I am not spending much time here on the blog these days. If you are looking for me, don't worry, I am still writing and taking pictures. I post almost daily on Instagram. You can watch my stories and come along with me on walks through Rome, museum visits, and having coffee (or wine or spritzes) with pals. I have lots of free guides to Rome neighborhoods and Venice Sestieri. There are also guides to my favorite shops and artisans. I started a regular newsletter over on Substack. I post three times a month. One article is for free subscribers. One detailed guide with a Google map is f ..read more

The world is traveling again! Fully vacinated Europeans are finally allowed back into the United States after an almost two-year travel ban. Italy has been open to travelers for months now. Even Australia is talking about opening its firmly shut borders. Traveling is a privilege. It’s also a little bit more difficult these days. Here are a few observations from my month crisscrossing the US and flying over oceans for traveling during the Coronavirus pandemic. Read more ..read more

Yep, this is going to be one of those “x things to do in x” posts. The name of this blog is Gillian’s Lists after all. This beach girl just spent three days in mountains and I have to say, the Majella is enchanting.  The Majella National Park in Abruzzo is lush and green, filled with staggering views, marvelous food and wine, ancient hermitages and pretty hill towns. It has that proverbial something for everyone. And, it is only a few hours from Rome!  This guide will tell you how to spend three days in the Majella National Park. I visited the towns of Decontra-Caramanic ..read more

When you are lucky enough to live in Rome you get a lot of questions about where to stay in Rome.  The problem is that I don’t stay in hotels in Rome. I have a small list of places owned or recommended by friends (you can find it on my Rome for Visitors page) but that list needs expanding. I have plenty to choose from because quite a few new hotels opened or renovated during the quiet months of the pandemic.  Let's start with the Sofitel Roma Villa Borghese Hotel Read more ..read more

You have heard the news. Travel is now allowed to Italy! Time to book those flights, and tests and pack your masks. Yes, Italy still has an indoor and outdoor mask mandate (and a 10pm curfew.)  Now comes the fun part. Planning what you will do when you get get here.  Are you overwhelmed? I can can help. Sign up for my Rome and Italy travel consulting services.  Read more ..read more

View this post on Instagram If you are following me over on Instagram you have probably seen my series of mini-guides. I am expanding them here on my blog. Bookmark my Instagram Guide to the Best Pizza in Rome Read more ..read more

I wrote this piece last year making my case for staying in Rome for August for a website that no longer exists so I thought that I would republish it here. You can find more of my August in Rome resources in this updated post. Rome in August is a wonderful thing. That is not necessarily the most popular opinion. Most Romans leave the city for cooler Alpine climes or a spot under an umbrella somewhere along the literally thousands of kilometers of Italy’s shoreline. But for those of us who stay there is a wonderful unflustered vibe to the usually chaotic city. You need to be a little mo ..read more

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Gillian Longworth McGuire (@gmcguireinrome) on Jul 6, 2020 at 5:50am PDT My latest Instagram guide is to the island of Ponza, seven thin kilometers of volcanic rock that sits in the Tyrrhenian Sea in between Rome and Naples.  If you have been following me for a while you know how much I love the island. I have made dozens of trips over the years. I have hiked empty trails in deepest winter & snagged the last table at Bar Tripoli on summer weekends when every seat on every ferry crossing is full. I am sharing some of my island secret ..read more

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Gillian Longworth McGuire (@gmcguireinrome) on Oct 21, 2019 at 2:51am PDT Here is an expanded version of my Instagram guide to the best pasta in Rome. Who doesn’t love a plate of pasta? We are not afraid of carbs here in the Longworth McGuire house and Roman classics are what we crave. I am an Amatriciana girl. My son Noah, loves carbonara , and my husband, Mark orders cacio e pepe. Every. Single. Time. We all love Gricia (because guanciale AND cheese? ) Tell me your favorite pasta dish and bookmark this mini guide to some of my picks f ..read more

People in the United States are waking up to the news about a containment zone in New York State. I know how you feel. Here in Italy, we are weeks ahead of you. Just last week Rome was very quiet but the thinking was if you can come visit, please do. Things changed quickly. On Saturday I flew to London for a travel conference. I see now in retrospect that I was cavalier about how serious this virus and its knock-on effects were. I woke up in the middle of the night to the news about severe restrictions in Lombardy and the Veneto. It soon progressed into the declaration of a complete nati ..read more