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Hidden within a historic building in downtown Miami is Soya e Pomodoro, a traditional Italian restaurant placed within an old Beaux Arts office building.

The bohemian atmosphere is unlike anything else in Miami. The asthetic is simple, but very cool.

There’s live music, and books. The kitchen is small but fast and you’ll be sitting half inside, half outside. There is no air conditioning and it’s a very small space, only seating about 11 tables. You really feel like you are in Italy.

The staff is made up of mostly Italians and the food speaks true to the traditional recipes.

Be sure to go when there is live entertainment. You’ll sip chanti and listen to scatting jazz music by moonlight. It’s truly magical.

Even visitors who have never cared about jewelry before find themselves mesmerized by the black pearls found in French Polynesia, scanning the loose pearls at pearl markets, visiting farms where the gleaming little seeds are cultivated, heading to the Robert Wan Pearl Museum (where, of course, you can buy the lovely items on exhibit). At the Papeete Municipal Market, or Marché de Papeete, browse the spectacular local fruit and fish, but stop by the stands selling locally produced vanilla and fragrant body products made with monoi oil (which is coconut oil infused with the scent of flowers). While you’ll hardly need a souvenir to remember these magical islands, it can’t hurt to pick up a gift made here.

Occupying most of a 38-floor Times Square building, the Reverie Saigon initially made waves for its over-the-top flourishes: the house cars are a limited-edition Rolls-Royce Phantom Dragon and a Maybach, both parked out front; the lobby features a $500,000 jade-and-gold Baldi clock; and the property feels like it used all the marble and Murano glass in Italy. What’s surprising, then, is how well it all works—and how quickly you might feel at ease. A large part of that is thanks to the warm, attentive service (sniffle once, for example, and ginger tea will appear at your doorstep) and the 286 airy guest rooms themselves, which—though full of whimsical touches by international design houses like Visionnaire and Provasi—manage to call to mind serene sanctuaries floating high above the city bustle. The on-site dining options (including places for traditional Cantonese, fine-dining French, and modern Italian) draw local crowds, and the two-story spa features an ozone-infused outdoor pool equipped with underwater speakers—plus some of the best therapists in town.

After Toronto, Montréal is the Canadian city with the largest population of residents of Italian descent. For more than a century, the community has been centered in one of the city’s most charming neighborhoods, Little Italy. The way to the heart of this neighborhood is arguably through its stomach or, rather, the Jean-Talon Market, where residents have come to buy produce and stock their pantries since 1933. Even if you aren’t shopping for fresh vegetables or fruits, it’s a good place to come to sample Québecois products and buy gifts like local jams, jellies, and maple products to take back home.

When Chef Richard Reddington was tasked with concepting a new, casual restaurant in Yountville to compliment his Michelin-starred Redd, he brought in a wood-burning oven from Italy and Liza Shaw from A16 to work her magic with yeast and flour and fire. Success. Shaw has since moved on, but the eatery maintains its stellar reputation for Italian fare and a relaxed atmosphere. The best seats at Redd Wood are at the bar, where you can see into the open kitchen and the charcuterie cooler, enjoy a respectable Manhattan, and avoid the tourist hordes.

The newly opened Carlo e Camilla in Segheria is Michelin star chef Carlo Cracco adventure in family style chic cuisine. Everyone eats together on a long table in a former woodworking factory illuminated by Venetian chandeliers. The is a delicious interpretation of contemporary Italian cuisine including dishes such as spaghetti alici, cipollotto, lime e caffè (spaghetti with anchovies, green onions, lime and coffee).

As if the picturesque Umbrian hill-top town of Spello wasn’t perfect enough, it’s also home to the fantastic Vinosofia wine bar and shop. This beautifully designed space is as warm and welcoming as it’s owner, American expat, Brenda. Vinosofia boasts a wide variety of local wines and, each month, features a different region in Italy. When I visited, I was able to taste some spectacular Sicilian wines, alongside bottles from neighbouring towns like Montefalco. Although wine is the star of the show, it’s not the only player at Vinosofia. Taste delicious local cheeses, salami and olives from the trees you see around every corner. You can also peruse and purchase a collection of cookbooks, in both English and Italian. Vinosofia might just be the perfect wine bar... further tasting, er testing, is required.

When properly curated, “vintage” takes on a whole new meaning in Milan. Cavalli e Nastri is the Italian answer to Anthropologie—set in Carrie Bradshaw’s closet. The boutique stocks select, pristine vintage clothes and accessories on a small scale. Perfectly placed hat boxes, vibrant walls, and glass displays give the designer space a comfortable feel, perfect for browsing. With impeccable tastes to begin with, the Milanese do retro right at Cavalli e Nastri.

Completed in 1916, this Italian-inspired villa on Biscayne Bay was the home of the early 20th-century industrialist James Deering and is now a National Historic Landmark. The house was modeled after historic villas and country estates in the Veneto region of northern Italy. The heart and main living area of the house is the Courtyard, which was originally open to the sky. Diego Suarez, who had worked in Florence, designed the gorgous formal gardens with classic Italianate flair, but modified for the heat and humidity of southern Florida. Thousands of varieties of orchids flourish in the greenhouse, while subtropical trees, palms, and low hedges highlight the lines of the gardens’ layout.

