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Rosetta Constantino joins me on the show to talk about her beloved Calabria and the joy the food of this magnificent region has brought her and her family for generations.  Most importantly she now shares it with you through her AMAZING cookbook titled My Calabria. If you love Italian food, want to learn how to cook real Italian food, want to learn how to jar tomatoes, wish to learn the secrets of regional Italian cooking, or simply want to explore southern Italy then this cookbook and segment are for you. This is without a doubt one of the best cookbooks I have had the pleasure to read and cook from for regional Italian cuisine.    

Rebecca Bricker re-joins me on the show to talk about her wonderful Artisan Studios and Specialty Shopping experiences in Florence. Rebecca, now a local in Florence, spends her days seeking out the Italian dream of experiences authentic artisan shops and delivering the finest the Florence has to offer. Imagine a glass of wine with an authentic sculptor, jewelery maker, paper maker, tassle maker, or art restorer?   These tucked away gems come to life with Rebecca and she graces the airwaves with me to share how and why she chose to focus on Artisan Florence. Visit http://rebeccabricker.com/travel-with-me/florence

Chiara Certoma joins me to share her passion for the beloved region of Chianti and talks how it is a unique place in Italy. With so many travelers visiting the region it has been able to maintain its unique identity while fulfilling travelers dreams of a perfect Italy. Her project Chiant Experiences (www.chiantiexperiences.com) brings stories of this amazing region to life and allows travelers to share why Chianti is one of the most visited wine regions in Italy.  

Join Molly Mcllwrath of Context Travel and I as we talk about the wonderful history and secret passages of Palazzo Vecchio. We'll take you on a virtual tour of the Salon of the 500, the works of Vasari, the Duke of Athens stairwell, the trusses of Vasari, two private rooms with hidden doorways, and the overlooked little doorway that leads to a safe escape from inside the Palazzo to the streets of Florence. We dive into Dante too talking about his influence on Florence and the literary world and how Florence was quite a different place in his day.

Join Joe La Panna and I as we sip and talk our way through a delicious bottle of Il Molino di Grace Chianti Classico. Joe shares his experiences he enjoyed while at the vineyard enjoying their delicious wines with the owners and winemakers themselves. He also shares some basics about Italian wines and how to decipher the labels between regions and DOC listings. Be sure to buy a bottle of your own and enjoy it as you listen to this segment from the Italian Wine section of Howtotouritaly.com

My friend Andy Steves joined me for his second segment offering tips on where to go and more importantly where not to go to enjoy an evening out in Rome. Andy provides tips on neighborhoods where you'll enjoy late night Rome with the locals, why certain piazzas are over-crowded with tourists and, as a result, those annoying flower and junk peddlers. We talk about Trastevere, Testaccio, and San Lorenzo near Termini. There's a few tips about why glass bottles aren't a good option anymore and why jumping into a fountain is never a good idea.

Anna Zizzi joins Jennifer Schwartz on the show to talk about why  the Trulli in Puglia make for a terrific stay, what the "grafitti" means on their roofs, some fun history, and what makes them so wonderful. Anna and her family own I Sette Coni which translates to 7 Cones and welcome you with a warm smile to stay in her family's B&B.  Imagine staying in your own Trulli.  Few people in the world can say that! Visit their site at http://www.isetteconi.com to enjoy their pictures and book your reservation. The interview is in Italian while Jennifer translates.  It makes for a wonderful interview.

If you're looking for an authentic, relaxing, enjoyable, beautiful experience in Tuscany only 12 minutes away from Florence by local train Villa Il Paradisino is just what you need. Costanza and her wonderful family will welcome you with open arms in to their spacious and beautifully groomed villa where the whole family can enjoy a cooking class, sit by the pool, pick ripe fruits and vegetables, or just sip some wine. visit www.villailparadisino.it to learn more, book your room and enjoy their pictures. This is one of my favorite places in Italy.

Elizabeth Minchilli joined me on the show to talk about her fantastic apps (Eat Rome, Eat Florence, and Eat Venice, and soon to come Eat Italy), her wonderful books, and her fabulous tours. Please be sure to visit her website at http://www.elizabethminchilliinrome.com and click along as you listen.  

Margie Miklas has a love affair with Italy and was kind enough to share her travels through Bell'Italia in her wonderful book, Memoirs of a Solo Traveler; My Love Affair with Italy.   You can find it as an ebook or softcover book on Amazon, B&N and other great bookstores.   Visit her profile on www.howtotouritaly.com and click on books, blog, or radio show.   You can find even more wonderful details and stories about Italy on her marvelous blog www.margieinitaly.wordpress.com   This is a must read book if you love Italy and want to experience every step of a wonderful visit to Bella Terre.

Sheila Parry of CiaoLunigiana.com joins me to discuss why Lunigiana in Northern Tuscany is simply amazing.  Dotted with hilltop castles, majestic views, delicious food, a short drive to the coast and the Cinque Terre, the Lunigiana is a perfect spot in Tuscany for a visit for any Italophile. Be sure to visit CiaoLunigiana.com for lots of fun details on the region, to book hotels, learn about the region's delicious food, and book your tours.

Enjoy one of Italy's best museums in the heart of Florence.  This In Situ segment describes the history of the building and the the works you'll enjoy. You'll enjoy a Drunk Bacchus by Michelangelo, the mad turkey of Giambologna, a couple of Davids by Donetello and Verrochio, and the competitive panels for the competition to win the commission for the doors of the Baptistery. This accessible, and rarely busy museum is a perfect stop even if you're not a museum lover.  It's well organized and important works of art will bring a smile to your face and put to use that art history class from college in a fun and enlightening way. As you listen click along on www.howtotouritaly.com for images to support the In Situ segment on our sights page.  

Just a few tips and tricks to using the trains in Italy like how to read the signs, what the abbreviations stand for, and how to plan your trip using a rail pass. You can buy your tickets from Howtotouritalycom/save There is also a video on how to use the auto-ticket machine at the train station. Follow us on Twitter @howtotouritaly and you can like us on Facebook from our home page.

This beautiful outdoor museum has a long history and filled with spectacular sculptures. It's only steps away from where the original David stood, Palazzo Vechhio, and nestled in Piazza Signoria. You'll learn about the history of the Loggia and the statues you'll see from a historical and mythological perspective.