John Henderson's Travel Adventures in Rome and Beyond

March 11, 2026

An Iranian voice in Rome: Culture chief defends his nation in the throes of a deadly war

Two thousand miles from where the U.S. and Israel are peppering Iran with bombs, an Iranian in Rome waves his flag. Seyed Majid Emami is the culture chief at Rome’s Istituto Culturale dell’Iran and he says Iran’s resolve will win in the end. I sat down with him Tuesday to discuss the war that has engulfed us all.

March 10, 2026

Italy and Iran: It will help allies but Meloni declares “We are not at war”

As an American in Italy, I’m deeply connected to the war in the Middle East. With rockets flying across the region, we are scheduled to fly through Doha, Qatar, March 24 on our way to the Maldive Islands. But as a nation, Italy is already being affected by higher gas prices and blocked trade routes. Meanwhile, prime minister Giorgia Meloni declared she will not let Italy get dragged into the war.

March 9, 2026

Escaping Dubai: An American-Italian describes his ordeal getting out during a war

When the Iran War broke out Feb. 28, thousands were stranded in the Middle East, particularly Dubai where Iran bombed the airport. Domenico Marino, whom I know from our membership in the Travelers’ Century Club, was one of those passengers. He has a harrowing tale of waiting for a flight — any flight — out of a war zone. This is the first of a three-part series on the Iran War from an Italy perspective.

March 6, 2026

Learning Italian: Through Rome markets, cafés and small talk

Learning Italian is very difficult but learning a little is essential if you’re visiting Italy, particularly Rome where few speak English. Rome is a good place to learn. Markets, bars and public transportation are perfect places to learn and practice a few handy phrases. Here’s a list of tips to study before your next journey.

March 3, 2026

Edicolas: Death of the Italian newsstand as sad as the news it sells

One of my favorite routines in Rome is going to my local edicola (newsstand), buying my Corriere dello Sport and reading it at my corner Romagnani Caffe’ with a cappuccino and fagottino. But, alas, the edicola is dying in Italy. Few people read anymore. No one wants to wake early every day and sell a few newspapers. This is my look into a dying Italian tradition.

February 24, 2026

Death in Rome: An ode to a fellow American expat

The most shocking news I got while covering the Winter Olympics in Cortina wasn’t anything an athlete did or didn’t do. It was the death of one of my best American friends in Rome, John Tuthill. They found him dead in his apartment Feb. 13. We still don’t have many details. As we wait, I wrote a tribute to my drinking buddy, fellow Romanista and occasional travel companion.

February 17, 2026

Cortina Olympics memories: From beauty of the Dolomites to the agony of defeat

Covering the Olympics as a sportswriter, I’ve collected a reservoir of memories. I’ve been in Cortina for two weeks and gathered a few new ones. Here they are, from the beauty of the Dolomites to watching athletes crack under the pressure.

February 10, 2026

Cortina during Olympics: Meeting Alberto Tomba and the chic center of Italy

I’m in Cortina d’Ampezzo covering alpine skiing for Colorado Public Radio, The Olympics are always long for reporters. Many 17-hour days. Long bus rides. Major time gaps between food. But Sunday night I hit one of the most chic towns in Italy. I managed to meet three brothers from Bologna who had a pass to a party hosted by Alberto Tomba, Italy’s Olympic medalist skiing hero and eternal playboy. It was the highlight of another memorable Olympic memory.

February 3, 2026

Winter Olympics memories: From U.S.-Canada hockey to freezing my pens off, I’m returning for more

This week I’ll be in Cortina d’Ampezzo to cover my fourth Winter Olympics. This time it’s for Colorado Public Radio and National Public Radio. I hope I collect a memory I can add to my long list of memories. Here I list 10 of them, most of them uplifting, some heartbreaking. But all memorable, from the U.S.-Canada gold medal hockey game in Vancouver to the Russia House in Turin.

January 27, 2026

Bucket list 2026: From the Alps to Vietnam, from Maldive to Iran

What’s on your bucket list for 2026 travel? I’ve got mine down. I have 10 destinations ranging from Grenoble to Northern Vietnam with various deserts and islands scattered in between. I crossed off nearly every item on last year’s bucket list. Check out mine for this year and see if it inspires you to write one of your own.

January 20, 2026

New York Times 52 Places to Go 2026: My list of five that I suggested

Every January the New York Times posts a timely feature entitled 52 Places to Go. It’s one destination per week for that upcoming year. The Times has its part-time writers scour the Internet and phones for interesting places that have big events, celebrations or anniversaries. I am one of them. I send in five a year and this year they chose my suggestion of Assisi, Italy, which is celebrating the 800-year anniversary of the death of St. Francis. I write about it and my other four suggestions as my own personal Places to Go 2026.

January 16, 2026

Unusual places to visit in 2026: Rare corners for serious travelers

Tired of traveling to the “classics”? Get off the beaten path and take a chance on a place you’ve never heard of. Freelance writer Alex Martin gives plenty of suggestions and advice in today’s guest blog.

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