Little Roads Unfiltered: Italy and Beyond

Send us Fan Mail On this episode we’re talking about our real lives here in Italy; in particular, what we've been up these past few weeks, through the first half of June. Among other things, you’ll hear about...  - the worms that ruined our week; - where to get the best Chinese food in Florence; and  - why a hairball was the best thing to happen to us all month! We'll discuss a museum in...

Send us Fan Mail Today we’re talking about our one and only visit to Zurich Switzerland, way back in 2008 - long before we started our travel business. We'll discuss the mistakes we made, and what we learned as a result - much of which informed how we now advise our clients who travel on our Little Roads Europe itineraries.  Among other things, you’ll hear about…: - The Swiss dessert that loo...

Send us Fan Mail Joining us today is our friend Tati. She is an American who lives in the Netherlands. A few years ago we met through Trusted Housesitters, a service we used to find sitters when we are on the road in Italy or elsewhere Since then, we have become friends, and she has come to Soriano several times. And since Tati’s life is so interesting, we thought she would be a perfect guest on o...

Send us Fan Mail We talk about what we've been up to this past month - concerts, birthdays, cats and more, and including our recent research trip up north, into the Italian Alpine lakes. Among other things, you’ll hear about…: - the priceless artwork we acquired on this trip; - how we spent Zen’s birthday; and  - the pasta that should have been a dessert. Food, wine, churches in cliffs, swans...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we chat about our experience with home improvements with our own little house here in Italy - what we did ourselves, what work we had done, what we learned and what we screwed up.  From gas to plumbing to electric to walls (building and tearing down) to installing furniture and appliances and solar panels, we've done a bit of everything.  It's a good topi...

Send us Fan Mail We have a special guest with us today - Natalie Smargiassi, an Italian-American who moved to Italy a few years ago. She has a house in Gallese, a neighboring town of Soriano.  We chat with Natalie about the path that led her to move to Italy, the things she did to get her house set up, and the interesting and fun things about her town and her region, from food to festivals to hist...

Send us Fan Mail We’re currently on the road on a research trip, exploring the areas around Italy's Alpine Lakes.  So today we thought we’d talk about some of the more quirky and unusual places that we’ve visited up in those areas in the past.  Among other things, today you’ll hear about…: - the stuffed crocodile in the cathedral;  - the church carved into the cliff;  - and how a menorah fits...

Send us Fan Mail This week's episode is about our favorite second hand shops and antique markets in Italy. Among other things, you'll hear about: -Where you can find a suit of armor  -The market near one of our favorite Roman bakeries -The no-name market in a HUGE ancient monastery Join us to hear all about our favorite secondhand shops and antique markets!  Want to know more about us an...

Send us Fan Mail Today we’re talking about Northern Ireland and some sites there that are connected to Game of Thrones -  Among other things, you’ll hear about: - where to get upscale handmade Game of Thrones jewelry - the haunted pub near a GoT filming site - the best castle tower to stay in and show off your laundry to the royals Come and join us as we nerd out about a few of our favorite spots...

Send us Fan Mail We'll talk all about our experience living and working in Italy this past month. Among other things, for this month’s episode, you’ll hear about: - A wedding; - home improvements; - and the foreskin of Jesus Christ himself. Join us as we aim to give listeners a glimpse of real life in Italy! Want to know more about us and our travel services? Find us at:  www. LittleRoadsEuro...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we talk about Easter in Italy - the food, the events, and the way we've experienced it here over the years.  Among other things, you’ll hear about: - what an exploding cart has to do with Easter - what was the nicest Easter gift we've received since living here in Italy - how a dove is made into a cake. Want to know more about us and our travel services?...

Send us Fan Mail Today we’re talking about one of our favorite spots in Italy - the lake, the towns around it, the food in it, and a few unusual sights in the vicinity.  We’ll discuss The local delicacy that they call “Fish Queen”; a hidden Leaning Tower in the woods; and a castle passageway so narrow they have a stoplight to even walk through it. We'll talk about the special foods of this ar...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we talk about our progress as Italian language speakers. Specifically, we share a bunch of stories of the many situations in which we got things wrong – to a funny and sometimes embarrassing degree.  We discuss what oysters have to do with an eye exam; why mentioning fruits and vegetables might get you in trouble; and why Matt used to unintentionally describe his j...

