There are many great culinary centers around the world; spots made famous either entirely or in part for their rich food history. My favorite though is without hesitation the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. Although not a place many Americans know about, they really should because it’s from the towns, cities and farms spread across the area where some of Italy’s, and the world’s, most famous dishes and ingredients all got their start. The complete list of delicacies that hail from here would, and have, comprise an entire book so today I want to instead share some of my favorite bites, all of which are easy to try on your own…

Home to such iconic Italian names like lasagna, balsamic vinegar, Ferrari and Fellini, this week we’re exploring the fascinating Emilia-Romagna region. Although you may not be familiar with the name of the region, you absolutely know about its cities, towns and products that are amongst the most famous in Italy. This week we learn more about my favorite part of the country. You can listen to the podcast here on this page or on any of these services: iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher. In a country as diverse and amazing as Italy it’s hard to pick a favorite part, but for me it’s the Emilia- Romagna region. One of Europe’s…

I don’t normally make it the focus of my travels, if there’s an opportunity for me to visit a UNESCO World Heritage Site, I always make sure I stop. In 1972 the UN, through the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, began recognizing important sites around the world that they consider vital in order to maintain the cultural and natural heritage we have all inherited. Even though I haven’t even scratched the surface of visiting the more than 1,000 sites in every corner of the planet, I have been to quite a few and think every traveler should make a point to visit them if they can. To show the width and…

Until just a few months ago, my opinion on Rome was fairly muted. I had only visited once before and that was for 1 day many years ago. Somehow I had missed returning until late last year when, in the span of just a couple of months, I found myself in the Eternal City not once, but twice. In the process, I discovered a city that I very quickly fell in love with, from its delicious food to the inviting plazas and of course the history found around every corner. Those trips quickly erased years of travel neglect and instilled in me a very sudden, but deep love of Rome.…

Last year, I had the somewhat unique opportunity to join two very different Mediterranean cruises; one with Azamara Club Cruises and the other with Viking Ocean. Both started in Barcelona and ended in Rome, but many of the ports of call and certainly the experiences were very different from one another. One of the commonalities though was spending time at the Tuscan cruise port in Livorno. It’s from this base where cruises launch excursions to visit the broader Tuscany region but especially Florence and Pisa. On both cruises I spent time in Pisa, although on different excursion styles and so, oddly enough, I have spent nearly a full day exploring…

There are few places in the word as famous for its food than Italy. There’s just something special about traditional Italian cuisine that sets it apart from most of its neighbors. I’ve never seen a Swiss restaurant near where I live, but there are plenty of Italian bistros and there’s a reason for that. Italian food speaks to our souls in a way few other cuisines manage, so whenever I visit Italy food is of course an important part of the experience. I’ve enjoyed many great meals and food experiences in Italy, but here are some of my favorites, many of which go beyond simple pleasure and helped me better…

Food has become an increasingly important aspect of the travel experience for me, as I think it has for most people. Not only is the modern traveler more educated when it comes to all things delicious, but even the smallest of cities around the world are undergoing what I call a foodie renaissance spurred on by young and energetic chefs. The result is a travel landscape where food and drink play a starring role, so it’s weird that I haven’t written about food lately as much as I normally do. Purely the result of forgetfulness and not from a lack of experiences, today I want to quickly look back at…

I like quirky places, destinations that are a little different or unusual and, in most cases, the world’s smallest countries all fall neatly into this category. Usually formed due to a complex and politically unusual history, these microstates have embraced their stature, showing a fierce pride in what is ultimately a very small piece of real estate. I’ve had the great pleasure to visit many small countries around the world, including these personal favorites. Malta The quirky island nation of Malta in the Mediterranean has a long and important history, but it’s one not many people actually know a lot about. Long considered by Europeans as a sunny getaway, others…

There are certain places around the world that seem to be on every Must-Visit list, featured on TV shows and in movies and attract an unlikely high number of travel writers and bloggers. I’ve never really figured out the reason, but they exist and Lucca is one of those rarefied cities. Locate in Italy’s romantic Tuscany region, I remember first hearing about Lucca while watching an episode of “House Hunters International.” Ever since then, and after thousands of times reading about it, I’ve wanted to visit, to see if it really is as special as the world seems to think. I recently had that opportunity, while visiting Tuscany as part…