Image © Italian Concierge

"Follow me."

Two simple words can lead to a fantastic adventure.

Maybe a restaurant recommendation leads to the best meal of your life. A stranger's pointing down the road brings you to small village that you dream of retiring to. Or even a suggestion of visiting a simple hidden courtyard provides much needed respite and rejuvenation on a hot day of too much sight-seeing.

It is a uniquely and wonderfully Italian trait to accompany you wherever you go. Even a shopkeeper you ask for directions to the train station will walk outside and down the corner to make sure that you see which street across the plaza you need to take.

This charming facet of Italian life is found all over, but more prevalent the warmer the weather gets. So this summer, ignore your mother's advice to never go with strangers, and let those simple words guide you to discovery.

Follow me for our favorite picks from around Italy in the July newsletter.

Here's what else you missed:

• Tis the Season for . . . Estati!
  You'd think the l'estate (Italian for "summer") was festive enough already, but most Italian regional capitals take things even further with the official estates, an entire summer of outdoor concerts, films, performances, and festivals


• Events this Month: FDA Lifts Imported Cured Meat Ban
  Culatello, coppa, salame fellino - a variety of previously unimportable meats are now ostensibly allowed into the U.S., but enforcement of the new regulations is very unclear.


• Traveler Tip: Bringing Home Meat and Cheese
  Customs and Border Patrol has coined the phrase "when in doubt, keep it out," further scaring consumers from these items home from abroad. So how do you know what to bring?


• Things We Love: Pecorino di Pienza
  Though always aged in oak barrels for at least 90 days, this sheeps milk pecorino from Pienza comes in many varieties. Read about my favorite.


• July Recipe: Apricot Crostata
  Easy to store, cut, and finish in one go, crostatas combine one of the most important parts of an Italian meal - presentation - with one of Italians' favorite ways to end a meal: fruit!

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In honor of the beginning of warm weather and the Florence Gelato Festival, celebrated in one of the origins of the beloved treat now enjoyed worldwide, this month we’re taking a look at Italian gelato.

As days and nights heat up, much of Italy becomes almost unbearably hot and humid. To stay comfortable, Italians live life al fresco (in the open air). Parties, cooking and eating meals, dance clubs—every type of leisure activity moves outside till things cool down.

There are many vineyards that are not strictly open to visitors, but will be happy to receive you with a bit of advance planning.

Lines at top Italian museums are bad enough to ruin any vacation and sour your image of Italy! Thankfully, there’s a way around them.