Untold Italy travel podcast

Italian food and wine is among the world's best. So if you're looking for ideas for gifts to bring back from your trip to Italy, or find those tastes that you crave from trips past, you'll find many, many ideas on this episode. Taste Florence founder Toni Mazzaglia joins us and shares her expert tips on the best food and wine products to bring back from Italy and where to find them - from olive oi...

Wondering how you can streamline your Italy trip budget? The best way to do that is to take advantage of all the free things you can do when you visit Rome. Luckily for us, Rome is one of the world's most incredible open air museums and there are plenty of things to do in the city that won't cost you a cent. Read the full episode show notes, including places mentioned here > untolditaly.com/145...

Nestled in the middle of some of the world's most iconic wine regions, Florence is a great place to start your  Tuscan and Italian wine adventures. The city's wine bars offer the opportunity to taste your way around the region's iconic varieties. Photographer and sommelier Robbin Gheesling shares her favorite Florentine wine bars - from the fancy to humble - to seek out when you're visiting the Re...

Travel and food go hand in hand, especially in Italy where the dishes are local and seasonal - influenced by the terrain and season. And there's no better example of this than in Abruzzo. This central Italian region is known for mountains and a stunning coastline so here you'll find rustic country cuisine and delicious seafood. Cookbook author  Domenica Marchetti joins us to share the delectable d...

Have you ever taken a food tour? They're one of our favorite ways to get to know Italian cities. This is because there is an unshakeable bond between food and culture in Italy across all its regions - from north to south. Our guest Lauren Aloise, descended from Italian migrants to the United States, built food tour company Devour Tours to help share with the world the unique and varied food cultur...

Matera is one of the world's most ancient and fascinating cities and it's tucked away in a pocket of southern Italy that many people never reach.  Resident and local guide Paulo Maragliulo joins us to share the many intriguing things to do in Matera, his adopted city. You'll discover that a quick day trip is not enough to uncover the layers of beauty of the old and new cities, the sassi cave dwell...

People often ask which is the best time of year to travel to Italy. And my answer is always the same - the month that suits you! But if I have to pick favorites then I choose October. Cooler days, harvest activities and fewer crowds are, to me, the ideal conditions for a trip to Italy. In this episode, you'll discover all my reasons for choosing October as my favorite month and some wonderful plac...

Frances Mayes book "Under the Tuscan Sun" and the movie of the same name inspired and continues to inspire thousands of trips to Italy. But what is the town featured in her tales really like? We visit Cortona and several other villages in this picturesque pocket of Tuscany with local guide Debora Bresciani to show you that around every corner you can find your very own piece of magic Under the Tus...

On our recent family trip to Italy, our children asked if they could be on the podcast. After 5 weeks of exploring the country from Lake Garda to Capri, Rome, Tuscany and more how could I say no? Hear our 8-year-old twins describe what they loved about our time in Italy, what was challenging and what they want to see and do next time we take a trip there. You'll also discover why I made them walk...

Podcast listeners and first-time visitors to Italy Laura and Ed wanted some help with planning their much-longed-for dream trip to Tuscany. So we asked our friend Danielle Oteri from Italy travel experts Feast Travel to do a live trip consultation with them. In this session we got to the bottom of their motivation for visiting Tuscany, what they did and didn't want to do and more. Danielle provide...

Rome gets very hot in summer but often it's the only time we can travel. So today let's explore how to enjoy your time in the Eternal City when temperatures are soaring with travel tips from  Untold Italy host Katy,  recently back from spending 8 glorious days in Rome. Usually preferring to travel in the cooler shoulder seasons, Katy found ways to make sure her time in the Italian capital was a ha...

Puglia in the south of Italy is becoming well known for its beaches, delicious food and interesting architecture. But what do we know about its ancient and fascinating past? Hear local guide Paulo Maragliulo share the stories and history of the pilgrim routes travelers followed that pass through Puglia on the way to Jerusalem. You'll be amazed at the connections forged over centuries through a tra...

Europe is renowned for palaces and castles but perhaps we don't immediately think we'll find them in Italy. That's because they're hiding in plain sight near the royal city of Turin in the northern region of Piedmont. Here they wrote the book on building  stunning royal abodes complete with chandeliers, sweeping staircases and opulent furnishings. Not to mention that they've survived wars and revo...

