Part of why I plan the food when I plan a trip is the same reason I would not go to Tennessee and order clam chowder. You could. The restaurant might even have it on the menu. But why would you, when Tennessee does other things far better, things you cannot get with the same […]
Eat Where You Are: Italy’s Food Is Regional Read More »
On the Ground
Every place has a system. A pace. An unspoken agreement among the people who live there about how the day is supposed to move. When you travel, you are stepping into someone else’s rhythm, and the faster you find it, the less you interrupt it, and the more you actually enjoy being there. This is
Italy Has a Rhythm. Here’s How to Find It. Read More »
Before You Go
The general safety picture for European travel is covered in Keep Your Hands on Your Bag: Staying Safe in Europe — pickpocketing patterns, ATM safety, distraction scams, and what to do if something goes wrong. Read that one first. Italy fits that picture, and a few things are worth knowing specifically before you arrive. At
At the Train Station and Beyond: Staying Sharp in Italy Read More »
Before You Go
Before you get to this list, make sure you have covered the universal apps that belong on your phone for any international trip. CityMapper, Google Maps offline, Google Translate camera mode, Apple Translate for conversation, WhatsApp, Wanderlog, and a few others are all covered in Apps I Never Travel Without. Those are the foundation. This
Your Italy Trip, Right in Your Pocket Read More »
Before You Go
The big picture on handling money in Europe is covered in Your Card Will Work. Probably. A Guide to Money in Europe — ATMs over airport kiosks, notifying your bank, Dynamic Currency Conversion, never traveling with only one card. All of that applies in Italy. Italy adds some texture worth knowing before you land. The
Italy Runs on Cash. Here’s What Else to Know. Read More »
Before You Go
Before you get to this article, the universal pre-departure checklist belongs somewhere else. Passport validity, Global Entry, STEP registration, document copies — all of that is covered in Documentation to Sort Before You Leave the Country. Read that one first if you have not already. This article is about what changed for 2026. Specifically, what
Europe Updated Its Entry Requirements. Here’s What Changed. Read More »
Before You Go
Coming back from Paris, I bought wine at the duty-free shop in the international terminal. I had done what you are supposed to do: bought it after security, in the sealed tamper-evident bag, with the receipt inside. I was carrying it on the plane. I understood, or thought I understood, how this worked. In Atlanta,
What Duty-Free Actually Means (And When It Actually Matters) Read More »
Before You Go
Something going wrong on an international trip is not inevitable. But it happens, and the travelers who handle it well are almost always the ones who thought about it before they left. The key is not to panic. Most of these situations have a path through them. The path is shorter and clearer when you
When Something Goes Wrong Abroad Read More »
Before You Go
I want to tell you about an afternoon in Paris that was one of the most stressful I have had on any trip. It ended well. That is Paris for you. The morning was Père Lachaise Cemetery. If you have never been, go. It is nothing like you expect. It is beautiful, almost park-like, completely
The Gendarme Afternoon Read More »
Stories from the Road
Spoiler alert: I am about to romance your senses with the rich, buttery perfection of a soufflé, and then rip it away. The restaurant where this all took place? It no longer exists. When I search online, I cannot find the reason they closed, just lots of lamenting about the loss. The story I have
Before you get to this list, make sure you have covered the universal apps that belong on your phone for any international trip. CityMapper, Google Maps offline, Google Translate camera mode, Apple Translate for conversation, WhatsApp, Wanderlog, and a few others are all covered in Apps I Never Travel Without. Those are the foundation. CityMapper
Before Paris, Do This on Your Phone Read More »
Before You Go
The big picture on handling money in Europe is covered in Your Card Will Work. Probably. A Guide to Money in Europe — ATMs over airport kiosks, notifying your bank, Dynamic Currency Conversion, never traveling with only one card. All of that applies in Paris exactly as it does everywhere else in Europe. What Paris
Everything That Costs a Coin in Paris Read More »
Travel Planning