Destination: Italy

World Travel Watch: Deadly Heat Wave in Moscow, Underground Colosseum Tours and More

Larry Habegger rounds up global travel news

Read More »


‘No Character in a Movie Has Ever Welled Up and Sighed, ‘We’ll Always Have Stuttgart’’

That line comes from a great story by David Segal that explores the pluses and minuses for Italy as it maintains tradition amid the rush of progress and globalization.

In the eternal contest between the meticulously honed and the nationally franchised, Italy knows where it stands. As a matter of profit and loss, it doesn’t make sense to store wool in a spa and let it convalesce for six months, but the methods of Luciano Barbera were never destined for a get-rich-quick guide to manufacturing. His business will make sense only to customers, and for them, quality has a logic of its own.

And of course, the worship of growth has its limitations. The American economy is vastly more robust, but instead of family-owned bakeries, which seem to dot every hectare of Italy, we’ve got Quiznos. And for all the efficiency and horsepower in Germany, no character in a movie has ever welled up and sighed, “We’ll always have Stuttgart.”


World Travel Watch: Dress Code in Vatican City, Taxi Kidnappings in Nicaragua and More

Larry Habegger rounds up global travel news

Read More »


World Travel Watch: Volcanoes in Ecuador and Guatemala, Violence in Rome and More

Larry Habegger rounds up global travel news

Read More »


In Italy, ‘A Good Restaurant Should Come With a Bed’

On a great meal -- and an even better dinner conversation -- in Verona, Italy

Read More »


Travel Movie Watch: ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ Trailer

The movie version of Elizabeth Gilbert’s blockbuster travel book “Eat, Pray, Love” comes out this summer. The trailer was just released:

In December, World Hum contributor Liz Sinclair reported from the set in Bali.


How Air Travel is Bringing Back God

Roger Cohen has a half-baked theory:

I’ve noticed God is making a comeback. It’s not just all the craziness in the Middle East. Soccer players now look to the heavens when they score goals. Come on! A touchdown prompts skyward glances. This didn’t used to happen. It would have been considered loony. My theory is it must have something to do with air travel. Survivors of it feel compelled to search out a savior.


The Frugal Traveler: A Househusband in Italy

Matt Gross is in Italy, where his role in the family household apparently makes for a great punchline.


Must I Get ‘Off the Beaten Path’ When I Travel?

Vagabonding traveler Rolf Potts answers your questions about travel and the world

Read More »


‘If You’re Ever In Florence, You Have To Visit This Mediocre Trattoria I Know’

The Onion has a recommendation for you. (Via @mikebarish)


76-Second Travel Show: Is Italy the ‘Citizen Kane’ of Travel?

Robert Reid goes on a quest to find out -- and David Farley ponders the importance of quests while traveling

Watch the Video »


Interview with Susan Van Allen: ‘100 Places in Italy Every Woman Should Go’

Interview with Susan Van Allen: ‘100 Places in Italy Every Woman Should Go’ Photo courtesy of Susan Van Allen

Eva Holland asks the author why female travelers (and travel writers) are so drawn to Italy

Read More »


Photo You Must See: Santa and his Gondola

Photo You Must See: Santa and his Gondola REUTERS/STRINGER Italy
REUTERS/STRINGER Italy

In Venice, a man dressed as Santa Claus distributes candy from a special Christmas gondola.


Gawker’s Guide to Staying Out of Foreign Prisons

In the wake of American exchange student Amanda Knox’s murder conviction in Italy this weekend, Gawker offers a “Foxy Knoxy-inspired guide” to avoiding arrest while traveling overseas. Among the tips? Never underestimate the outside world’s prudishness, and the always-cogent “Don’t start shit.”


The Audacity of David

michelangelo's david Photo by see.lauren, via Flickr (Creative Commons)

Christopher Seneca was losing faith in the world. Then he went to see Michelangelo's masterpiece.

Read More »