Things to Do in Siena: Reading the City Tourists Walk Through
An Italian engineer’s guide to things to do in Siena — the cathedral floor tourists miss, the piazza’s real story, and the hospital next door.
-
-
Le Marche, Italy: The Region With No Capital City
On a Tuesday morning in Sarnano, tucked into the hills of Le Marche, Italy, the weekly market fills a piazza that was already old when Columbus sailed. Cheese vendors trade gossip with grandmothers, a fishmonger’s van idles two hours in from the Adriatic, and nobody lifts a phone to photograph the scene. I have been…
-
Vino Sfuso: How Italy Actually Buys Its Everyday Wine
Vino sfuso arrives without a label, without a cork, and without a story printed on the back. It comes out of a rubber hose connected to a stainless steel tank, into whatever container you happened to bring — a five-liter plastic jerrycan, a glass damigiana (a large glass demijohn, often wrapped in wicker or plastic…
-
How to Book Palio di Siena Seats for August 16, 2026
How to book Palio di Siena seats for August 16, 2026: real prices, why there’s no ticket office, scam red flags, and an engineer’s take on the Piazza.
-
Castelfidardo, the Italian Town That Built America’s Accordions
Somewhere in an American attic sits a Castelfidardo accordion nobody has opened in decades, wrapped inside a moth-eaten case with rusted latches. It probably belonged to a grandfather or a great-uncle, and the family story, if there is one, usually mentions a wedding band, a zydeco hall in Louisiana, or a polka circuit through the…
-
The Real Cost to Renovate a Farmhouse in Le Marche
An engineer’s real breakdown of the cost to renovate a farmhouse in Le Marche — the numbers agents leave out before you sign.
-
The 7% Flat Tax in Le Marche: An Engineer’s Guide (2026)
How the Italian 7% flat tax for foreign retirees works in Le Marche’s earthquake crater towns, and the technical risk an engineer sees that no tax advisor will.
-
Italy in July: The Brutally Honest Guide from Someone Who Lives Here
Italy in July, decoded by an Italian who lives here: real heat, crowds, prices, and a local’s playbook for what to do — and when to wait.
-
Ascoli Piceno: Italy’s Most Beautiful Piazza Is in a Town You’ve Never Heard Of
Piazza del Popolo Ascoli Piceno may be Italy’s most beautiful square. An Italian engineer explains the Renaissance design, food, and 2026 festivals.
-
Buying a House in Italy: An Italian Engineer’s Honest Guide for 2026
Buying a house in Italy in 2026? An Italian engineer explains the real prices, taxes, and risks — and why Le Marche may be the smartest place to buy.
