Travel and Leisure is All About Italy

This month's Travel and Leisure magazine is full of information about several Italian cities, including Milan, Venice, Rome, Florence, Amalfi and even a few out of the way spots. Find out about American Ballet Theatre's newest star, Robert Bolle, and his favorite spots in his hometown, Milan. Travel and Leisure's Italy expert, Valerie Waterhouse, shares some secrets about Venice. Affordable and stylish hotels in Rome and Florence are featured, and an authentic family restaurant in San Cesareo, near Rome, is recommended.

Raphael at the Villa Farnesina

Rome is filled with masterpieces. But the Villa Farnesina is without a doubt one of the jewels in Rome's crown. Built in the 16th century for Agostino Chigi, one of Italy's richest and most influential bankers, the Villa boasts frescoes by the master Raphael and other famous Renaissance painters del Sebastiano del Piombo and Baldassare Peruzzi. Located on the western bank of the Tiber in Trastevere, the Villa is in what was once considered the suburbs of Rome but is now the heart of modern Rome's bohemian quarter. The famous Sala della Galatea (pictured) and Logge delle Cupid and Psyche of Raphael have inspired countless artists for centuries and continue to do so today. The luxurious and intimate setting of the Villa will bring you closer to the artists' works than you have ever been and truly make you feel as if you are Italian nobility yourself. The Villa is open from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm every day except Sundays and holidays, so get there early to soak in the magical view of Peruzzi's Salone delle Prospettive.

The Frugal Traveler Visits Venice and Milan

New York Times blogger Matt Gross (a.k.a the Frugal Traveler) recently visited Italy with his wife and newborn baby girl. On the agenda were Venice and Milan. His posts last week were filled with all kinds of tips on visiting Venice with an infant and finding comfortable and stylish accommodations on a budget in Milan. If you are at all hesitant to take Junior on his first trip to Italy-don't worry! It can be done, even in winter, and you can still have a ton of fun. Remember, Italians love babies.

Budget Travel Answers Your Rome Questions

Do you have specific questions about visiting Rome that Molto Italy can't answer for you? Pop over to Budget Travel, where Kate Appleton, one of BT's editors, will answer your queries. Recent topics include where to stay and sightsee if you are a woman traveling alone, kid friendly spots, and how to save your Euros.

Trattoria Baldovino in Florence

You’ve been walking all day. The line at the Duomo was brutal. You finally made it to Piazza Santa Croce where the sun is shining and the crowds have thinned. But you’re hungry. Starving. Where should you go? There are a million choices-but how do you know the difference between what’s good what’s a tourist trap? Baldovino to the rescue! Located just a few steps to the left of Santa Croce at Via Giuseppe 22 (and 22r), you will find a restaurant and wine bar that’s refreshing in attitude, decor and cuisine. At the trattoria they have traditional Tuscan dishes like ribolitta (vegetable and bread soup) and the enoteca/caffe serves countless salads-perfect for lunch. The restaurant is light and airy, the wine selection is unique, and you can’t beat the location. Baldovino is actually owned by Scottish expatriates, which explains the departure from the typical Tuscan trattoria menu and decor. Buon gusto!

May 15 Angels and Demons

Set almost entirely in Rome, the movie based on Dan Brown’s book, Angels and Demons, will premier on May 15th. Word is that the moviemakers (including director Ron Howard) were banned from filming in any churches in Italy because the last Dan Brown film, The Da Vinci Code, portrayed the Catholic church in such a negative light. But apparently some shots of the Vatican will make it on the big screen-thanks to secret cameras! If you didn’t see the trailer on SuperBowl Sunday, watch it here.

The Roman Chocolate Factory

Since 1923, SAID chocolate has been providing Perugina and other famous Italian chocolatiers with the finest chocolate around. Just in time for Easter, you too can be a part of Italy's chocolate dream when you visit the SAID Antica Fabbrica del Cioccolato in the neighborhood of San Lorenzo (Via Tiburtina 135). Closed in the summer months (no proper Italian would dream of drinking hot chocolate until autumn!) SAID offers tours of its facility as well as countless chocolate products ranging from milk to dark, alcoholic to ricotta filled. There is even a restaurant if you want to make an evening of it!

