Hand Crafted Travel

Along with cooler temperatures and fewer crowds, another benefit of traveling later in the year is getting to experience the olive harvest. We visited a small olive oil mill near Montalcino to witness the entire production process, and tasted fresh, unfiltered olive oil. It was spicy!

A great day in the villages of the Cinque Terre. Traveling late in the year the crowds were definitely less than they were when I was here in the spring.

Rain dripping off Renaissance balconies, crowds huddled under archways, and St. Mark’s Square transformed into the world’s most magnificent puddle – this is Venice doing its moody, atmospheric thing.

We spent the morning in St. Mark’s Basilica, where Byzantine gold mosaics glitter regardless of weather – though the acqua alta-proof walkways were a hint that Venice is quite used to getting its feet wet.

Then shuffled into the Doge’s Palace, where gilded ceilings and Tintoretto masterpieces are infinitely more impressive than a soggy map.

Turns out, rainy Venice has its own magic. Fewer tourists, dramatic skies, and the sound of water literally everywhere. Just invest in decent shoes and embrace it.

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Verona is one of my favorite stops in northern Italy, whether for an afternoon or – preferably – for a few days. This city doesn’t try too hard, which is exactly why it works. Sure, everyone’s here for the Romeo and Juliet balcony (spoiler: it’s mobbed and underwhelming), but stick around and you’ll find a city that’s got Roman ruins, world-class wine bars, and approximately zero tourists elbowing you out of the way at aperitivo hour.

The amphitheater in Piazza Bra is genuinely jaw-dropping—imagine the Colosseum’s cooler, better-preserved cousin. Wander across the river to Ponte Pietra for sunset views that’ll make you forget all about that overrated balcony. And please, do yourself a favor: order a bottle of local Valpolicella, grab a table at an osteria in the backstreets, and just… exist for a while.

Verona’s the kind of place that rewards slow mornings and long lunches. Less touristy than Venice, less frantic than Florence, but every bit as charming.

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We kicked off our last tour of the year with a three-day stay at a grand, 19th century hotel on Lake Garda. Spenta day cruising across Lake Garda’s impossibly blue waters, wind in my non-existent hair and not a single regret about skipping the crowded shoreline roads. Glided past lemon groves and pastel villages clinging to the mountainside before docking at Sirmione—basically a medieval castle dropped onto a narrow peninsula.

Wandered the cobbled streets, treated myself to gelato while perched on ancient ramparts watching boats bob below. The thermal springs give the whole peninsula a slightly sulfuric smell, which sounds terrible but somehow adds to the charm.

Back on the water for a lazy afternoon ride back to the hotel. Lake Garda from a boat? Peak Italian living. No roads, no timetables, just water and sunshine and the occasional Aperol spritz.

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