italy - Compass Roam

5 Reasons to Celebrate Your Next Holiday at a Luxury Villa in Sicily

taormina and mt etna - luxury villa in sicily

In January, something peculiar happens to the human brain. We start to forget the absolute, sheer mayhem that was the holiday season. As soon as the New Year rolls around, it all feels like a dream. In March, we’re reminiscing about the holidays fondly. In July, we SWEAR we’re going to start figuring…

Discover the 11 Very Best Places in Puglia – Italy’s Rising Star

There’s a theme in all of Puglia that goes like this: Relax, roam, discover, dine, and repeat. Right now, the travel world is just waking up to this mysterious side of Italy. With its seductive landscapes and calming blue waters, Puglia isn’t merely an add-on in your sunny sojourn through Europe. For a…

Villas in Puglia are Serving Up the Sweet Life

Right now everyone can’t stop talking about two booming travel topics. First, destination radars have zeroed in on a seductive slice of the Italian peninsula — Puglia, Italy.

The Ultimate Rome Travel Guide

They say all roads lead to Rome. Twelve years ago I felt the pull of the Eternal City as I selected my study abroad location. As a history major, it doesn’t get any cooler than studying THE empire on its home turf. My time overseas ignited my passion for travel — I wanted to see…

Florence & Tuscany Travel Guide with a Baby

It’s hard to find the words to properly convey how special Italy is. The cities and towns are picture-postcard perfect, especially in Tuscany where you can let your imagination run wild exploring Medieval towers, stare for hours at the rolling hilltops, and walk through the colorful historical streets of Florence, Lucca, and Siena. And if…

Travel Guide Sicily’s East Coast: Syracuse and Taormina

Sicily somewhat reminds me of the Texas of Italy. They are a proud people — boastful of both their Italian heritage, and their own Sicilian micro-culture and land (think Texas pride, or “Texas forever,” for those Friday Night Lights fans). They identify themselves as Sicilian first, Italian second. And even though Sicilians share a deeply-rooted…