Civita di Bagnoregio
Woman making pasta in the street

Tips, Insights, Inspiration

Good stuff to know for your upcoming trip to Italy

Liz’s practical insights, valuable tips and occasional opinions on soft, slow travel to Italy, especially Umbria and nearby regions, and a closer look at life in Allerona.

How Many Places Should You Try to See in Italy?

Here’s a bit of tough love: Take your Italy travel wish list and lop off at least a third of it...


Umbria before Rome: a Brief Introduction to the Etruscans

When you visit much of Umbria and Tuscany, you’re treading not on the remnants of Ancient Rome, but on Etruscan...


Rolling Hills in The Green Heart of Italy, Umbria
An FAQ for First-Time Visitors to Umbria

A non-exhaustive list of good stuff to know when you decide to visit Umbria, the green heart of Italy...


how to use a bidet - bidet and shower
Everything you ever wanted to know about how to use a bidet…but were afraid to ask.

When a tour guest recently asked me, somewhat embarrassedly, “how do you use the bidet,” I realized it wasn’t such a silly...


sunflower field in Umbria
A brief introduction to Umbria, the next-door neighbor that Tuscany ignores

We keep urging people to visit Umbria So here’s a little background on Italy’s soulful, less-crowded...


tour group toasting at dinner
Celebrating a year of firsts

It took a lot of elbow grease, plus a few vineyard lunches and gondola rides, to make 2025 a huge year for Villaggio...


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Download Liz’s free guide:
5 Roadblocks to an “Authentic” Italy Trip

(…plus how to avoid them, from someone who’s lived here for 17 years).