As we start to wrap up a year that has seen such significant change and heartbreak, we are reminded of how fortunate we are to be healthy and safe and we hope all of you are as well. While we have been unable to travel abroad this year, nothing can take away our ability to dream about where our next travel destination will be. This holiday season, I have been reminiscing about a trip my family took to Italy last December.

Hi and welcome to the Passion for Italy Travel Podcast. This is Lindsay, from the Tampa, Florida office. Have you ever noticed the power of flavor and aroma to transport you to places far from home, but close to your heart? One night this week it was storming in Tampa. Our usual evening walk was not possible. So, instead, my husband reached for one of our special bottles of wine and we went out on the porch to listen to the rain and dream of Tuscany. Today, we will share with you the...

Today we’re talking about the Italian language. Its beauty, its history, and how we can use this time when many of us cannot travel to Italy, to be able to assimilate once we land in Il Bel Paese. This is a hard time we’re facing, for many reasons. Illness, job loss, fear of both, exciting plans cancelled, trips to Italy cancelled, couldn’t we all use something good to focus on? A way to not only better ourselves but make those trips we hope to take in the not so distant future even more...

To celebrate Ferragosto on August 15th, we thought it would be fun for some of us to tell you about our favorite beaches in Italy and why we love them so! Allison discusses the beach culture of the Amalfi Coast and Puglia. Gemma lets her favorite secret slip, a beautiful hidden gem in Campania. Lindsay takes you to her favorite beach in Sardegna's Golfo di Orosei. Sabrina shares an insider's view of a lesser known beach in Le Marche.

Ciao, this is Allison Spiegel with Passion for Italy Travel in the New York office. This summer’s unique challenges have prompted a return to the summers of our youth. Simple, lazy days filled with nature, family time and lots of creativity and imagination. And as wonderful as these days may be, many of us are yearning to travel the world again. As a mom, I understand how the prospect of international travel with kids can be as daunting as it is exciting. As parents, we question everything,...

We turned on the news one evening this week. I sighed my nightly sigh. Here we go again. More fear. More anger. More uncertainty. More isolation. But then, my husband picked up his guitar and began to play the first few notes of Spunta la Luna Dal Monte, a song we adore by Andrea Parodi and Pierangelo Bertoli. It’s sung in a mix of Italian and Sardinian. As he played, we looked at each other and immediately, my spirit calmed. I realized, this is why we have to keep going. Because no one can...

Over the past few weeks, you have heard stories from our suppliers about their lives during COVID, how they’ve gotten by and made the most of a difficult time. You’ve also heard from Gemma and Allison about their love stories with Italy. Today, I’m sharing mine. This is a personal story, but I hope it inspires you to make the most of the time you have with the people you love, to live every moment, and to get out and see this beautiful world together. Many of my clients ask me about...

Discover the charms of Ischia with PFI Travel designer, Allison Spiegel.

An introduction to my story and how I came to discover my Passion for Italy beginning thirty years ago, by the director of Passion for Italy Travel, Gemma Green Close

As summer inches closer many of us have had to cancel travel plans to Italy, myself included to Positano on the iconic Amalfi Coast. As travel designers, we know how much time and care goes into planning every moment of a trip to Italy, so we understand that the disappointment cuts and it cuts deep. I thought I would share a bit about one of my favorite summer destinations in Italy in the hope that it will keep your travel dreams company and inspire you to look ahead and plan for next...

This week, we’re visiting Rome through the words of Carlotta, founder of our Rome Elegant Residence 217 near the Spanish Steps that all our clients and each of us personally adore. I love her letter, because her joyful personality and the same friendliness we find in the guesthouse come through in her story. The rooms themselves are decorated in the family’s own antiques, and art work, and the styles of the antiques meeting a clean, modern design capture the city’s personality.

Over the past few weeks, we have been sharing messages with you from our suppliers in Italy. Today, we’re back to Rome, my favorite city in the world. Every city has a personality, and to me, it’s hard to find one more vibrant and alive than Rome. The effortless mingling of ancient history and modern life never ceases to amaze me. Every visit leaves me more spellbound than the last. Today, we meet Marilena, a guide herself, and owner of the incredible tour company we partner with in...

Travel designer Allison Spiegel on how she came to work with Passion For Italy Travel and how to nurture our passion for travel to Italy at a time when no one can travel.

During these difficult days with COVID-19 crippling tourism, we are keeping in touch with our suppliers and introducing them to you one episode at a time. Today we get to know Anna, a sommelier who leads are clients on fabulous wine tours in Tuscany. We will have a few laughs in this episode, and also understand her knowledge and passion. Then, we hear from Anna, what she is doing to survive and what her life looks like in Tuscany during the lock down.

As we begin our new Podcast, the world is facing quite a difficult situation. We want to encourage our clients who have been forced to cancel, and support our suppliers at the same time by introducing you to them one heart-felt letter at a time. Today, meet Roberto, our transfer driver in Rome who is using this time to help his fellow Romans. Music written and played by Matthew Sinko

Do you have a whale of a problem organising your trip to Italy?