Italian lessons, travel advice, recipes, events, etc.

Best Ways to Get Around Rome with Time Estimates

info@addicted2italy.com (Larry Aiello) — Wed, 08 May 2013 01:41:50 +0000

Rome Time Estimates for Various Transportation Options

Below is a useful table you can use to get an estimate of the various time estimates and the best way to get from different location in Rome to another location.

Of course, Rome is a big metropolis with close to 3 million people. With that many people, transportation issues can wreak havoc with the best laid plans of mice and men. Please keep that in mind as accidents, traffic strikes (which are common in Italy), detours, construction, etc., can change the time estimates below significantly.

View this file in a printer-friendly PDF version.

Leaning Tower of Pisa Tourist Information and Facts

info@addicted2italy.com (Larry Aiello) — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 14:16:07 +0000

The Leaning Tower of Pisa is one of the most fascinating and popular tourist attractions in Italy visited by thousands of people from across the world. The foundation of the tower is soft on one side because of which the ground could not support the weight and the structure gradually started tilting. It was built as a freestanding bell tower of the nearby cathedral and although it has been stabilized, it still leans significantly. This unique tilt of the tower makes it stand out from similar structures and makes everyone include it in their must-see list.

It was started in 1173 and took almost 200 years to complete!

Leaning Tower of Pisa Tourist Information and Hours:

The hours of operation vary throughout the year depending on the season and are subject to change. So it is better to check the official website and plan your trip accordingly.

For November through February
The tower is open from 10 am to 5 pm.

It is also open during the holiday season of December 25 to January 1
Extended Holiday Hours: 9 am to 6 pm.

For March
The hours of operation are 9 am to 6 pm.

From April through September
Hours are 8:30 am to 8:30 pm.

October, the tower is open from 9 am to 7 pm

The entry fee is 15 euros per person. Buying advanced tickets for climbing the tower and experience a breathtaking view is advised, as there is a huge rush due to such a large number of visitors. The last visitors are allowed on the tower for up to half-hour before closing time.

There are many ways in which you can travel to Pisa, the most popular being bus and train services. If you are in Florence, the best option will be to travel west on a train. Florence is a tourist hub and there are many trains leaving for Pisa every day at short intervals. You can board a fast train from the Florence Train Station (Santa Maria Novella) by getting tickets at the station ticket counter or automatic machines. Online bookings are available at the Trenitalia website which provides the schedules, rates etc. You can use cash or credit card to make the purchase and also book your ticket on the phone until 10 minutes before departure. The journey hardly takes an hour and you can relax and enjoy the view of the beautiful Tuscan countryside.

If you are short on time, flights are available too. Since Pisa airport is within the city, it does not take much time to reach the Tower. The two cities fall under the same time zone, so you do not have to make any time adjustments. Adventurous tourists can also hire a rental car or get a cab and you will have to pay the toll fee if you go by road.
Besides the Leaning Tower of Pisa, you can also check out the Florence Flower Festival in May or Luminara -- a candlelight street festival in June.

Overall, Pisa is a place you should definitely include in your travel itinerary and the Leaning Tower of Pisa is the highlight of this trip.

Related Links

Agritourism Vacation in Tuscany

Going from Rome to Florence by Train

Photo Attribution: By Alkarex Malin äger (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], via Wikimedia Commons

Neapolitan Sayings with Italian and English Meaning

info@addicted2italy.com (Larry Aiello) — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 15:26:12 +0000

One of my favorite things about Italy is the diversity of the dialects. And when you combine them with proverbs that have been passed down through the ages, it makes for some interesting comparisons.

Here are some more sayings in Neapolitan along with the Italian and English meaning:

First Neapolitan Saying:
'A bona mercanzia trova prièsto a ghjì pe' 'n'àutra via.

First Italian Saying:
Tutte le cose belle e buone trovano sempre chi le desidera e le prende.

First English Saying:
All the beautiful and good things always find who desires them and takes them.

Second Neapolitan Saying:
'A bona parola mògne 'a trista pògne.

Second Italian Saying:
La buona parola produce sempre del bene mentre la cattiva punge e nuoce.

Second English Saying:
A good word produces good, and a bad word stings and hurts. If you can't say anything good, don't say anything at all.

37 Ways to Learn the Italian Language Announcement

info@addicted2italy.com (Larry Aiello) — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 14:53:26 +0000

Italian Language Book Promotion

Are you thinking of undertaking a new language like Italian? Perhaps your New Year's Resolution is to learn Italian for this year. Maybe you are planning a trip to Italy and knowing a little bit of the language will make your trip much more enjoyable. Or you just might be frustrated in your current attempts and don't know which way to turn.

How to learn Italian effectively?

There are probably over 100 ways you can learn Italian.

I've listed 37 ways that I feel are the most effective in language learning techniques. These are ways that I recommend to my students when I'm teaching Italian classes in Tampa. And they are ways that have reinforced my own proficiency with the language.

* If you enjoy the book, I would very much appreciate a review and Amazon will allow you to "Like" the book as well. :-)

That will help others when purchasing the book and it will help me become a better writer. Please feel free to forward to your friends - they may appreciate it that you got them a book to help them learn Italian.

