Europe

August 16, 2023

Ferragosto: Italy’s national holiday to launch summer holidays is my favorite time in Rome

Every Aug. 15, all of Italy takes off for most of the remaining month. Ferragosto has been around since Emperor Augustus proclaimed it in the 1st century AD. Today, Italians head to the mountains or sea. I do not. I stay and enjoy Rome at the most quiet time of the year. I roamed the city Tuesday to get a feel for a city void of chaos and rush.

August 8, 2023

My 10 favorite trips: From Nepal to French Polynesia

Being a former sportswriter, I’m into top 10 lists. Top 10 restaurants. Top 10 wines. Top 10 travel tales from hell. With my annual trip to Skopelos, Greece, approaching, I thought I’d do my top 10 trips of my life. I’ve traveled for 45 years and been to 110 countries. This lists stretches from Ecuador to French Polynesia.

August 1, 2023

Mediterranean diet: It’s why Italians are healthier than Americans and why I’m glad I left the United States

I received a clean bill of health from my annual checkup Wednesday, and I firmly believe a big reason is I moved to Italy nine years ago. Its Mediterranean diet has so many more benefits than the American diet. From its all-natural ingredients to the emphasis of wine over beer, Italians enjoy the sixth-longest life expectancy in the world. The U.S. is 47th.

July 25, 2023

Italy and climate change: It’s hot as Hell here and all signs say it will only get worse

It’s hot as hell here in Rome. It hit a record 109 degrees last week. I mercifully got my living room air conditioner fixed but that’s only a temporary solution to the bigger problem facing Italy. Like the rest of Europe, Italy is facing massive consequences due to climate change. People are dying from the heat; people are evacuating fires. People who say climate change is a hoax haven’t spent time in Rome this month. This is my analysis.

July 18, 2023

Joan of Arc: In Rouen, her legacy still burns bright 600 years after she burned for France

The Normandy town of Rouen is more than just a nice escape from Paris. It’s also the site of where Joan of Arc burned at the stake in 1431. Much of the town is dedicated to one of the saviors of France as it has a museum and church in her honor and a giant cross on the site of the pyre. It’s next to a beautiful public market.

July 11, 2023

Mont Saint-Michel: Normandy’s sandcastle in the sky is Disney worthy but watch your step

Mont Saint-Michel started out as a little chapel inspired by a vision of St. Michael but over 1300 years has developed into one of the top tourist attractions in France. It still serves as a church and we were lucky enough to attend a noon mass after surviving a crowded walk to the top.

July 4, 2023

Normandy and July 4th: A riveting walk through the bloody World War II battle that changed the world

The D-Day Invasion of Normandy’s beaches on June 6, 1944 turned the war in the Allied Forces’ favor. We did a tour of the beaches, cemetery, memorial and museum and saw what it was like that day and the bloody three months that followed. On America’s Independence Day, I think it’s appropriate to post a blog about the place that changed the world forever.

June 27, 2023

Italy regional guide Part II: From Molise to Veneto

Italy’s 20 regions stretch from the Mediterranean to the Alps and all are oh, so different. Last week I wrote about the first 10 in alphabetical order. This week it’s the next 10, from the undiscovered villages of Molise to the tourist flood in Venice.

June 20, 2023

Italy regional guide: From Sicily to Trentino, 20 regions to stimulate your vacation shopping

Italy has 20 regions. Each one could qualify as its own country. They have their geography, customs, cuisine, history and dialect. I’ve been to 19 of them. If you’re dreaming of an Italian vacation but don’t know where to go, use this as a guide. This is the first 10 regions in alphabetical order. I’ll post the other 10 next week.

June 6, 2023

Tropea: If “Italy’s Most Beautiful Village” is good enough for Hercules, it’s good enough for me

Calabria is Italy’s least-developed region, its most rural, but Tropea is its pearl. It was awarded the Most Beautiful Village in Italy in 2021. I spent a week there working on a book and loved my sea view and the relatively empty beaches. The food was great and the people friendly. And easy to reach from Rome.

May 30, 2023

A.S. Roma on cusp of its highest European pinnacle and a city is about to explode

I’ve only been an A.S. Roma fan for only 21 of the club’s 96 years of existence but Wednesday night I may witness its highest achievement on the European stage. We play Sevilla in Budapest for the Europa League title. The implications are huge. It not only moves our 2022-23 year from oblivion to the Champions League next season, but it also may have an effect on whether manager Jose Mourinho stays for the last year of his contract. A city is on edge.

May 23, 2023

Italian wedding in the rain: Nothing can dampen romance on a lakeside paradise

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I’ve been to my share of Italian weddings but Saturday’s in the lakeside ville of Anguillara Sabazia was different. Short and sweet, heavy on scenery, food and reception. Marina shot the wedding and I tagged along for support and a slice of true Italian culture.

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