Rock star Sting and his wife Trudie Styler are now renting out their 16th-century estate in the Chianti area of Tuscany. Il Palagio has six cottages offering overnight accommodations for 50 guests, plus it is the perfect venue for a Tuscan wedding.

According to The Daily Mail, “Up to 200 partygoers will be able to enjoy the 900-acre Italian estate’s attractions which include a large swimming pool, a giant chess board in the garden, bee hives and its own, woods, lake and kitchen garden.”

Living like a world-famous celebrity doesn’t come cheap though. The rental price for a week on one of the cottages is upwards of $9,000.

There’s also a working farm on the estate and Sting and Styler sell the farm and vineyard products – including wine, olive oil and honey – online.

Ready to travel to Italy? Perillo Tours has been leading group trips throughout Italy since 1945 and ItalyVacations.com can custom design an independent itinerary for your dream Italy vacation!

Taking your first trip to Italy soon? Learn everything you need to know when you get your FREE copy of The First Timer’s Guide to Italy by ItalyTravel.com contributor Kathy McCabe

The Italy Mix is a post about the most interesting Italy and Italy travel news and human interest stories around the Web each week. Here are our top picks for this week:

Will World Nutella Day Go On?: Italian chocolate maker issues cease and desist to fan’s yearly celebration. But have they now come to a compromise?  (The Huffington Post)

Farmacia Santa Maria Novella:  A profile of the historic Florentine perfume and scent shop A must-visit in Florence. (The Washington Times)

Carla Fendi Trying to Restore Spoleto Festival: Festival dei Due Mondi in Spoleto Umbria had a world-famous reputation before hitting hard times. (The New York Times)

Pleasing Visitors From Emerging Markets: The numbers of Chinese, Russian, Middle Eastern and Brazilian visitors to Italy are increasing and they are looking for special experiences. (La Stampa)

Ready to travel to Italy? Perillo Tours has been leading group trips throughout Italy since 1945 and ItalyVacations.com can custom design an independent itinerary for your dream Italy vacation!

Taking your first trip to Italy soon? Learn everything you need to know when you get your FREE copy of The First Timer’s Guide to Italy by ItalyTravel.com contributor Kathy McCabe

I’m Steve Perillo of Perillo Tours. I’m thrilled to have started a new video series called Steve’s Travel Tips to share all the insider Italy travel tips I have learned over a lifetime of travel to Italy.

This week I’m talking about the great Italian tradition of drinking coffee or espresso at an Italian coffee bar. Now it isn’t as easy as you might think – there are rules you have to follow but I’m here to help! Enjoy my short video travel tip on enjoying Italian coffee bars.  

One of the magical experiences of visiting Italy is watching master artisans at work… This craftsman is in the town of Volterra, in Tuscany, a place known for its alabaster creations.

Photo by Theodore Scott, flickr.com

I just returned from an inspiring and adventurous trip-of-a-lifetime in Costa Rica! Yup, that’s me ziplining – and I’m even terrified of heights! I am so enthralled with this stunning country that I want you to have the same exciting adventure that I did…and you can with Perillo’s New Costa Rica – A 9-Day Adventure!

SAVE $100 per person when you make a deposit by June 30th.

Perillo’s Costa Rica is truly unique. You’ll explore the famous highlights while staying at exclusive off-the-beaten-path resort hotels. I can’t wait for you to experience some of the things I did:

See exotic wildlife from your private boat…

Ascend the rainforest in a cable car…

Dip into the thermal baths at the feet of the mighty Arenal…

Take a walk in the Cloud Forest..

Relax at a serene beach resort in the stunning Nicoya Peninsula, famed for the longevity of its people…

Take a Spanish lesson…

Enjoy a lecture on bio-diversity and sustainability with university researchers…

Learn to make the traditional Tamal, served on special occasions like your Perillo Tour!

Discover Costa Rica Perillo-Style with affordable rates starting at $1890 per person, based on double occupancy.

Check out the online brochure for all of the details!

Plus we’re holding a free webinar on Wednesday, May 22 at 7 p.m. to tell you more about this exciting new tour. Register here to attend.

Our Costa Rica Specialists will guide you through booking your life-changing adventure! Call them now at (800) 431-1515. Plus save $100 per person when you pay your deposit by June 30th.

