Advertise on podcast: Little Roads Unfiltered: Italy and Beyond

Send us a text This week we talk all about what foods to look for when you visit the Emerald Isle. We list our favorite chocolate maker, tell a few stories about things that happened in Irish pubs, and share which is our favorite breakfast fish.  Join us for our chat about food in Ireland! Want to know more about us and our travel services? Find us at: www.LittleRoadsEurope.com www.facebook.com/LittleRoadsEurope We craft small-town driving itineraries for travelers to Italy, Ireland and Scotland. And our "alter-egos" as musicians: www.OrsiniVirtuosi.it

Send us a text For this week's episode, we're doing something a bit different: Zen took the night off from chatting, and instead I sit and chat with my friend John Kissingford, who’s been a friend of mine for over 4 decades – since our high school days in Long Island.  We reminisce about old times, playing the cello, fencing, skiing, and Shakespeare; and we talk about some of the ancient places we've seen on John's visit to Italy this week. And this episode has a bonus - new bumper music! I (Matt) played guitar tracks and a bass line; and John - who hasn't touched a cello for 20 years or more - recorded a cello part!  Want to know more about us and our travel services? Find us at: www.LittleRoadsEurope.com www.facebook.com/LittleRoadsEurope We craft small-town driving itineraries for travelers to Italy, Ireland and Scotland. And our "alter-egos" as musicians: www.OrsiniVirtuosi.it

Send us a text In this episode, we explain what it was like getting our Italian drivers' licenses, and we give our best tips to people facing this very difficult test.  Lots of fun anecdotes along the way, and new music too: a parody version of the Beach Boys song "Fun, Fun, Fun" with Matt on vocals, cello, guitar... and Fiat 500 car horn.  Want to know more about us and our travel services? Find us at: www.LittleRoadsEurope.com www.facebook.com/LittleRoadsEurope We craft small-town driving itineraries for travelers to Italy, Ireland and Scotland. And our "alter-egos" as musicians: www.OrsiniVirtuosi.it

Send us a text In this episode, we talk about some basics for a first-time visitor to Scotland - what to eat, how to handle driving, what to expect from visiting there, and more. We'll also tell you where you can find a stone that predicts the future, where the legend of the original “Red Wedding” took place, and where you can get a Philly cheesesteak in small town Scotland.   Matt recorded all new music for this episode too: A "nontraditional" version of “Scotland the Brave” (on multiple cellos!) and a guitar rendition of “The Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond”.  Want to know more about us and our travel services? Find us at: www.LittleRoadsEurope.com www.facebook.com/LittleRoadsEurope We craft small-town driving itineraries for travelers to Italy, Ireland and Scotland. And our "alter-egos" as musicians: www.OrsiniVirtuosi.it

Send us a text We are contacted dozens a times a year on this topic, by people who want our advice on how to choose a region, a neighborhood, and a home. So here is our best advice!  A few pointers about some potential legal issues, some tips on how to figure out the best region for you, and a lot of ideas about how to focus on specific things you are looking for in the home itself.  Want to know more about us and our travel services? Find us at: www.LittleRoadsEurope.com www.facebook.com/LittleRoadsEurope We craft small-town driving itineraries for travelers to Italy, Ireland and Scotland. And our "alter-egos" as musicians: www.OrsiniVirtuosi.it

Send us a text I lost a little over 30 pounds in 5 months, and after I mentioned it on social media a while back, a listener wrote and asked “How did you do it?”  So we thought we would dedicate a podcast to it, since all the changes we made were pretty extreme.  I did a complete diet change, and Matt joined me with it. We are both stronger and healthier, one year in. In this podcast, I explain what we did before, and what we are doing now.  We also include several recipes [LINK HERE!], since the idea of starving or eating horrible food was a nonstarter for both of us.  For those of you wanting to start out the new year on a new tack, we hope this helps!  Want to know more about us and our travel services? Find us at: www.LittleRoadsEurope.com www.facebook.com/LittleRoadsEurope We craft small-town driving itineraries for travelers to Italy, Ireland and Scotland. And our "alter-egos" as musicians: www.OrsiniVirtuosi.it

Send us a text In this episode we talk all about our experiences with the Natale holidays that we've had since moving to Italy six years ago - the food, the people, the celebrations... and did we mention the food?  We’ll tell you where to see nativity scenes year-round, why a witch on a broom is part of the Christmas holiday, and talk about what Christmas is like for us here in Italy.  We recorded all new tracks for this episode, too - with two different Christmas tunes. On these arrangements Matt added percussion using his face, and also using a bottle of ibuprofen - very apropos for the season! Want to know more about us and our travel services? Find us at: www.LittleRoadsEurope.com www.facebook.com/LittleRoadsEurope We craft small-town driving itineraries for travelers to Italy, Ireland and Scotland. And our "alter-egos" as musicians: www.OrsiniVirtuosi.it

