Whether you are planning your next trip to Italy or enjoying a glass of Chianti from home, we have some good news for Italian wine lovers (and Italy’s economy!)  After the 2015 harvest, Italy is set to reclaim its spot as the world’s biggest wine producer.  This year’s production bounced back from last year when strong rains spoiled yields of popular Italian grapes.

As ski season quickly approaches, it’s time to hit the slopes in style. The Dolomites (Dolomiti in Italian), are located in northeastern Italy, and make a great side trip from Venice. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, these beautiful and unique mountains offer world class skiing and a plethora of outdoor activities. After spending a few days in Venice, escape to the great outdoors and enjoy the gorgeous scenery in these mountaintop towns.

After 17 months of repair work, the famed Trevi Fountain will finally be unveiled this month in Rome.  Nearly 2.2 million Euro (2.98 million dollars) was spent by Fendi, the company funding the restoration project.  That’s a lot of coins to throw into a fountain!

Fall is here and towns all over Italy are celebrating local products and seasonal fare.  Visitors to Italy can find food festivals throughout the country, celebrating autumn’s bounties such as truffles, mushrooms, chestnuts, and chocolate.

Italy is a country where people still talk face to face, are not glued all day to their cell phones, and are more concerned with the quality of their food than the quality of their broadband internet.  It is anything but high tech.  However, there have been a number of recent efforts to usher in high tech solutions to various problems, benefitting citizens, the environment, and upping Italy’s less than stellar tech savvy.