What Italian Immigrants Carried to Ellis Island — and What They Left Behind
Discover what Italian immigrants packed for their journey to Ellis Island, what they faced on arrival, and the heartbreaking things they left behind forever.
Places to visit
Italy is a country full of history, culture and outstanding natural beauty. Some must-visit places include the romantic city of Venice with its famous gondolas and canals, the capital city Rome, home to ancient ruins like the Colosseum and the Vatican City. Florence is famous for its Renaissance art and architecture. The Amalfi Coast and Cinque Terre are renowned for their stunning coastal scenery. Other notable places include the fashionable city of Milan, the picturesque region of Tuscany, the historic city of Pompeii and the beautiful islands of Sicily and Sardinia. Beyond cities and landscapes, Italy is also known for its delicious cuisine and world-class wines.
– Venice: Known for its romantic ambiance, iconic gondolas, and beautiful canals.
– Rome: The capital city is home to ancient ruins like the Colosseum and the Vatican City.
– Florence: Famous for its Renaissance art and architecture.
– Amalfi Coast: Renowned for its stunning coastal scenery.
– Cinque Terre: Another area known for remarkable coastal views.
– Milan: A fashionable city, known as a global hub for design and fashion.
– Tuscany: A picturesque region with rolling hills, vineyards and historic towns.
– Pompeii: An ancient city with well-preserved ruins from the eruption of Mount Vesuvius.
– Sicily: The largest island in the Mediterranean sea, known for its rich history and diverse architecture.
– Sardinia: A beautiful island with stunning beaches and clear blue waters.
– Italian Cuisine: Famous for its delicious food like pizza, pasta, gelato, and many regional specialties.
– Italian Wines: Italy is one of the largest wine producers in the world, with famous varieties like Chianti, Prosecco, and Barolo.
The Naples Café Tradition That Means You Can Never Be Too Poor for an Espresso
Discover caffè sospeso — the Naples tradition of paying for a stranger espresso that has been quietly transforming lives for over a century. Still alive in Neapolitan bars today.
The Pompeii Room That Has Baffled Historians for 2,000 Years
Pompeii is full of ruins. But one room stopped being a ruin a long time ago. The paintings inside are
Why the Families Who Make Italy’s Greatest Wine Still Harvest Every Grape by Hand
Every October, something unhurried happens in the hills of Piedmont. While the rest of Italy races toward winter, the Langhe slows to a halt.
What Italian Hand Gestures Really Mean — The Unspoken Language Tourists Miss
Every tourist has seen it. An Italian makes a hand gesture you don’t recognise, and suddenly the whole group laughs — except you.
The Italian Ingredient Worth More Than Gold — And Why a Dog Finds It
White truffles are the most expensive food in Italy. A single kilogram can cost more than €5,000. And no one has ever managed to grow them on purpose.
Best Time to Visit Italy: A Season-by-Season Guide for US Travellers
When is the best time to visit Italy? A practical guide for US travellers covering weather, crowd levels, prices and the top regions by season.
How to Plan a Trip to Italy from the US: Your Complete Guide
Dreaming of ancient ruins at sunrise, long lunches in the Tuscan hills, and gelato eaten on a centuries-old piazza?
Your Complete Cinque Terre Travel Guide
Few places in Italy stop people in their tracks quite like the Cinque Terre. Five brightly coloured villages clinging to
The Stone Symbols on Alberobello’s Rooftops That Still No One Can Fully Explain
Walk into Alberobello on a clear morning and something small will stop you. Not the trulli themselves — every photograph has prepared you for those.
Why One Sardinian Village Has Been Hiding Inside a Volcano for 3,000 Years
Most people know Sardinia for its turquoise coves and sun-bleached beaches. But deep in the island’s green interior, tucked inside
The Abandoned Italian Town That Nature Turned Into the World’s Most Romantic Garden
Sometime in the fourteenth century, the people of Ninfa walked away and never came back.
Why Ancient Greeks Built Their Greatest Temples Not in Athens — But in Sicily
Most people who love ancient history have never heard of Akragas. At its peak it was home to some 200,000
Easter in Italy 2026: Traditions, Food and Where to Celebrate
Easter in Italy is far more than a long weekend — it is a celebration woven into the very fabric of Italian life.
Why Italians Call Barolo the King of Wine — And What Happens If You Rush It
On a foggy October morning in Piedmont, the last grapes are still on the vine. Every other harvest in Italy is long finished.
The Roman Road That Helped Build an Empire — And Still Exists Today
On the southern outskirts of Rome, between ancient tombs and umbrella pines, the original basalt stones of the Via Appia still sit exactly where Roman…
The Ancient Paths Above the Amalfi Coast That Most Tourists Never Find
Stand anywhere on the Amalfi Coast and you’ll see the same things everyone sees: the famous road, the boats, the beautiful chaos of summer crowds.
Why a Small Tuscan Town Once Had 72 Towers — And the Rivalry That Built Them
Stand outside the walls of San Gimignano on a clear morning and you’ll see something that makes no immediate sense.
Why the Southern Tip of Puglia Remains Italy’s Best-Kept Coastal Secret
There is a coastline in Italy where limestone towers erupt straight out of the sea, where old men still mend fishing nets at dawn, and where the water…
Why the Most Beautiful Pottery in Italy Comes from a Town Nobody’s Heard Of
Walking into Deruta feels like the rest of Italy pressed pause. Plates the size of cartwheels hang from every wall.
Why the Water in the Trevi Fountain Has Been Flowing for Over 2,000 Years
The Trevi Fountain receives around 80,000 cubic metres of water every single day.