Flavio al Velavevodetto in Rome

Flavio al Velavevodetto is an experience from start to finish. The restaurant is located in Rome's Testaccio neighborhood, which was just across the river from where were staying, and the setting is beautiful. If you're dining there in the summer, I recommend the patio which is surrounded by flowers. Each of the pasta dishes we had was superb including the summery tomato one above. You won't regret their take on cacio e pepe as well.

We wanted to try a Lazio wine and the lore of "Est! Est! Est!" always intrigued me, but we were a little disappointed in the one above. The first bottle tasted corked and the servers agreed, but the second bottle wasn't much better. I'd heard that service here could be hit or miss and while some of the people were a bit stuffy, we had an enjoyable dinner. Reservations are essential so call ahead.

Food Tour and Underground Tour in Naples, Italy

I've written about my positive experiences with food tours here and here. When I was in Naples, Italy, I was hopeful to find something of similar caliber. There was not as much choice or competition as I found in other European cities, but I eventually settled on "Eat in Italy Food Tours". My guide, Simone, met me in the waterfront district of Chiaia, which was where our tour would take place. As it was last-minute, I ended up being the only person on the tour and overall, it was enjoyable. The culinary highlight was a visit to a restaurant for eggplant parmesan. While the caprese salad left a bit to be desired (the tomatoes were unripe), the eggplant parmesan was everything I love about the dish- it was meaty and the slow-cooked sauce had a very mellow flavor.

A historic coffee shop displaying coffee makers from various eras!

A walk in a garden

Wine tasting of Campanian wines

A simple but tasty pasta

The tour culminated in a visit to the "Naples Underground" or Napoli Sottterranea which provided a respite from the sticky summer heat. Deep under the chaotic bustle of the city lies an extensive underground "city" of tunnels and rooms built from volcanic rock and ash, also known as tufo. It has existed since Neapolis was founded by the Greeks around 470 B.C. Over time, it was used for various purposes including underground aqueducts, Christian burial grounds, garbage dumps, and finally as a bomb shelter in World War II.

Disclosure: this is not for the claustrophobic. Some of the tunnels we went through were extremely narrow. (It is similar to the Catacombs of Appian Way, if not more narrow.)

A chilling scene of a room frozen in time from WWII, including a child's rocking horse.

This underground city represented everything I loved about Naples, particularly the immense history that included both optimistic and very dark periods of history. I can't recommend this tour enough.

Avoiding Tourist Traps in Trastevere

Walking through Rome's Trastevere neighborhood at night is magical,  but many of the restaurants leave a lot to be desired. I can't count how many bad microwaved meals I've had here- some reminiscent of Chef Boyardee. 

On my latest trip to the Eternal City, I was a bit luckier. 

First up? Pianostrada Laboratorio di Cucina. Katie Parla guided me to this gem tucked away on one of Trastevere's narrow backstreets. The place is run by three kind women who offered to cut our sandwiches in three for my two friends and me. 

What to order: The squid ink bun sandwich with mozzarella, fig jam, basil. It is probably one of the best sandwiches I have ever eaten. A tomato and burrata sandwich was fantastic as well. 

Tip: It's a tiny space so go early to snag a seat.

Place: La Prosciutteria

This wine and prosciutto bar is nothing out-of-this-world but a safe bet in a neighborhood full of subpar offerings.

What to order: A heaping butcher block covered in sliced fruit, stinky cheeses, grilled vegetables, and more. They have a nice selection of wines by the glass as well.

Place: Antilla pub

Not traditional in any way, this bar had extremely nice bartenders and the best damn pina colada that side of the Atlantic. We found our way there several nights in a row and the corner location provided prime people-watching.

Ristorante da Ciccio in Agropoli

"peasant food"

Sometimes my brothers and I give our mom grief for her ability to strike up a (long) conversation with anyone, even when it means holding up a line, but truthfully, her talent is an asset when traveling. From a Swiss-Tunisian laundromat owner extending an invitation to dinner, to a friendly Calabrian cooking for us out of a shack on the beach, my travel experiences are better thanks to her. 

One of these special moments occurred after wandering all around the Campanian town of Agropoli a few years ago. It was that awkward time between lunch and dinner when many restaurants in Europe are closed, but we were starving. After asking random people in the street where we should eat, an older woman recommended Ciccio and called him to see if he was open. Like everywhere else, he wasn't, but he offered to open his restaurant and feed the starving Americans. Ciccio's food is simple and represents the region and its history as a traditionally poor land. One of my favorite dishes consisted of crusty day-old bread revived with pungent olive oil , fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and imperfectly torn pieces of basil. Extravagant it was not- it represented peasant food of the region, but I felt like a queen eating it. 

As Ciccio's restaurant's website states, "The recipes of The Cilento represent a veritable ode to local products and traditions that are passed down the generations." There has been a lot of discussion about going back to the roots of a region, peasant food, and the like. The New York Times recently ran an article about an Italian DJ ("Donpasta") who's made it his mission to preserve Italian culinary traditions. He isn't interested in high cuisine or TV programs like Master Chef encroaching onto Italy's culinary scene. Neither is Ciccio. Ristorante da Ciccio does an excellent job of showing the region's simplicity and the food shines. We returned the following year for another great lunch and here are some of the things we ate.

