Cinque Terre

Last summer I finally had a chance to visit "Cinque Terre," the set of five burgs that are linked with convenient hiking trails as well as a train line. Whether you find yourself in Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, or Riomaggiore, you're treated to spectacular views even if you have to hike in the rain. While you have to shell out for a "Cinque Terre Card" that allows you to use the trails, this area might be called "no worry tourism." You can't get too lost (other hikers will assist you), the towns are all small and manageable, and the each view is another Kodak moment. Better yet, the locals are friendly and there are plenty of places to plop in the water. Even Corniglia, the only burg that is up on the hill instead of hugging the coast, has a path down to the nearest beach. To start your journey, take a train to La Spezia if you're coming from the South, Levanto if you're coming from the north.

Carnevale a Venezia!

Carnival in Venice was revived in the late 70s and has been going strong ever since. For the ten days before Lent, the city is a festival of color, style, and creativity. In fact some of the people who don masques spend all year planning and sewing their costumes. The results are fantastic!

Hidden Treasures: Avanti

I'm naturally drawn to films that feature Italy, but I stumbled on the 1972 "Avanti" entirely by accident. In this delightful Billy Wilder farce, Jack Lemmon and Juliet Mills are thrown in unusual circumstances when they travel to Ischia to claim their parents' remains. While Walter Armbruster (Lemmon) can't quite imagine that his father had the kind of adventures in Italy that he never had at home, Pamela (Mills) is ready to embrace the spirit of the South in every aspect.