Everyone loves Italy and everyone loves the Amalfi Coast. The Traveling Professor has run many small group tours to the Amalfi Coast and it certainly is a wonderful place to go.  In this blog post the traveler learns about the logistics of planning an Amalfi Coast trip as well as what to see and what to do.  The Professor will also advise on the best time to travel to the Amalfi Coast. On top of it, read about the hotel recommendations in the Amalfi Coast area. 

There is plenty to see and do in Florence. But the city is also close enough to other destinations in Italy that deserve a look. One of the nice things about Italy is the amount of diversity within close proximity to each other. So, a short trip by bus or train will take the traveler to another destination that offers variety in architecture, food, and culture. In this blog post, The Traveling Professor has selected 3 different side trips that are easily reachable by Florence for you to check out on your next tour.

To me, Venice is the most unique city in the world. It floats in the sea. The canals weave in and out of the city full of gondoliers, water taxis, and vaporetto.  It's definitely not a Roman city, but a mix of East and West. The pedestrian streets (there are no cars on the island, except for one very limited place) wind through the city with no rhyme or reason. We often travel there on The Traveling Professor's small group tours and our travelers love it. But there are a few tips we have for you in today's blog post about the city of Venice, or as they say it in Italy, Venezia.

Everyone loves Italy.  The Traveling Professor's small group tours to Italy usually covers Venice, Florence, Rome and Sorrento (the Amalfi Coast).  Planning an itinerary can be daunting, but The Traveling Professor makes it easy for the first-time Italy traveler.  See all the great sites, eat wonderful food, experience the culture. Take a look at our introduction to Italy itinerary and get ready to say "Ciao!" to Italy.

Of course there is the Colosseum, the Borghese Gallery and the Pantheon.  But no one goes to Rome to see that anymore. We go there to eat!  And there are many places to eat in Italy.  In this blog post The Professor posts his "Top Secret" places to eat in Italy. Some of the places are fancy, some are casual.  But they are all worth visiting on your next trip to Rome.  But please, you must promise to tell no one else about these super secret spots.  Enjoy!

The Professor just returned from a small group tour to Italy.  We saw a lot of great sites like the David at the Accademia and the classic Renaissance Italian art at the Uffizi Palace.  We enjoyed the charm and history of this great Tuscan city.  But when it came time to eat, we took advantage of the bounty of wonderful Italian food, Tuscan style. The best restaurants in Florence feature fresh vegetables, aromatic herbs, home-made pasta, organic beef.  Don't forget about the pizza, cheeses, fruits and of course the best gelato in the world.  Read about The Traveling Professor's ppicks for some of the best restaurants in Florence.

There is much more to Italy than Rome, Florence, and Venice.  We do recommend visiting those three cities if you have never been to Italy before.  However, there is so much more to explore.  In between trips to Croatia, we had the opportunity to go up to Trieste, very close to the Croatia and Slovenia border. Although we spent only a short time there, we found it to be a refreshing and most enjoyable way to experience Italy.  Read about our short visit to Trieste in today's blog post. 

Rome is one of our favorite stops on The Traveling Professor's small group tours to Italy.  Italy can be hot, overcrowded, and gritty, but it is a place every traveler should see at once in their lives. The entire city is an open air museum, full of history, culture and great food. The Traveling Professor has taken hundreds of people to Rome.  Three days is a perfect number of days to visit.  In today's travel blog, The Professor offers up his suggestions for the perfect 3 day itinerary in Rome.

Whenever we go on a small group tour to Italy or Paris (or anywhere else, for that matter), I strongly suggest travelers take a copy of Andy Herbach's books.  Andy Herbach is the author of the Eating & Drinking series of menu translators and restaurant guides, including Eating & Drinking in Paris, Eating & Drinking in Italy, Eating & Drinking in Spain and Portugal and Eating & Drinking in Latin America.  The Professor can tell you, without equivocation, these are the best guides for not only selecting the best places to eat, but in helping diners read and translate what's on the menu.  No more "point and pray" when selecting from a menu.  Andy's guides help you order confidently and correctly from the menu.
Andy is also the author of several books published by Europe Made Easy Travel Guides, including Paris Walks, Europe Made Easy, Italy Made Easy, Paris Made Easy, Berlin Made Easy, Amsterdam Made Easy, French Riviera Made Easy, Provence Made Easy, Oslo Made Easy, and Barcelona Made Easy. 

Read today's blog post to find Andy Herbach's best restaurants in Paris, Venice, and Rome.

The Traveling Professor loves taking his small group tours to Italy.  Florence is one of the most popular destinations.  But beyond Florence there is so much to see in Italy. There are plenty of destinations that are easy to get to, especially by train and even bus. On The Professor's small group tours, we never hesitate to go beyond the city of Florence to explore more of Italy.  Check out today's blog post to see wait awaits the traveler beyond renaissance Florence.