Chris Sobolev | Super Savvy Travelers, LLC

March 4, 2018January 22, 2020

Why the Calabrian Coast is the New Amalfi

Sweeping Mediterranean views from Maratea

Remember when Amalfi was the cool place to visit? The highbrow travelers flocked there to see and be seen.

The Amalfi coast and Positano in particular have reached truly Disneyesque status as tourist destinations.

The Disney phenomenon seems prevalent in the areas that cater to tourists. As more and more tourists descend on a town or a province, the mom and pop shops sell out to trinket shops and high end designer fashion stores.

Many times the beauty of the old architecture is destroyed and turned into a sterile new “modern” look that defeats the entire purpose of visiting a small Italian fishing village.

You could go visit Amalfi and pay way too much for a meal at one of the restaurants there but your travel dollar is way better spent a little further south.

Most guidebooks featuring Italy stop at Naples and claim to have reached “The South”.

They completely ignore the fact that there is almost half of Italy further south and that, to have a true Italian holiday immersed in the food, customs and community, you have to venture further.

Italy is a glorious country but there are reasons to avoid the crowds and tourists of the Rome, Venice, Florence trifecta.

1) The food

Calabria has its own cuisine. In fact most of what Americans know as “Italian food” is Calabrian cooking.

Starting in the late 1800’s and continuing through two world wars, Calabrians emigrated in great numbers to America, mostly New York.

Much of Calabria at that time was a brutal place to farm and farming was the sole subsistence of most of the people.

The Calabrian Diaspora (Emigration) continued over decades and ultimately Calabrian influence could be seen everywhere in the US.

Your pizzas and pasta ragouts are from Calabria and Naples.

A walking tour through any Calabrian village finds hand made fresh pastas, home made breads and a complete array of delicious pastries.

My two favorite restaurants in Calabria are the Bella Vista in Santa Domenica Talao where my husband and have a place, and Al Caminetto in Tortora which is another beautiful Calabrian hilltown.

Order anything off the menu at any one of these two places and you are in for a treat.

2) The Scenery

The Calabrian coast or The Riviera Dei Cedri is not only bristling with picturesque little fishing villages but also has spectacular mountain ranges jutting up into the sky in a myriad of colors.

Add to this the little medieval hilltop villages clinging the rocky crags like mushrooms on a tree trunk and you have an enchanting vacation destination.

Calabria is a photographer’s dream. Around every corner is another jaw dropping view that stops you in your tracks.

3) The shopping

Calabria and Southern Italy in general is known for their markets. The Monday market in Scalea is a shopper’s paradise. The marketplace is lined with stalls selling anything from lingerie to housewares to cheeses.

Every little village has a market once a week and the downtown areas all have shops that sell products unique to their specific regions.

Many of these products like Cedro cookies and jellies, fiercely hot N’Duja and chile peppers are unique to the region.

My Beautiful Friends Nunzia — My Beautiful Friend Nunzia

4) The people

When my husband and I first purchased our home in Santa Domenica, we barely spoke Italian and worried whether we would fit in.

Somehow, between then and now we have become fast friends with our Italian neighbors.

Nunzia who runs the market in the village took us under her wing and from that point on we were part of the community.

One day while visiting the little hill town of Aieta, close by our place, a man came running out, brought us in for coffee and introduced himself.

Since then Giacomo and his family have been good friends and they are always up for a day or a dinner out when we are there. (On the right is Roseangela who is an amazing chef. Check out our video as she tries really hard to teach me how to make pasta.)

We have made so many great friends there despite our halting Italian and funny California ways.

Giuseppe — Guiseppe the Artist. He has a Lovely Soul.

They happily look the other way when they see us eating dinner at 6:oo and drinking cafe latte in the afternoon. Any time we need anything they are there to help us out.

5) La Pausa

The afternoons in Calabria are set aside to recover from a big Calabrian lunch. Everything shuts down at 1:00 and everyone snoozes.

At first this bugged me. Where was everyone? I had to plan my day around La Pausa (The pause) but more and more I fell into the habit of reading and taking a short snooze in the afternoon.

It is a lovely custom. You feel so refreshed after a pause and you can then stay up late and enjoy the festivals into the evening.

6) Everything is inexpensive

At my favorite restaurant, I can get an oven fired pizza for eight Euros. The homemade red wine there which is fabulous by the way, is also about eight euros for a liter.

The food is fresh and many times it comes to you without you having to go out shopping.

Several times a week we hear the voice of our fish man broadcasting through the village “Peschi! Peschi fresci” and a huge filet from an unfortunate seabass who was just pulled from the sea, is yours for ten euros.

The Sassi, Matera — The Sassi in Matera, Basilicata, Italy

7) It is the perfect home base for an exploratory trip

From most Southern Italian towns, everything is accessible by rail. You can go North to Paestum for the best preserved Greek city still in existence.

