Italy

Lombardy in Northern Italy is often skipped in favor of more popular tourist destinations in the south of Italy – but let me tell you why you should visit Lombardy:

The costs of traveling in Italy are right in the middle of the pack in terms of European travel, but the idea of luxurious villas and indulgent food and wine in Tuscany tends to scare off budget travelers. However, with just a little clever pre-planning, travelers in any budget range can discover this beautiful region on a shoestring, without sacrificing any of the indulgence that makes Tuscany a must-visit destination.

Last week I got to return to one of my favorite countries in the world: Italy! Not only did I ate copious amounts of pasta, but I also walked the historic Via Amerina to Rome.

In 400 days of travel, we have had countless unforgettable travel moments, and share with you here our tops & flops, travel mishaps, favorite experiences and travel recommendations.

I finally visited the north of Italy, a part of the country I neglected during almost all of my 12 visits to the country. Now I wish I would’ve come earlier…

Venice was the last stop on my little tour of northern Italy, and it is safe to say that I picked the perfect place for a truly grand finale.

Another amazing year is coming to an end – our 2nd as full-time travelers! It’s hard to believe just how much we have done this year…check out some of our photo highlights of 2011!

We have come across quite a few market oddities during our travels in Central America – a basket of live iguanas tied-up and ready to be cooked in Leon; fried grasshoppers and the last squeal of a pig’s life in Oaxaca – but never anything like what we saw in the Tuscan town of Lucca this week.

It had been years since I last strolled down the narrow streets of Rome’s Trastevere neighborhood.. and I was happy to discover that it hadn’t lost any of its charm!

Attention cat lovers: The towns and villages in Tuscany are filled with cats. Italian mamas and grandmas love these four-legged cuddly animals as do we! Check out this cutie pie sunning himself under the Tuscan sun.