Anapo River Retreat in Siracusa

Just outside Siracusa, on the banks of the Anapo River, is an old masseria, or farming estate, that has been converted into a unique and stylish hotel. Surrounded by fields of flowers and fruit-bearing trees, the Caol Ishka Hotel is modern and rustic all at once. You'll appreciate the infinity pool after a day touring Siracusa's archaeological preserve (just a 15 minute drive away) and if you are feeling adventurous, take a canoe trip down the Anapo to its mouth in the Bay of Siracusa. From there you will have a gorgeous view of Ortygia, the ancient and Baroque part of Siracusa. Prices start at 190 Euros in the high season-not bad for a luxurious, peaceful escape.

How to Swim in the Blue Grotto

People will say that the Blue Grotto on Capri isn't worth it. Well, if you don't like wonders of nature, pristine water, and ancient mysteries, then maybe it isn't worth it. But perhaps the rigmarole of hiring a boat to take you from the harbor to the grotto and then hiring another little boat to take you into the cave itself is a bit tiresome. So forget going by boat. Swim there! This is how you do it (it's best if you are staying overnight on the island so that you can leave your possessions-and clothing-at your hotel).
1. Wait until after 5:00 so that the tour boats have all left. You don't want to get run over by anyone.
2. Make sure you are wearing only your bathing suit (you can bring a t-shirt or cover-up with you for decency's sake). Maybe you'd like to bring goggles too.
3. From Anacapri find the Via Grotta Azzurra. Follow this until you reach the stairs for the Grotta Azzurra.
4. Descend the stairs (not a short walk!).
5. Make sure that the sun is still shining brightly, the tide is very low and that the seas are calm. Very calm.
6. Dive in! Swim into the cave! (Watch your head). Marvel at the magic of the light reflecting off the water and the floor of the sea.
7. Swim out. (Watch your head).
8. Splash around outside the cave as the sun goes down. Never forget this moment.
Disclaimer: The Modern Traveler is not responsible for any injuries sustained in the Blue Grotto.

Beer Tasting in Trastevere

Popular Trastevere watering hole Bir e Fud is having a beer tasting event on Wednesday, March 4th at 7:00 pm. Fantome is a Belgian beer from the town of Soy and is known in by those "in the know" for its seasonally changing ingredients and quirky brewer, Dany Prignon. 4 of his beers will be on tap for the occasion. If you want to be a part of the tasting, be sure to make a reservation by Tuesday as these events are always sold out! Email mirkocaretta@gmail.com or call 001.39.06.5561677.

The Archaeology of Ancient Agrigento

Agrigento, a famous Greek colony, is an incredible archaeological site located in the heart of Southern Sicily. If you have been disappointed by the state of the ruins of Greek temples in Greece, Agrigento (ancient Akragas) will give you what you've been seeking. The Valley of the Temples boasts several well-preserved Doric temples (and some in ruins) overlooking the rugged Sicilian landscape and the sea. The town's archaeology museum, located in the Convent of San Nicola, contains regional artifacts from prehistory to the Hellenistic era. Don't miss this site, one of UNESCO's treasures.

The Last Emperor Opens in the US

"The Last Emperor," the documentary about the life and career of Roman designer Valentino, opens in the US in March. The Film Forum in NYC on March 18th is the first venue for this exciting movie that has all the fashion world talking. The movie provides an inside look at the high fashion world and all its foibles, and most endearingly portrays Valentino Garavani's 50 year relationship with his partner Giancarlo Giammeti. If you can't get to Manhattan for the show, see it in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago and Dallas.

Tour Sicily by Cycle

InnTravel, a British holiday outfit, is offering unique bicycle tours of Italy. There are two tours of Sicily: The Realm of the Baroque, which is a gentle tour of the beaches, ruins and cathedrals of southeast Sicily (Siracusa and Ragusa are included) and Golden Cities, a more challenging ride through western Sicily beginning at Monreale, travelling down to Selinunte and ending in Marsala. The tours include bicycle rental, hotel accommodations, breakfast and many other meals. The tour company transports your baggage for you from town to town so you can be free to enjoy the scenery as you ride unencumbered. InnTravel also offers biking and walking tours and villa rentals in many other regions of Italy, including Sardinia and the Veneto.