You can head south to the fishing village of Scilla for seafood, or to Paola to visit the extraordinary sanctuario there.

You can head further South to Reggio Calabria and see the promenade and the beautiful museums and shops.

You can go further south to Sicily over the Straits of Messina and arrive in Taormina. Everything is a short hop.

Or you can stay in one area and explore the many hilltowns that dot the region. Each one has its own beauty and charm and the people love tourists who interact with them.

8) The passagiata

Every evening and especially in weekends, everyone in the village dresses up and performs the passagiata or “The walk”. They leave their housework, their TV’s and telephones and they walk around the village.

They touch bases with their neighbors, have an ice cream and kiss new babies. The men play cards at the tables left out for them by the shop proprietors. The woman walk arm in arm and talk about their lives.

In my village I see no one with mental health issues and I think that the simple act of walking with another person arm in arm and talking to them goes a long way in preventing depression and loneliness.

The people of the village belong to the family that is the entire village. It is a powerful support group.

9) Calabria is Magical

While walking in the alleys of Diamante one day I heard a gasp. I looked up and a tiny lady was running toward me with her arms outstretched. “Che Bella Duona!” (What a beautiful lady!) she said and fell into my arms.

I looked up at my husband and friend who were as surprised as I was and said “I love this place!”

And who could not love a place that raises its children with the idea that these spontaneous outbursts of love and admiration are perfectly ok?

If you love life, all the joy it brings, all the sights, smells, and sensations, you will love Southern Italy.

When you go, visit my friend Clive and Cathryn at Casa Cielo, in Scalea. They are the number one BNB there and are English so language is never a problem.

Additionally Clive is a fantastic chef and at the slightest prompting he will make you a meal you will you will never forget.

And if you happen to pass by Santa Domenica Talao in Summer, look for me. I will be at a table at the cafe or walking around the village. We can have a coffee and a chat.

If you like this article and want to read a story about our village festival, check out San Giuseppe and Dog the Blasphemer .

February 15, 2018May 6, 2018

Take Rome Off Your Bucket List and Put It On Your To Do List

Wonderful Romans

Why is Bella Roma so internationally loved?

Rome is wild, loud, beautiful, and always unpredictable. There is honestly so much to love about Rome that I am doing her a disservice listing only 5 things to be crazy about.

Go to Rome armed with these 5 things and make up your own list of favorites.

Michelangelo's Pieta, Rome, Italy — Michelangelo’s Pieta, St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome, Italy

1) The Vatican Art Museums

Rome is a city filled to the eyeballs with art. It is everywhere.

A trip to the Vatican Art Museums is a must when visiting Rome because it is the greatest collection of fine art in existence. Much of it is Renaissance Art.

The Vatican Museums were originated by Pope Julius II in 1506.

At that time, Michelangelo was working at the Vatican for Pope Julius and the pope had Michelangelo go and look at a sculpture that had just been found and unearthed in a roman vineyard.

Michelangelo confirmed that this sculpture was the original Laocoon and his sons which had been praised in the writings of Pliny the Elder centuries before.

Based on the recommendation of Michelangelo, Pope Julius purchased the statue and placed it on display in the Vatican.

Since that time, different popes have added art to the museums and have had to add new wings to accommodate it all.

A tour through the Vatican Museums is like taking an art bath. You see it, breathe it and take it in through your pores.

Like a perfect bath, it refreshes you and gives you new life.

Make sure you avoid the lines and headaches by booking yourself a tour. I like Through Eternity Tours in Rome because their tour guides are well trained, personable, entertaining and professional.

Book months in advance because they fill up, especially in Summer.

The museum contains paintings by Caravaggio, Leonardo Da Vinci, Raphael and, the entire Sistine Chapel ceiling painted by Michelangelo between 1477 and 1480.

The museum tour includes a visit to St. Peter’s Basilica which contains the amazingly beautiful Pieta sculpture, sculpted by Michelangelo from white Carrera marble when he was only 24 years old.

Michelangelo was such a prolific artist and you will see many of his pieces on this tour. You will see why he is still the most beloved artist ever born and so cherished by Italians.

Cafe in Rome's Jewish Quarter Super Savvy Travelers — Cafe in Rome’s Jewish Quarter

2) Café

Or Café Macchiato or Café Latte, or Cappuccino.

When ordering coffee in Rome, understand that if you order coffee (or café) you will get a tiny cup filled with fiercely strong and biting espresso.

The Italians don’t fool around with their coffee. It is a source of pride.

If this is too much for you, you can order a café latte. Don’t confuse a cafe latte at Starbucks with a cafe latte in Rome.

Both cafe latte and capuccino are perfectly blended combinations of milk, coffee and in cappuccino, chocolate.

Don’t order a “latte” as we do here in the states or you will get a glass of milk.