Send us a text We're back for the second season of our podcast! This week, we talk about visiting restaurants in Italy: Everything you need to know, from booking your table, to the order of courses – there are lots! – to paying the bill and tipping.  We also explain why pizza isn't always as easy to find as you'd think! Want to know more about us and our travel services? Find us at: www.LittleRoadsEurope.com www.facebook.com/LittleRoadsEurope We craft small-town driving itineraries for travelers to Italy, Ireland and Scotland. And our "alter-egos" as musicians: www.OrsiniVirtuosi.it

Send us a text Ever wonder what Halloween is like in Italy? We chat all about it in this, the final episode of Season One.  Among other things, you’ll hear about…: - Why we give out spicy tofu - How to dress up as olives and grapes - How to say “Trick or Treat” in Italian Plus: all new music! We arranged and recorded special music just for this episode: swing jazz versions of Sorcerer's Apprentice, and Grieg's Hall of the Mountain King. Happy Halloween!  Want to know more about us and our travel services? Find us at: www.LittleRoadsEurope.com www.facebook.com/LittleRoadsEurope We craft small-town driving itineraries for travelers to Italy, Ireland and Scotland. And our "alter-egos" as musicians: www.OrsiniVirtuosi.it

Send us a text In this episode, we talk about beautiful Montisola, Europe's largest lake island. We tell you the name of our favorite bakery, the "hidden" vantage point for the best view of the island, where to find a bizarre huge fish head in a jar, and recount stories of our many travels there, including some about our favorite island cat, Grigio.  Want to know more about us and our travel services? Find us at: www.LittleRoadsEurope.com www.facebook.com/LittleRoadsEurope We craft small-town driving itineraries for travelers to Italy, Ireland and Scotland. And our "alter-egos" as musicians: www.OrsiniVirtuosi.it

Send us a text How you pack (and how MUCH you pack) can really make or break a trip. After 20 years traveling together, we have pretty much perfected packing, so we have everything we need, but travel very light. In this episode we tell you how to pack, name-check our favorite bag brand, and discuss how to manage luggage while en route, so you spend the smallest possible amount of time fiddling with bags.  Want to know more about us and our travel services? Find us at: www.LittleRoadsEurope.com www.facebook.com/LittleRoadsEurope We craft small-town driving itineraries for travelers to Italy, Ireland and Scotland. And our "alter-egos" as musicians: www.OrsiniVirtuosi.it

Send us a text People always ask us how we found the town of Soriano nel Cimino, where we've lived since 2019. Well, the answer is: Our friends, Bo and Lee! They are our special guests on this podcast. This episode explains how Lee used a protractor to find Soriano in the first place, how she helped us “smuggle” artwork here. We also recount some of our favorite stories of this amazing little town.  Italy is full of pizza, gelato, incredible sights, and architectural wonders, but the best things we have found here are friendships.  Want to know more about us and our travel services? Find us at: www.LittleRoadsEurope.com www.facebook.com/LittleRoadsEurope We craft small-town driving itineraries for travelers to Italy, Ireland and Scotland. And our "alter-egos" as musicians: www.OrsiniVirtuosi.it

Send us a text Firenze (a.k.a. Florence) is a big city by our Little Roads standards, but we do visit there from time to time. In this episode we discuss some of our favorite places to eat, drink, visit, and stay in this very touristy and crowded but undeniably special town - from sandwiches to shopping to spritzes to spectacular viewpoints.  But more importantly, we also talk about how to visit: Getting the most out of your time in Firenze - the same valuable travel tips and planning strategies that we share with our itinerary service clients.  Want to know more about us and our travel services? Find us at: www.LittleRoadsEurope.com www.facebook.com/LittleRoadsEurope We craft small-town driving itineraries for travelers to Italy, Ireland and Scotland. And our "alter-egos" as musicians: www.OrsiniVirtuosi.it

Send us a text We talk here about Clonakilty, one of the first Irish towns we visited and one that keeps us returning again and again. The food and drink, the markets and shops, the history and culture, and more.  We also discuss some of our favorite sightseeing in the surrounding countryside, including remote lighthouses, ancient stone circles, and beautiful beaches.  We also tell stories: an ancient monastery with a well that cures warts; a goat that smoked cigarettes; and the sausage that nearly caused a riot. And we even arranged and recorded new Ireland-themed music for this episode: Matt's jazz waltz arrangement of Danny Boy.   Sláinte! Want to know more about us and our travel services? Find us at: www.LittleRoadsEurope.com www.facebook.com/LittleRoadsEurope We craft small-town driving itineraries for travelers to Italy, Ireland and Scotland. And our "alter-egos" as musicians: www.OrsiniVirtuosi.it

Send us a text If you need a laugh, this is the episode for you. The worst places we've ever stayed, separated into the four base elements: Earth, Air, Water, and... FIRE!  We talk about our experiences in B&Bs, hotels, and farm stays in Italy, Ireland, and in the USA. Want to know more about us and our travel services? Find us at: www.LittleRoadsEurope.com www.facebook.com/LittleRoadsEurope We craft small-town driving itineraries for travelers to Italy, Ireland and Scotland. And our "alter-egos" as musicians: www.OrsiniVirtuosi.it