If you don't have a Kindle device, you can read it on your iPad. Amazon also has a browser that you can use that you'll be able to view the book. And if you do buy a Kindle, you'll have a book already in your library.

Here is the link:

Click here to view the book on Amazon!

Alitalia Discount for Italian Students

info@addicted2italy.com (Larry Aiello) — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 23:51:21 +0000

Hats off to Alitalia as they recently announced a discount for all students who are taking the AP (Advanced Placement) Italian Language Program. This is now available thanks to a partnership between the Embassy of Italy (Washington D.C.) and the airline itself. The discount will be a 5% student discount to students who take the Italian AP Test.

This is a great opportunity for those who are learning the Italian language to visit Italy first-hand and experience the great history, cuisine, sports, fashion, art, etc. that the country has to offer.

Alitalia has direct flights to Rome from the following US Cities: Boston, Chicago (O'Hare) , Los Angeles (LAX), Miami (MIA), Newark and New York's JFK airport.

They also have direct flights to Milan-Malpensa from New York's JFK and Miami.

The students an also connect through Delta, one of Alitalia's partner airlines.
For more information about this special offer, please send an email to: sales.support@alitalia.it
Discount must be secured in advance prior to purchasing the ticket. The airline reserves the right to remove this offer.

How to Prepare Traditional Italian Cuisine

info@addicted2italy.com (Matteo Caloiaro) — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 17:13:26 +0000

Italian Cooking and Cuisine

The land of pastas and pizzas and the mighty Roman Empire is the picture that most of us tend to get when we think of Italy. However, Italy has more to offer to its tourists, especially in terms of its versatile cuisine. The Italian cuisine is vivid and versatile just like the empire and region itself. The lesser-known fact about Italy is that the place is a paradise of food lovers as much as it is a heaven for the shopaholics.

Occupying a huge landscape the region's traditional cuisine has a distinct feature that goes with the distinct geographical spread of the place and offers many more lip-smacking foods apart from the popular pizzas and pastas.

The traditional cuisine has a strong influence of the multiple empires that ruled the country and exhibits the presence of the ancient Greek, Roman and Jewish traditions in this land for a considerably long time along with other civilizations apart from the Turks and Arabs that also have left a mark on the nation's cuisine. The cuisine in the northern part of the country for instance is dominated by the influence of the cuisine from Austria and Germany that has excessive use of potatoes and butter, whereas the cuisine in the southern regions are more prominent with the use of olives and tomatoes.

Secrets of preparing traditional Italian food

The Italian foods are not just delicious, but also healthy as all these foods are made using the local fruits and vegetables excessively. The region, which is famous for its sauces and sausages, however, restrains from dipping the foods in excess of sauce. Therefore, the key to making the perfectly delicious Italian food is to use the right kind of fruits, vegetables and meat without soaking them in sauces for long duration instead these foods use the sauces as an enhancer before the food is served.

The secret to making the perfect Italian cuisine is to stock up the right ingredients along with the cheese, fruits and vegetables. Italians, generally use abundance of species in their food, which includes extra virgin olive oil, garlic, and basil along with balsamic vinegar and parmesan reggiano.

If you are trying to make a traditional Italian recipe then it needs to be cooked the traditional way by shunning the ovens and other modern day innovations of baking. The traditional cooking relies more on stove-based baking, sautéing and frying, which gives the traditional Italian cuisine its uniqueness from other cuisines across the world.

Although the bitter truth is that one cannot make the authentic Italian dishes outside the country the closest possible taste can be derived by following a few simple tips like choosing the right kind of fruits and vegetables. Often people tend to take a liking for large fruits and vegetables, however, the authentic taste of the Italian cuisine ingredients is obtained when the smaller fruits are chosen.

It is also important to schedule your food to the appropriate season so that all the needed ingredients are available, most of which are available in the imported food items section in the stores. In addition, it is necessary to strictly follow the recipe rather than to experiment if you are attempting to cook that delicious and perfect Italian cuisine at your home.

The Cuisine of Umbria and Le Marche

info@addicted2italy.com (Larry Aiello) — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 11:35:04 +0000

Savoring the regional cuisine of Umbria and the Marches, Italy

The central Italian regions of Umbria and Le Marche can provide an awesome gastronomic experience unlike any other part of Italy, since that area has some unique characteristics not found in other Italian regions.

Hilly and Mountainous

This part of central Italy is hilly and mountainous, so the food is very hearty, and can be gamey. Just like other parts of Italy, it is best to savor the local fruits and vegetables that are grown in this region and look for the items that are in season. You can get a quick lesson of what items are in season by walking though one of the local markets. The farmers in this region are very hard-working and proud of their craft, so you will not be disappointed with the food that comes from these two Italian regions.

Truffles in Italy

This delicacy (pictured right) is grown more in Umbria than in any other part of Italy. Truffles are an underground fungus that is also grown in the Piedmont and Tuscan regions of Italy. There are three types of truffles: black, gray or white, the most prized being the white truffle which can sometimes get approximately $1300 USD per pound. They are used often in Umbrian cuisine by shaving them into omelets, or over pasta, or also in soups and broths.