If you’re craving for Italian food in Manila, and love those little quaint places, you should visit this place. It’s not in your usual tourist areas, it’s located in Cubao Expo in Cubao, Quezon City, about 20 km from Makati. The Cubao area is more known to the locals as it houses a large wet market, as well as to the sports and live concert enthusiasts who attend events at the popular Araneta Coliseum. In the past, kids loved this area too as there used to be a large indoor carnival. Recently, the commercial area has been rehabilitated, and now also includes a large upscale mall and hypermarket. The owner of Bellini’s is an Italian married to a Filipina and both of them are heavily involved in their restaurant business since 1999. Their food is great as they are all freshly made and uses quality ingredients. Try the beef carpaccio, the pizza is excellent too and I also love their pasta. I also love the decor, they put together some Italian icons on the walls and ceilings and even has a mini Tower of Pisa inside the restaurant :-) After your meal, you can also explore Cubao Expo, which includes small stores selling arts and other quirky stuff. It also has a weekend flea market. If you prefer more upscale shopping, you can go the nearby Gateway Mall.

There is a reason why renting a villa in Tuscany is so popular - rustic farmhouses, rolling hills filled with olive and plum trees, golden sunsets, locally-harvested wine, creamy cheeses, and cool evenings spent with friends and family. Renting a villa provides a relaxing base for your sightseeing in the region. Almost all Tuscan towns allow easy day trips to the main sights: - Florence‘s art and Renaissance history (Duomo, Uffizi Gallery, Michelangelo’s David) - Cortona’s steep, narrow streets and medieval walls - Siena’s cultural city center, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site - San Gimignano’s fortified towers set amidst picture-perfect Tuscan hillsides - Montelpulciano’s world-famous wineries and more This offers the best of both worlds - after a dusty day of sightseeing, you can relax at your villa with a jump in the pool and a glass of wine. Watch the sun go down in a purplish haze, unwind with friends, and enjoy the lovely moment. I recommend YourTuscany.com, which is where we found Villa Coloniale (above) in the town of Pergine Valdarno. The infinity pool and covered patio are guaranteed to put you in a relaxed, Italian frame of mind!

The first new hotel in decades to open on Lake Como’s glittering shores made its appearance in mid-summer 2016 on a sun-dappled promontory near the village of Torno. As the new kid on the block, Il Sereno brings a modern sensibility to a region where luxury typically takes on a gilded, Old World aesthetic. Envisioned by Milan-based designer Patricia Urquiola, this lakeside hotel takes cues from the history of the area, but skews contemporary and relaxed, with a design that highlights natural materials such as stone, wood, and wool, and a color palette of greens and blues inspired by the surroundings. The 30 sprawling suites feature lake-view terraces and amenities such as Ex Voto Paris bath products and Bluetooth sound systems. The sleek Berton Al Lago serves modern Italian fare crafted with fresh local ingredients, while the Il Sereno Bar & Lounge and the Pool Bar offer light bites in a casual setting. The spa is set in what was once the boathouse of the original property, and features treatments with Valmont products made just across the border in Switzerland. Wander the shaded passageways around the lush garden, check out the two vertical gardens and green sculptures by famed botanist Patrick Blanc, and don’t miss the 60-foot, heated, freshwater infinity pool, located in a secluded spot that overlooks the lake. Guests can take one of the hotel’s stylish Riva boats—accessible from a private dock—to explore the charming towns that line the lake.

Frank Altamura took his time renovating the old Italian grocery store — where he remembers shopping as a child — at the north end of Yountville. His dream was to turn the partly dilapidated building into a casual restaurant with great pizza and Napa Valley wine where locals would love to eat. His dream came to fruition when Ciccio opened its doors in 2013. The menu is simple, straightforward and ever-changing based on what Altamura is bringing in from his Napa ranch, where he also grows Cabernet Sauvignon, Nebbiolo, Sangiovese and Negroamaro for his eponymous wine. Chef Polly Lappetito (former Executive Chef at The Culinary Institute of America) traveled far and wide in search of the perfect pizza crust, but her’s is in a category all its own — prepared in a hand-tiled, wood-burning pizza oven imported from Italy.

One of my favorite places in Brussels, mainly becuase I love soccer, is the King Baudouin Stadium. Although I have taken in several Belgian national team soccer games here (not to mention a Mexico vs. Italy game), the stadium is also used for rugby and also athletics. The stadium was formerly named the Heysel but was renamed back in 1985 after it was refurbished mainly due to a tragic incident where several Italian soccer fans died. The stadium lies int he shadow of the Atomium in the northern part of the city.

Why we love it: A luxury resort with top-notch amenities in the heart of Malta

The Highlights:
- A variety of room types to accommodate all travelers
- Five on-site bars and restaurants, including the historic Villa Corinthia
- A regal pool surrounded by loungers and gardens

The Review:
In 1959, the Pisani family patriarch bought the historic Villa Refalo, intending for it to be a home for him, his wife, and their six children, as well as a restaurant. When he died unexpectedly, his children took over the property, first turning it into a wedding hall, and then a luxury hotel called Corinthia Palace. Even though the Pisanis have since expanded the Corinthia brand to 14 hotels around the world, they still own and operate the Malta original, running it with all the amenities required of a five-star stay. Here, guests find five bars and restaurants, a swanky outdoor pool and garden area, tennis courts, a deluxe spa and fitness center, and friendly, attentive service. The afternoon tea, served in your choice of British or Maltese style in the Orange Grove Brasserie, is a must, while the daily breakfast spread is generous and tasty.

Ranging from superior rooms to executive suites, accommodations feature comfy beds and private balconies or terraces. All come with complimentary access to the Athenaeum Spa, but higher category options also include entry to the Executive Lounge, where guests can enjoy a daily breakfast buffet and complimentary wine, spirits, and canapés each evening. Speaking of the spa, it’s currently being renovated and will be unveiled in April 2020 with a new design by Goddard Littlefair, a new parternship with ESPA for treatments, and new facilities including seven treatment rooms, a relaxation lounge, and a thermal area.