Send us Fan Mail Though we enjoy lots of nice romantic experiences that happen spontaneously, we seem to be under a sort of curse when it comes to planning romantic events.  On this special Valentine’s Day episode, we’re going to share some of our funniest and most memorable romantic disasters, where our plans went quite askew. You’ll hear about the head injury Zen got on our 19th anniversary; the...

Send us Fan Mail This week we talk all about what foods to look for when you visit the Emerald Isle. We list our favorite chocolate maker, tell a few stories about things that happened in Irish pubs, and share which is our favorite breakfast fish.  Join us for our chat about food in Ireland! Want to know more about us and our travel services? Find us at:  www. LittleRoadsEurope.com www.facebook.co...

Send us Fan Mail For this week's episode, we're doing something a bit different: Zen took the night off from chatting, and instead I sit and chat with my friend John Kissingford, who’s been a friend of mine for over 4 decades – since our high school days in Long Island.  We reminisce about old times, playing the cello, fencing, skiing, and Shakespeare; and we talk about some of the ancie...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we explain what it was like getting our Italian drivers' licenses, and we give our best tips to people facing this very difficult test.  Lots of fun anecdotes along the way, and new music too: a parody version of the Beach Boys song "Fun, Fun, Fun" with Matt on vocals, cello, guitar... and Fiat 500 car horn.  Want to know more about us and our trave...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we talk about some basics for a first-time visitor to Scotland - what to eat, how to handle driving, what to expect from visiting there, and more. We'll also tell you where you can find a stone that predicts the future, where the legend of the original “Red Wedding” took place, and where you can get a Philly cheesesteak in small town Scotland.   Matt recorded...

Send us Fan Mail We are contacted dozens a times a year on this topic, by people who want our advice on how to choose a region, a neighborhood, and a home. So here is our best advice!  A few pointers about some potential legal issues, some tips on how to figure out the best region for you, and a lot of ideas about how to focus on specific things you are looking for in the home itself.  Want to kno...

Send us Fan Mail I lost a little over 30 pounds in 5 months, and after I mentioned it on social media a while back, a listener wrote and asked “How did you do it?”  So we thought we would dedicate a podcast to it, since all the changes we made were pretty extreme.  I did a complete diet change, and Matt joined me with it. We are both stronger and healthier, one year in. In this podcast, I explain...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we talk all about our experiences with the Natale holidays that we've had since moving to Italy six years ago - the food, the people, the celebrations... and did we mention the food?  We’ll tell you where to see nativity scenes year-round, why a witch on a broom is part of the Christmas holiday, and talk about what Christmas is like for us here in Italy.  We r...

Send us Fan Mail We're back for the second season of our podcast! This week, we talk about visiting restaurants in Italy: Everything you need to know, from booking your table, to the order of courses – there are lots! – to paying the bill and tipping.  We also explain why pizza isn't always as easy to find as you'd think! Want to know more about us and our travel services? Find us a...

Send us Fan Mail Ever wonder what Halloween is like in Italy? We chat all about it in this, the final episode of Season One.  Among other things, you’ll hear about…: - Why we give out spicy tofu - How to dress up as olives and grapes - How to say “Trick or Treat” in Italian Plus: all new music! We arranged and recorded special music just for this episode: swing jazz versions of Sorcerer's App...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we talk about beautiful Montisola, Europe's largest lake island. We tell you the name of our favorite bakery, the "hidden" vantage point for the best view of the island, where to find a bizarre huge fish head in a jar, and recount stories of our many travels there, including some about our favorite island cat, Grigio.  Want to know more about us and...

Send us Fan Mail How you pack (and how MUCH you pack) can really make or break a trip. After 20 years traveling together, we have pretty much perfected packing, so we have everything we need, but travel very light. In this episode we tell you how to pack, name-check our favorite bag brand, and discuss how to manage luggage while en route, so you spend the smallest possible amount of time fiddling...