Liguria is a mountainous region that also has a natural border on the Ligurian Sea. Most people know the region for its picturesque Cinque Terre towns but the unique topography is also responsible for some of the most interesting and delicious produce and wine in Italy. Our guest Enrica Manzoni has a passion for the wonderful produce of the region. So much so that she made creating and documenting...

Venice is one of the world's most unique and beautiful cities and it has a thousand secrets to share. Exploring its small laneways, canals and campi is one of life's true pleasures. It's here you'll uncover its secrets and mysteries. If you have only one chance to visit Venice, make it count. Our guest Corinna Cooke, author of Glam Italia!: 1000 Fabulous Things to do in Venice explains why you nee...

Italian coffee is one of life's great pleasures. In this "best of" episode, we learn why it's more than a beverage and truly part of Italian culture. Dü Coffee founder Michael Horne shares his tips on how to enjoy coffee in Italy and at home in one of our most popular episodes Read the full episode show notes here >>>  untolditaly.com/131 Support the show Join our mailing list and get our...

This week we're heading to Italy's deep south and visiting Calabria on the toe of the boot. A region best known for its stunning beaches, you'll find so much to fall in love with if you plan to spend some time there as part of your Italy itinerary. Our guest today is Karen Haid, the foremost English-speaking expert on Calabria. Karen spent years living in the region. She now leads tours throughout...

The island of Capri conjures up all sorts of emotions and special memories for many of us but in this favorite podcast episode, you'll discover many more. Island local, Holly Star, shares the romantic story of how she came to live on Capri and what she wishes travelers knew before they visit. Spoiler alert - a day is not enough! Read the full episode show notes here >  untolditaly.com/129 Suppo...

Italy's Dolomites mountains and the region of South Tyrol are home to some of the country's most spectacular scenes and a unique Austro-Italian culture. Visitors often try to squeeze a day trip there into their northern Italian itinerary but today we'll show you how you can see the very best of this region in 5 days. Joining us is Franziska Dona who is passionate about her home among the vineyards...

We're revisiting Rome's wonderful Trastevere district in this week's replay episode. Local Maria Pasquale, author of Heart Rome and How to be Italian shares why she loves her local neighborhood and how visitors can enjoy its special atmosphere for themselves. Read the full episode show notes here > untolditaly.com/127 Get our Trastevere digital guide with self guided walking tour, restaurant an...

An agriturismo is a popular accommodation option in Italy that offers much more than a bed to rest your head. Beloved by Europeans who are much more familiar with the charm of these properties, once you learn all about what they offer you'll want to book one or two for your Italy trip too. Sarah and Sal from La Cuccagna, a gorgeous agriturismo in the heart of Umbria, join us to share all the advan...

Replay of our hugely popular packing tips for Italy episode featuring Corinna Cooke, author of the Glam Italia guides.  This episode will get you organized for your trip packing in no time and is a great refresher for all of us who have got a bit rusty over the past few years - me included! Read the full episode show notes, including must-pack items we mentioned on the show here > untolditaly.c...

Arezzo is a place that defines the cliche hidden gem. Not far from Florence, here you'll find one of the prettiest piazzas in all of Italy, a slower pace of living and centuries' old traditions. The city has been featured in several Oscar-winning movies and is a perfect window into local Tuscan life.  Our guest Debora Bresciani joins us to share her love of her city and its surrounds and you'll be...

Learning some Italian before your trip is a great idea. Speaking a little like a local is one of the best ways to immerse yourself in Italian culture and enhance your travel experience. There's nothing quite like ordering your first gelato in the language of love! Learn some quick tips for getting up to speed with the Italian language with Michele Frolla (The Intrepid Guide) including memory hacks...

The Path of the Gods is one of the world's iconic hikes. With stunning views of the Amalfi Coast, it's no wonder people from around the world flock to the region and take to the cliffs overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea. But this walk is becoming increasingly popular and with that comes some challenges. In this episode, we chat with local hiking guide Zia Lucy about things to consider before attemptin...