter. You’ve probably read enough about Florence elsewhere, so we’ll just share our article about eating in Florence, here.

      You also can find Christmas markets in Rome, Venice, and Naples. Naples is well-known for its living nativity scenes, or presepi.

      Sicily’s Mount Etna in the winter.

      Sicily

      Sicilia in the winter? It’s definitely worth considering! Bigger cities like Palermo and Catania may have enough going on to keep you busy, but smaller resort towns like Cefalu may be pretty dead, according to the blog Adventurous Kate. Still, if you want some Sicilian culture and quieter views and don’t mind some potentially rainy weather, you still could have a great trip. Some people even go skiing on Mount Etna. Plus, you’ll find several winter festivals as well as Christmas markets.

      Cortona

      The town of Cortona in Tuscany (not to be confused with Cortina, the site of the Olympics) has medieval charm and wonderful artisan markets around Christmas, according to Discover Your Italy. You can even find a Floating Christmas Tree. “This area is perfect for travelers seeking a quieter, heartfelt experience rich in culture and tradition,” Discover Your Italy reports.

      Beautiful Bormio, Italy. Picture from Wikimedia Commons.

      Bormio and Vatellina

      Yet another recommendation from Discover Your Italy, find skiing and spas in the Alps-based towns of Bormio and Vatellina in Lombardy in north Italy. The towns combine famous ski slopes with Roman-era stone pools, hydrotherapy, salt rooms, and a UNESCO railway that takes you from Tirano into Switzerland.

      Buon viaggio!