Central Italian Olive Oil

Just about everywhere you look, along the hillsides, you will see olive trees that are used in the production of olive oil. The soil of the Apennine mountains produces an olive oil that is relatively low in acidity. The town of Tevi is noted for the best quality olive oil in Umbria.

Pork

The Umbrian and Marchigiano cuisine revolves a lot around pork products. It is often roasted, which Italians call "porchetta", and grilled on a barbecue, flavored with herbs, wild fennel, and basted with a rich red wine sauce.

Lentils - Lenticchie

The town of Castelluccio di Norcia is known for its beans, lentils, etc. that are often used in a variety of soups and broths. These dishes are more common during the autumn and winter seasons.

Central Italian Wine

Sagrantino grapes are the most noted red wines from these two regions. This varietal is used to produce a semisweet version, along with a dry version of the wine.

Umbria and Le Marche are easily accessible from Rome, and you can even stop there on the way to Florence or Venice during your Italian vacation. The town of Assisi (pictured below) is located in this region, so it makes for a great excuse to sample some of this great Italian cuisine, as you will not be disappointed.

Piedmont Cooking and Cuisine

Common Day Trips from Turin

Easy Italian Recipes on this site

Image of Assisi below

Photo credit for above Truffles and Wine: From Wikipedia Commons - author: Arpingstone

6 Reasons Why You Should Visit Italy on Vacation

info@addicted2italy.com (Larry Aiello) — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 10:33:24 +0000

If you are in the process of putting together a vacation and have never been to Italy, you may wonder why there is such an allure.

Here are some of the more common reasons that attract millions of visitors every year:

1. It's a beautiful country - tons of people every year are attracted by the intense beauty of the Italian countryside and landscape.
2. Fantastic Cuisine - Have you ever heard of anyone complaining about a meal in Italy? I don't think so!
3. Sports - it's a great place to watch sports, especially soccer which features some of the best players in the world.
4. Magnificent works of Art can be found all throughout the country.
5. Shopping and Fashion in Italy is truly number one in the world.
6 . The Italian people have an intense pride in everything they do.

If you want to visit Italy anytime soon, my new book on Amazon will guide you through what you need to know.

You will learn things like

Finding the best deals to Italy
Avoiding travel scams
The pluses and minuses of group travel

I've geared this book for those that live in the United States, UK, Canada or Australia. And even those that have been before may find some benefit in purchasing the book as many things may have changed since the last time you went.

Thanks for viewing this video below:

Purchase First Time to Italy Vacation Planner on Amazon

Napolitano Proverbs in Italian and English

info@addicted2italy.com (Larry Aiello) — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 22:22:57 +0000

Here are some more proverbs in Napolitano - the strong southern dialect which is practiced in southern Italy around the city of Naples and the Campania region.

First proverb in Napolitano:
'A bella figliòla nun manca 'nnammurato.

Second proverb in Napolitano:
'A bella nchiàzza dint' a casa è sciàzza.

The Italian translation for the first proverb:
Le belle donne hanno sempre un innamorato.

The second Napolitano proverb in Italian would translate to something like this:
Quando una donna tiene a farsi vedere in giro sempre bene ordinata ed imbellettata quasi certamente a casa sua è sciatta e trasandata.

In English the first one would translated to this:
A beautiful woman always has a lover

And the final one in English would translate as follows:
When a woman wishes to be seen around almost always well-ordered and made-up her home is certainly sloppy and careless.

Up and Coming Tenor Humberto Zambrano sings That's Amore

info@addicted2italy.com (Larry Aiello) — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 12:45:57 +0000

I was recently honored at an event in Venice, Florida put together by Sebastiano Ravagnani, an Italian filmmaker and journalist. The event called "A Night in Venice...That's Amore" which recognized many Italian and Italian-American entrepreneurs involved in promoting the Italian heritage and culture.

I was given and award by Mr. Ravagnani for my work in my recent book "First Time to Italy Vacation Planner" which is available on Amazon.

Humberto Zambrano, "Voice of Silk"

The night featured a very talented and upcoming tenor by the name of Humberto Zambrano, nicknamed the "Voice of Silk". He has an impressive resume including studying music at the prestigious Conservatory of Music Simon Bolivar in Caracas. He also has stops in Latin America and Buenos Aires working with famous baritone William Alvarado among others. Currently he spends him time between New York and Florida.

Below is a video of one of the verses of "That's Amore" sung and performed by Mr. Zambrano.

As an Italian-American we are all probably familiar with the Dean Martin classic. The word "Amore" in Italian means love. The song was actually composed in 1952 by Harry Warren and Jack Brooks. Don't ask me how a couple of non-Italians came up with that song, but they did and the rest is history as it became one of Dean Martin's most popular hits.

In 1987 the song had a revival as it was featured in the popular film called "Moonstruck" which was filled with an all-star cast including Cher, Nicolas Cage, Danny Aiello (no relation to this blog owner), Olympia Dukakis and Vincent Gardenia.