Il Gelato in Rome

Back in 1999, Rome was the first European city that stole my heart.  Paris may have since replaced it, by I'll always have a special place for the Eternal City. Rome has its fair share of the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to gelaterias.  One of my favorite gelato places is the humbly-named Il Gelato, located just off Via di Monte D'Oro.  I first tried their gelato on a humid, late summer afternoon in 2012.  Just after we arrived in the pristine shop, a huge downpour deluged the cobbled streets of Rome. It couldn't have been better timing for my family and me. We took cover while sampling and purchasing many of the store's flavors. Because no one came into the shop during the storm, the friendly girl working there helpfully suggested her favorite flavors including celery. I sampled it and enjoyed the refreshing and crisp taste it left on my tongue.  Other unique flavors that day included habanero, ginger, and many cheese-infused flavors.  We also had a chance to have some of Il Gelato's delicious fresh-squeezed juice.  It may be a silly tourist attraction, but every time I'm in Rome, I throw a coin in the Trevi Fountain.  I've been pretty fortunate to have returned to Rome each time and I hope my next visit will include a return to Il Gelato as well.

Il Gelato is located at Largo Monte D'Oro 28 in Rome.

Paradise Beach Club

If you find yourself lucky enough to be in Taormina, I recommend spending a day at Paradise Beach Club.  Last summer was our third time to Taormina, and we wanted to try something new.  Our lovely hotel advertised "A Day at the Beach" including round-trip shuttle service.  Paradise Beach Club is located in the town of Letojanni.  For a flat per-person rate, you can enjoy unlimited access to the private seawater pool and beach, changing rooms and showers, and free wi-fi.  They also have a restaurant serving above-average pastas at lunchtime.  Be sure and try one of the bartenders' amazing, non-alcoholic fruit drinks.  The fresh fruit and innovative combinations will most definitely impress your taste buds.

My Salerno

Salerno will always hold a special place in my heart.  First and foremost, I still have cousins that live there.  It was from this part of Italy that my great-grandfather immigrated to Boston, where he met my great-grandmother from Friuli.  Ever since my first visit to Campania, my relatives have always been the most hospitable, wonderful family.  But aside from my personal attachment to Salerno, this is a beautiful part of Italy.  Salerno is a sizable city not far south of Naples.  That means lots of good pizza as well as a rich culture. It's close enough to the pretty yet touristy towns of Positano and Amalfi, and far enough away that you can return in the evening and walk among Italians dressed in their finest, tasting an ice cream cone, and lingering about during their passeggiata.  

 

Ancient botanical gardens

Gulf of Salerno

Dinner at the cousins!

My favorite part of the trip is every night when we sit down for dinner where we partake in simple food at its best.  They make their tomato sauce once a year and bottle it up to use for the next twelve months.  We enjoy vegetables like green beans, roasted peppers, zucchini, and a simple lettuce salad-everything tastes like it was picked from the garden a few minutes ago.  We'll finish with different cheeses- buffalo mozzarella of course, some parmigiano, and another type perhaps.  And finally, melon, gelato, and cake for whoever still has room.

Traveling to Cinque Terre by Train

We took the train from Juan-les-Pins, France, changing once in Ventimiglia, Italy, a border town.  I had never been to this part of Italy before, partly because I'd rather go somewhere less crowded, and partly because I have no family in this area.  But my traveling companions wanted to go and I will always go (almost) anywhere at least once.  

The last seaside town in France before the border

 Mint green in Monterosso

 Typical mediocre tourist fare 

A step up: delicious fish carpaccio

Vernazza-the first town we arrived at on our hike

Lunch in Vernazza

My favorite church in all the five towns- this one in Corniglia

The trails from Vernazza to Corgniglia were closed so we had to take the train-the town is a big hike up from the station

Manarola

Popular diving cliff for tourists in Manarola

The sun started to set during our delicious dinner in Manarola

And continued during our final "hike" to Riomaggiore- the timing couldn't have been more perfect

Lover's walk to Riomaggiore; the easiest of the hikes in Cinque Terre

Locks

Messages to significant others

In the end, I was happy I visited Cinque Terre, but I probably would go somewhere else new next time.  Its natural beauty is definitely worth seeing firsthand, but there are so many other places in Italy that I feel more of a connection to, like the Campania region, where I still have relatives.  Cinque Terre is crowded for a reason, and unfortunately mass tourism can be both a blessing and a curse.  The news of last fall's flooding in Vernazza saddened me, as surely the unregulated crowds year after year have a role in the weakening of the hiking trails, yet the path closures are taking a hard toll on the local economy.  Tourism is everything to these five towns.  I urge you to check out Save Vernazza, a website dedicated to providing updates about the region as well as the ability to donate money towards the restoration of the town.  Rick Steves wrote a great article about an inspiring art event called A Rainbow of Solidarity for Vernazza.  On January 6, artists transformed Vernazza's boarded-up doors into beautiful works of art.  The colorful creations showcase solidarity and hope.  The people of Vernazza are strong-willed, proud, and working hard to make sure everything is open by Easter, the start of high season.  I have no doubts that they will succeed.