ROME – Eiffel Tower? Went up when I was seven. Tower of London? Check. Coliseum? Of course. But what do I really remember? Maybe my child-size visits weren’t enough for a lifetime.
PARMA, Italy – The designer names are (almost) overwhelming: Chanel, Cavalli, Balenciaga, Gucci, Vuitton. But I come for only one: Hermès. I don't know if I should curtsy or applaud.
PANTELLERIA, Italy – If true escape is what you're looking for, Pantelleria is your place. The bleak ruggedness of the island, the anti-Capri of it all, makes it worth the flight from Rome.
Summer is travel-to-Italy season. What does that mean? You will meet a new pasta shape. You will yell at the GPS. And you'll wonder if you're in the right Monte. And that's just the beginning.
LE MARCHE, Italy – Italians don't value scheduled time in the way Americans do. Still, they'll give you incredibly tasty dishes to distract you from it.
FLORENCE, Italy – It's a baroque explosion of vaulted ceilings, endless rooms, and gilding galore. You'd be forgiven for thinking you were a long-lost Medici in this stunning perch.
VENICE – I could have spent more time at Harry's Bar having Bellinis. My local friends will never go there, but I do not care if it is for tourists only. I love it!
PORTO ERCOLE, Italy – My family and I recently spent a few languid days of sun, spa, and signature jumbo club sandwiches delivered poolside. Dolce vita indeed.