The Italy Mix is a post about the most interesting Italy and Italy travel news and human interest stories around the Web each week. Here are our top picks for this week:

British Family Pays $84 for Ice Cream in Rome: One of the biggest Italy travel stories of the week caused quite a stir.  (The Daily Mail)

Tuning Into a Tuscan Music Festival:  A hush falls over the moonlit courtyard. The rhythmic percussion of countless cicadas is replaced by the sweet pulsations of a dozen violins. (The Guardian)

Venice Removes Statue: Controversial boy with frog work will be replaced with lamp post. (Canoe)

Amalfi’s Legacy of Lemons: This video tells the tale of a third generation lemon grower on the Amalfi Coast. (The New York Times)

Ready to travel to Italy? Perillo Tours has been leading group trips throughout Italy since 1945 and ItalyVacations.com can custom design an independent itinerary for your dream Italy vacation!

Taking your first trip to Italy soon? Learn everything you need to know when you get your FREE copy of The First Timer’s Guide to Italy by ItalyTravel.com contributor Kathy McCabe

Photo by fabulousfabs, flickr.com

If you’re traveling to Rome and looking for an authentic dining experience, look no further than Orso 80. You can make a meal out of the antipasti alone at this casual Roman eatery near Piazza Navona. Or another way to put it is don’t go to Orso 80 and not partake of the scrumptious appetizers. Yes, they are that good! Tell the waiter to bring out a selection of the day’s offerings or choose from, fried zucchini, fresh mozzarella, prosciutto, beans in tomato sauce, eggplant and rice balls. The antipasti are served family-style is one of the best buys in Rome.

Hold off on ordering primi or secondi before assessing how you feel after the antipasti. The friendly and efficient waiters might even make this recommendation while taking your order. If you are brave enough to continue on, you will find the main dishes as tasty and affordable as their precursors. If there’s room for dessert, make an authentic choice and try the Roman ricotta cake.

Orso 80 generally attracts crowds, they seem to add rather than take away from such a convivial Roman dining experience.

Via dell’Orso, 33
(39) 06 6864904
Closed Monday. Open Tuesday through Sunday, 1:00 to 3:30 p.m. and 7 to 11:30 p.m.
Closed August and December 24 through 26.
Reservations recommended.

Ready to travel to Italy? Perillo Tours has been leading group trips throughout Italy since 1945 and ItalyVacations.com can custom design an independent itinerary for your dream Italy vacation!

Taking your first trip to Italy soon? Learn everything you need to know when you get your FREE copy of The First Timer’s Guide to Italy by ItalyTravel.com contributor Kathy McCabe

If you’re in Italy on May 18th, you might want to plan to stay up until the wee hours of the morning – not drinking or dancing, but taking in culture at a museum. It is all part of the Night of the Museums or La Notte Dei Musei – an event throughout Europe, including Italy, with free admission to museums as well as very extended hours. The Night of the Museums starts at 8 p.m. and ends at 2 a.m. on Sunday. Many of the participating Italian museums will have special events. Check the website for details.

Ready to travel to Italy? Perillo Tours has been leading group trips throughout Italy since 1945 and ItalyVacations.com can custom design an independent itinerary for your dream Italy vacation!

Taking your first trip to Italy soon? Learn everything you need to know when you get your FREE copy of The First Timer’s Guide to Italy by ItalyTravel.com contributor Kathy McCabe

The stunning island of Capri, off Italy’s Amalfi Coast, has been attracting visitors for generations.  One of the islands most famous sites on the island  are the Faraglioni – a group of three geological stacks, just off the coast. They even have names: Stella, Mezzo and Scopolo.

Photo by sneakerdog, flickr.com

The Italy Mix is a post about the most interesting Italy and Italy travel news and human interest stories around the Web each week. Here are our top picks for this week:

Giro d’Italia to Start: This is the 96th year for this round Italy bike race. (ANSA)

Mad Men Star Owes Everything to Italy: Christina Hendricks says pasta gave her those sexy curves. (London Evening Standard)

Pizza Makers Needed in Italy: There’s a shortage of 6,000 pizzaiouli across the country. (NBC News)

Former Mafia Hangout Gets New Life: Former mafia bar in Turin re-opens as a “gang-free” gathering place. (UPI)

Ready to travel to Italy? Perillo Tours has been leading group trips throughout Italy since 1945 and ItalyVacations.com can custom design an independent itinerary for your dream Italy vacation!

Taking your first trip to Italy soon? Learn everything you need to know when you get your FREE copy of The First Timer’s Guide to Italy by ItalyTravel.com contributor Kathy McCabe

Photo by Ell Brown, flickr.com