Having heard that ordering coffee with milk in it after lunch was taboo all over Italy, I put this to the test in Cremona one afternoon.

My friends and I entered a small café and a tiny Asian lady attended us.

My friends ordered their café and I looked at her and asked for a café latte. Her perfectly crafted eyebrows shot up into her hairline in surprise.

She covered it well and brought me my café latte but I am sure I was forever branded a tourist in that shop.

A café macchiato in Italy is espresso with a small amount of milk in it but still strong. I have ordered this after lunch and the eyebrows rose minimally so I think it is ok.

If you like your coffee a little weaker, you can order a café lungo which is an espresso with a small amount of water in it.

The Italians, recognizing that Americans drink our coffee differently, have created a café Americano which is espresso with more water.

The coffee in Italy is, to my mind, the best in the world. Great care is taken to make it perfect and bar staffs are well trained.

Even the ground coffee you purchase in the supermarket is top notch even though it is inexpensive.

Order a cafe, dump a packet of sugar in it and stir. You are rewarded with a couple mouthfuls of the sweetest, bitterest, most fragrant and coffee-est sip you can imagine.

You digest your food better and you are wide awake for several hours.

3) Shopping

Rome has several fine shopping districts including the Via Veneto, which is a street dedicated to shopping and outdoor cafes.

It is a beautiful tree lined street and an afternoon spent in a sidewalk cafe watching the beautifully dressed Italian businessmen and women go by is a treat.

Italy is well known for fine Italian leather goods. Italian leather crafting goes back centuries.

The Via Veneto has many fine leather emporiums however I have found that going a few streets over can save you money.

Aside from the shopping that you would normally expect from a large city, Roman streets are a riot of colorful outdoor markets.

Every day you can purchase fresh produce and other delectables at the Campo De Fiori (literally, The Flower Market). This market has been going strong since medieval times.

4) The Food!

The Italians have raised cooking to a fine art form and almost every restaurant I tried has been amazing! A similar meal here in California would be ruinously expensive.

I never go hungry in Rome. Even when I have just eaten I am eagerly looking forward to my next meal.

Even those with dietary restrictions can relax as vegetarian cuisine is always available and I had no trouble finding gluten free meals that were unbelievable.

Only once have I had a bad meal in Italy and that is when Pete and I unadvisedly ducked into a restaurant right next to Termini Station, the main train station in Rome.

Pete’s pizza was hard and burnt and my Roman artichokes hung their heads limply as if they had a severe case of erectile dysfunction.

It was sad.

Whenever possible, stay away from any eating establishment close to the train stations, the monuments or any of the touristy areas.

If you find yourself in a touristy area and you are hungry, walk a few streets away from the attraction and you will likely find a great place.

In my experience, you are not taking much of a chance as most restaurants are operated by people who have pride in what they serve you. I can guarantee you that when in Rome you will eat well if you look for restaurants not geared for tourists.

5) The history!

Rome was the seat of the entire Roman empire which encompassed all of Europe, a big chunk of the Middle East and the United Kingdom and then some. It was HUGE and Rome was the center of it all.

Everywhere you look in Rome are ancient ruins dating from different times and civilizations in the past.

Sweeping your eyes from one side to another at any raised point in Rome presents a dizzying array of structures each with its own history, people and civilization.

Any of these magnificent structures generally has a tour associated with it. You can learn so much history here in a few days. And the history itself is standing right in front of you.

6) Lastly and bestly, The Italians!

I know I promised you five great reasons but I am including my favorite one as a bonus reason.

The Italians I have met in my travels have been the most amazingly wonderful people.

But what would we expect from the descendants of the greatest ancient empire in the world?

Go and visit them. Visit their cities and revel in their art. There is a reason that the great artists wound up in Italy. And Rome is where it all begins.

Start planning your trip to Rome. Contact us. We have some of the most radical travel pros standing by and we can craft a perfect vacation for you.

January 27, 2018May 6, 2018

What’s it All About Ape?

Oh Look! A matching red ape!

What is an Ape?

Ape means “bee” in Italian and an Ape (pronounced Ah-pay) is one of those little trucks that come in various colors and that you see chugging slowly up the winding hill roads and motorways all over Italy.

They seem to be especially prevalent in the South where the high pitched whining of a two stroke motor is almost as ubiquitous as the incessant chirping of the cicadas.

You see them as you drive past, loaded with fruits, vegetables or farm tools on their way somewhere important.

Don’t confuse the Ape with the Vespa as “Vespa” means “Wasp” and the scooter that it is named for.

Powder blue ape — Powder blue? Of course!

The reason I bring this up is that I ran into what a paranoid person might have thought was an alarming trend.

Seemingly every time I went out wearing a different outfit, I ran into an ape that matched.

Teal ape — Seriously, did someone watch me getting dressed?