Taormina's Pasticceria Etna

Fruits made of marzipan (frutti di martarona), candied oranges, torroni and cannoli. These are the famous sweets of Sicily. Pasticceria Etna in Taormina does it best and has since 1963. The shop's owner, Giuseppe Chemi, has won Italian awards for his pastries and makes decorating his shop windows with spectacular confectionery creations a priority. Be sure to stop in while you are walking on Taormina's main shopping street (Corso Umberto #112).

Chocolate Covered Eggplant by the Cathedral

An Amalfi Coast specialty is chocolate covered eggplant: melanzana in salsa di cioccolato. It sounds unusual but some restaurants have been making this dessert for a century. In particular, Da Gemma in Amalfi, with its terrace set back from the main piazza, is truly an Amalfi Coast classic. You'll love the seafood and regional dishes-and the view of the Duomo. Via Fra Gerardo Sasso 11.

Emporio Le Sirenuse in Positano

Le Sirenuse (The Sirens) is indisputably one of the best hotels in Positano. But not only is it unique, luxurious and quintessentially Italian, but it is also right across the street from its own boutique, Emporio Le Sirenuse. The shop is run by Carla Sersale, the daughter-in-law of Antonio Sersale, the hotel's owner. Here you can find everything in exquisite taste: ballet flats by Porselli, Laura Urbinati swimwear, Faraone Mennella jewelry, Venetian glassware and bohemian textiles by Lisa Corti. The shop is Suzy Gershman's (Born to Shop Italy) favorite store in all of Italy. Diverti te! 30 Via Colombo.

The Villa Borghese Card-More Ways to Save Euros

For the low price of 10 Euros you can purchase the Villa Borghese Card which will get you into one of the sites in the Villa Borghese for free, and the rest of the sites at reduced admission. The sites include the Galleria Borghese (you must book in advance), the Villa Giulia (Etruscan collections) and the Museo Carlo Bilotti. The card also gets you discounts at countless bookstores in the museums, the zoo, cafes, cinemas, parking and even scooter rental! You can even use the card for reduced admission to the Villa Medici, home to the French Academy in Rome. The card is good for one year and can be purchased at various points around Rome including Termini train station and Fiumicino airport. The Villa Borghese is the perfect place for kids in Rome. This card is definitely worth it!

Trattoria Garibaldi in Marsala

Western Sicily is not for the faint of heart. It's remote (although there are direct flights to Palermo from Rome) and English is definitely NOT spoken with regularity. But among the many hidden treasures of western Sicily is the North African cuisine, a remnant of the 250 year Berber occupation of the 10th and 11th centuries. Marsala, a town known also for its wine (more on that later) is home to Trattoria Garibaldi. Here, among the steady crowds in the multicolored rooms, you will find what is arguably the best fish couscous in Sicily. The dish is complicated to make but Trattoria Garibaldi gets it right-and it's hailed as the region's finest. The wine list is nice too, so be sure to pick out something regional-a Donnafugata, perhaps.

Carthusia di Capri-Perfume from the Middle Ages

According to legend, in 1380 the monks at the Carthusian monastery on Capri accidentally created a gorgeous perfume from the dregs of water left in a vase full of Caprese wildflowers. Centuries later the formula for the perfume was rediscovered and Carthusia, I Profumi di Capri, was established. The scents today are still made by hand according to the centuries-old methods and each fragrance is hand-bottled as well. Be sure to stop by the shop and factory when you are visiting Capri. Not only will the scents delight your nose, but you can feast your eyes on the beautiful view of the Tyrrhenian Sea while you shop.

The Saldi Bus

The city of Rome is so committed to bringing customers to its city center sales that it has provided an express bus from Termini Station to the shopping district during Saldi season. The 100 will take you straight downtown and operates every 6 minutes, from 10:30 am to 8:30 pm, 7 days a week. Better hurry as Saldi season ends on February 13th!