Italy Travel Guide

General Information

• Oanda - Currency Converter - Amazing site...has wallet size conversion chart that can be printed out so you don't have to bumble about with a calculator during your trip.

• Passport Info - A helpful "how to" site for American citizens interested in applying for a passport.

• Italian Government Tourist Board - Has lots of pertinent information for hassle-free travel through Italy such as banking hours, a currency converter, getting through customs, the use of local phones and postal service plus, and much more.

• Discover Italy - A comprehensive tourist site featuring relevant travel information and providing original trips to first-time as well as experienced travelers to Italy.

• Lonely Planet- Destination Italy - This site includes tons of information for the independent traveler, including stories from abroad, advisories, travel forum, do’s & don’ts, and lots more!

• Things to do in Rome - Don't miss out on the best things to do in Rome - book a Rome tour now and see all of Rome's fantastic attractions, including the Vatican and the Colosseum.

• Last Supper Tickets - Planning a trip to Milan? Don't miss out on seeing Da Vinci's Last Supper masterpiece with your own eyes - reserve your Last Supper tickets now

• Venice Gondola Ride - You can't go to Venice without experiencing a Venice gondola ride.

• Hop on Hop off Rome - The best way to see all of the historical and religious sites of Rome is on a hop on hop off Rome bus tour.

Getting There & Around

• Eurail - For non-European residents, buy eurail passes or eurailtickets for train travel within Europe.

• Italy Railway (FS) - Italy's cities are served by an extensive state railway system with fast service on main lines (Milan, Venice, Florence, Rome and Naples).

• Ryan Air - Europe's low fares airline.

• Easyjet - Low cost airline for travel around Europe.

Hotels & Restaurants

• Italy Hotels - Search for hotels in Italy by region.

• Italy Restaurants, Recipes and Bars & Nightlife - The name says it all!

News & Culture

• Made In Italy Online - Gives the best of Italian fashion, food, wine, shopping, and travel.

• Rome Post - A local Rome newspaper.

• Italian Art - Here you will find lots of online sites for Italian Art, Italian Art History, Art in the Vatican, plus art museums and Italian architecture.

Staff Picks

• Learn Italian in Sorrento, Italy (video) - A short video about Sorrento, Italy.

• AmeriSpan Italian School in Taormina-Sicily, Italy (video) - A short video showing AmeriSpan's Italian school in Taormina-Sicily, Italy.

• Taormina-Sicily Italian School: Meet the School - Get to know more about the school by meeting the school's founder and director.

Travel & Tourism

• Zefiro World Tour Operator - This site provides cultural, gastronomical and religious tours, hotel and villa accommodations, art historian guides, restaurants, transfers, and many other tourist services.

• RomAmor - Search for arts & culture, entertainment including recipes, shopping and accommodations, local weather, transportation, and information on the Vatican.

• Non sono comunista! (Cultural) -

• Taormina-Sicily Italian School: Meet the School (AmeriSpan Staff Commentary) - Get to know the founder of AmeriSpan's Italian language partner school in Taormina, Sicily.

• Tiramisu (Recipes) - A traditional Italian dessert.

• A Taste of Food Festivals Around the World (Recipes) - A list of some of the world’s most popular (and strange) food festivals.

• Our Biggest Promotion Ever (Learning A language) - Our biggest promotion ever save on Europe

• Plato Pescado Carribiano (Recipes) - A traditional Caribbean dish.

• The Obnoxious Tourist - Are You One? (Articles/Travelogues) - Helpful hints to avoid this being labeled as obnoxious.

• Cesaria Evora (Music Reviews) - AmeriSpan's Carol LaMastra reviews Cesaria Evora: Café Atlantico and lists a couple of runner-ups.

• Before You Go, You Need To Know (Learning A language) - Before traveling to a Spanish-speaking country, Ricardo González, Founder and CEO of Bilingual America offers a list of what you need to know.

• The Fruit and the Root (Learning A language) - Is the life of a tree in the fruit or in the root? What does this have to do with learning Spanish? A LOT! If you want to understand "the root" of the issue, this article is a must read.

• The Power of Patterns (Learning A language) - Forget about "tenses" and "conjugations!" - Ricardo González, Founder and CEO of Bilingual America tells us about a better way.

• The Four Secrets to Long Term Retention... (Learning A language) - What you learn here has the potential to completely change your life! I have specifically applied these four secrets to the development of all Bilingual America Learning Courses. and have found over and over that students who follow these "Four Secrets To Long Term Retention" achieve outstanding results.

• Are Language Skills Enough? (Learning A language) - Article on the importance of cross-cultural communication

• Tips for Traveling Inexpensively (AmeriSpan Staff Commentary) - These days, from the weak dollar to the outrageous airfares, traveling abroad may seem out of the question. We beg to differ! There are many ways you can travel that are budget-friendly. We’ve gathered together some of our favorite cheap travel tips to help you make your trip a reality!

• Save Money by Volunteering Abroad (Learning A language) - Volunteer abroad to save money over traditional language programs and get an incredible immersion experience.

• Get an Edge in the Job Market (AmeriSpan Staff Commentary) - AmeriSpan's Business and Professional language programs can give you an edge in the job market and make your resume stand out.

• Learning a Language? Add Some Fun! (AmeriSpan Staff Commentary) - Discover AmeriSpan's 'Language and Fun' programs

• Discount: Get Into College or Graduate School (Press Releases) - Save $150 if a college or graduate application resulted in a rejection or "wait listed" letter

• Discount: Save 10% on any AmeriSpan Spain program (Press Releases) - AmeriSpan announced a 10% discount

• La Manzanilla Junior Immersion Homestay Movie (Articles/Travelogues) - Watch a movie of a teen participant in La Manzanilla with his homestay family.

• Don't Forget about Departure Tax when Studying Abroad! (Articles/Travelogues) - When your study abroad trip is over, be prepared to pay a departure tax at the airport in certain countries.

• Study Abroad Money: How Much Cash to Carry (Articles/Travelogues) - Our expert tips on how much cash to carry with you on your study abroad trip.

• Don't Forget Passports When Studying Abroad (Articles/Travelogues) - Locating your birth certificate and getting your passport in order is a very important step in preparing to study abroad.

• Money Matters for Teenager Study Abroad (Articles/Travelogues) - AmeriSpan's tips on what type of money your child should bring on their teenager study abroad trip.

• AmeriSpan Study Abroad Named LTM's 2011 Best Agency in North America (Press Releases) - AmeriSpan awarded LTM's Best Agency in North America for the third year in a row.

• Language Travel Magazine Star Awards (Press Releases) - For the 2nd year in a row, AmeriSpan Study Abroad was voted BEST AGENCY in NORTH AMERICA by language schools throughout the world.