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Steve Perillo, a third-generation owner of America's biggest tour company to Italy, figures he's traveled there over a hundred times. Steve brings expertise and humor as he and Lea share glorious travel memories from Milan to Sicily, and offer a charming overview of this blessed travel destination.  What's not to love?

-- Steve talks about Adam Sandler playing him on Saturday Night Live, but goes on to list the myriad qualities that make Italy a just-about-perfect travel destination, and reminds us that it's an ancient crossroads of the Mediterranean. We even talk about a few of Italy's negatives, including the VAT tax.

-- Italy may be compact and easy to get around, but each region offers something special. These include:

-- Milan and the Lake District, including the Galleria, La Scala and The Last Supper in Milan, and the prettiest villages and grand hotels in the Lake District.

-- Venice, with Murano, Burano and the ancient cities of the region, including romantic Padua and Verona.

-- Tuscany, with Florence, Siena, Lucca, fishing villages and Pisa; nearby Umbria, with Assisi and Perugia.

-- Rome, with its ancient wonders and its pasta!

__ The food and beauty of Italy's Amalfi Coast, with Naples, Capri, Sorrento.

--  Sicily, the largest island in the Med, with its special treasures.

-- Steve gives us more basic travel tips about traveling to Italy, and then tells us of his favorite memory, involving a helicopter and an ancient high-rise Tuscan town.
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Steve Perillo is the president and owner of Perillo Tours, America’s leading travel company to Italy. A lifelong apprentice to his father, the legendary Mario Perillo who was also known as “Mr. Italy,” Steve represents the third generation of his family’s 75 year-old business.  Steve is also a respected classical composer.
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Podcast host Lea Lane has traveled to over 100 countries, written many travel books, including Places I Remember, and has contributed to dozens of guidebooks. She's @lealane on Twitter, Travelea on Instagram, and  blogs about travel at forbes.com. Contact her at placesirememberlealane.com.
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Follow  Places I Remember with Lea Lane wherever you listen to podcasts. New travel episodes every  otherTuesday. And please consider reviewing us  on Apple!