Secretly I am highly flattered that someone somewhere placed these iconic little trucks all over Santa Domenica Talao Just to match my outfits.

I love Apes! They scream Italy even as they are screaming up the hills.

There is so much to love about Italy. Apes are only one small part.

Contact me to plan your next trip in Super Savvy Style.

Also check out these tips on what to pack when traveling overseas.

January 27, 2018May 7, 2018

Vital Things You Must Not Forget When Traveling Overseas

Vital things you always forget to pack

You just arrived at your destination. You have planned your trip for months and everything is supposed to be perfect.

You start unpacking and to your horror, you forgot to pack something vital.

What should be the first day of a fabulous vacation is now spent desperately trying to find this item instead of relaxing on the beach, exploring a new city or even a well deserved nap.

Even the simplest of trips requires a ton of super savvy planning in order to make it smooth and enjoyable from start to finish.

In all the rush and planning, there are always certain things you forget.

Print this article and use it as a check list.

1. Prescription medication

I have to take thyroid meds every day or I turn all grey and go right to bed. If I do not have these it is vital that I get some right away. The same is true with many prescription meds for many people.

You never know exactly what medications are available in other countries and minimally, you would probably have to see a doctor in order to get them.

If you arrive on a weekend, that makes a couple of days without your prescription.

Make sure you have enough of your prescription meds to see you through your entire stay.

Put these in your carry on luggage in case your luggage takes a side trip to Rangoon.

2. Your passport

Sounds like a no brainer but I have gotten all the way to the airport and realized I left my passport on the nightstand at home.

There is nothing like the sinking feeling that occurs when you realize what you have done.

Save yourself some grief.

3. Your chargers

Add to this list, your phone charger, your computer charger, your tablet charger and anything else you can think of that requires a charger. You can probably replace them where you are going but again, it takes time.

4. An electrical transformer

In many countries, especially in Europe, the plugs are different and you will need a transformer to use your appliances. You will not be able to plug your blow dryer into a European outlet.

5. Your phone

Make sure you have it and call your provider to ensure that it will work where you are going. If you are traveling with others or meeting others at your destination, you need to ensure that you can call and text each other. This does not happen automatically. You have to set it up.

6. Money in the currency of your destination

Change your money before you go. If you change it in the airport when you arrive or in any of the money changing stores or kiosks near any of the monuments, you will get charged way more than you should.

Your bank will need some notice as many of them do not carry different currencies as a matter of course. At least two weeks prior to your trip, order some new currency from your bank and get as much as you need.

If you have to change money at a bank when you arrive, ensure that you bring your passport and plan to spend at least 45 minutes there.

Or you can use the ATM for smaller amounts but there is a limit for each day.

When using the ATM, make sure you know what the limit is in the currency of your destination. Your dollar limit means nothing to a foreign ATM.

7. An over-the-shoulder-travel bag with reinforced straps

In most cities with any amount of tourism, thievery is rampant. Thieves have many ways of distracting you, grabbing your bags and even cutting the straps of your bag in order to steal from you.

Remember, a thief’s job is to figure out more effective ways to steal from wary travelers and they work hard at it. The scams and tricks they have are numerous.

If you have a bag with reinforced straps that goes over your shoulder and preferably under your jacket, it could save you losing your bag with all it contents.

8. Your ATM PIN

In different countries, PIN numbers may be different. In Italy they have to be four digits. Make sure you find out what the requirements are in your destination country so that you don’t get there and find out that you can’t use your ATM card.

9. Advise your bank that you are traveling

If your bank detects activity in a different part of the world than you are normally, they may freeze your account as a fraud prevention measure. You can avoid this by advising them before you leave that you will be in another country and how long you will be gone.

10. Tickets and reservations for attractions

With most of the popular attractions in any city, they book up fast. For this reason you see people waiting in lines snaking back and forth and they look like they have been there for hours.

Vacation time in your destination is priceless. You only have a certain number of hours in any given city. You do not want to waste it by standing in line.

Decide in advance what attractions you want to see and reserve your place online before you go. Some of the attractions book up months in advance like Leonardo Da Vinci’s Last Supper in Milan.

If there is something you simply must see, check it out way in advance to ensure you don’t miss it.

Additionally many cities with a lot of attractions have discounts and passes you can buy that will save you tons of money and sometimes allow you to skip the lines.

In Florence you can buy the Firenze Card which costs 72 Euros and allows you 72 hours to access the museums and exhibitions on the Firenze Card circuit. You also get priority access to some museums saving you more time and allowing you to get more for your Firenze Card buck.

Other cities may have similar offers so go online and check it out.

Now that you have packed all the vitals and made all your reservations, you are ready for a stress free trip to your dream vacation.

For future dream vacations, check out our limited time travel deals. Taking advantage of these will stretch your travel buck and make you an even more Super Savvy Traveler.

Have fun!