Oh, Italy. I miss you! It's been almost three years since our family vacation there. Like many people, I was awed by the beauty and simple details that make life there so remarkable: the culture, food, music and style. I would love to return soon, but with airfare so expensive and inflation in Italy spiking, it's just not happening. I may even have to wait a few years until I'm retired to go back for the long soak in Italian culture I crave.
Honestly, I'd like to be fluent in Italian for my next trip, dressed as stylishly as any Milanese woman as I sample tiramisu in a piazza. While that may be a high bar, I have found very affordable — even free — ways to enjoy Italian food and culture, as well as tricks for practicing the language, all without leaving home. These tips will also make my next venture there more fun.
