Experience Italy With Friends
Experience Italy with Friends is a travel and lifestyle podcast where we will explore our favorite destinations and hidden gems, share key travel tips and cultural insights, and provide real-time updates about our new life in this remarkable country. Join Italy travel expert, Tanya Raso, and her Italian husband and producer, Davide Raso, on a journey that is sure to inspire you and prepare you to create immersive and authentic experiences of your own in beautiful Italy. Make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss an episode and learn how we can help bring your Italian dream trip to life at www.amicivacations.com.
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Meet the hosts!
Tanya Raso is an American travel enthusiast and travel planning expert specializing in designing authentic and immersive experiences across Italy. She has been traveling to Italy for over 25 years with her Italian husband and producer, Davide. Tanya founded Amici Vacations after a career as an accounting and finance executive and enjoys sharing her passion for Italy and travel expertise with clients all over the world.
Davide Raso is a professional music and podcast producer that has built an extensive resume working with musicians, journalists, and sports personalities, such as St. Paul Peterson (Prince), Kevin Bacon (Footloose), Sindbad (comedian), Dave Lee (WCCO Radio), and Jon Krawczynski (Timberwolves). He has also been a Radio Broadcast Engineer for KBEM Jazz 88 where he live-mixed and broadcasted events such as Twin Cities Jazzfest and Taste of Minnesota.
Episodes
Wednesday May 28, 2025
Wednesday May 28, 2025
Today’s episode is all about Italy’s calcio culture – also known as football or soccer depending on where you are from.
Calcio is the most popular sport in the world and that also holds true in Italy with over 1.4 million registered players and over 14,000 teams.
But Calcio is more than a sport in Italy, it’s almost a religion or a cult depending on who you ask.
In this episode:
we will touch on the origins of this sport,
discuss some of Italy’s original players,
and we have some guest speakers that share what Calcio means to them and their lives.
Resources:Get Inspired | Discover our Trip Planning Services | Follow: Instagram • Facebook
Join our FB Group “Experience Italy with Friends,” where you can ask questions and share experiences of your own!
Subscribe, Review, and Partner:Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss an episode and please rate and leave a review to support our adventure!
If you’re looking for expert advice or assistance in creating your own immersive and authentic experience in Italy, visit us at www.amicivacations.com or send us an email at info@amicivacations.com.
If you're interested in sponsoring or advertising on this podcast, contact us at info@amicivacations.com.
Published and produced by Avalanche Sound Productions.
Wednesday May 14, 2025
Wednesday May 14, 2025
In today’s episode, we’re heading south to the region of Campania.
While most known for its breathtaking Amalfi Coast, the region is also popular for its charming islands that lie west of the mainland in the Tyrrhenian Sea.
You’ve likely heard of the jet-set island of Capri, but we’re going to focus on the lesser known, but larger, island of Ischia.
We just spent a week exploring this charming authentic island and we can’t wait to share what we learned.
Resources:Get Inspired | Discover our Trip Planning Services | Follow: Instagram • Facebook
Join our FB Group “Experience Italy with Friends,” where you can ask questions and share experiences of your own!
Subscribe, Review, and Partner:Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss an episode and please rate and leave a review to support our adventure!
If you’re looking for expert advice or assistance in creating your own immersive and authentic experience in Italy, visit us at www.amicivacations.com or send us an email at info@amicivacations.com.
If you're interested in sponsoring or advertising on this podcast, contact us at info@amicivacations.com.
Published and produced by Avalanche Sound Productions.
Wednesday Apr 30, 2025
Wednesday Apr 30, 2025
EP16 All About Milan & Lake Como
In today’s episode, we’ll talk about the metropolitan city of Milan and the beautiful area of Lake Como.
While the two destinations couldn’t be more different, they are often side-by-side in an itinerary for visiting the region of Lombardy.
We’ll discuss everything you need to know to get the most out of these destinations during your trip to Italy.
Resources:
Get Inspired | Discover our Trip Planning Services | Follow: Instagram • Facebook
Join our FB Group “Experience Italy with Friends,” where you can ask questions and share experiences of your own!
Subscribe, Review, and Partner:
Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss an episode and please rate and leave a review to support our adventure!
If you’re looking for expert advice or assistance in creating your own immersive and authentic experience in Italy, visit us at www.amicivacations.com or send us an email at info@amicivacations.com.
If you're interested in sponsoring or advertising on this podcast, contact us at info@amicivacations.com.
Published and produced by Avalanche Sound Productions.
Thursday Apr 17, 2025
Thursday Apr 17, 2025
Spring has sprung here in Italy, so today's episode is all about La Primavera!
We’ll discuss what Italy has to offer visitors during these spring months including:
The weather and typical spring foods,
Important holidays and key events, and
Cultural traditions
It’s a fun and energizing season and we can’t wait to talk about it!
Resources:
Get Inspired – When to Travel | Discover our Trip Planning Services | Follow: Instagram • Facebook
Join our FB Group “Experience Italy with Friends,” where you can ask questions and share experiences of your own!
Subscribe, Review, and Partner:
Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss an episode and please rate and leave a review to support our adventure!
If you’re looking for expert advice or assistance in creating your own immersive and authentic experience in Italy, visit us at www.amicivacations.com or send us an email at info@amicivacations.com.
If you're interested in sponsoring or advertising on this podcast, contact us at info@amicivacations.com.
Published and produced by Avalanche Sound Productions.
Wednesday Apr 02, 2025
Wednesday Apr 02, 2025
EP14 The Italian Riviera
Today's episode showcases the beautiful coast of the Italian Riviera along the Ligurian Sea.
This coastal area has been one of our favorites in all of Italy since 1997 as it has charming, colorful fishing villages, beautiful beaches with clear-blue water as well as mountain cliffs and parks. It’s the perfect destination for relaxation and sea life, as well as sport and adventure,
We weren’t sure how a March Spring Break on the coast would be, but we had a blast and can’t wait to share our recent adventure with you.
Resources:
What to Pack | Hiking the Cinque Terre | Discover our Trip Planning Services | Follow: Instagram • Facebook
Join our FB Group “Experience Italy with Friends,” where you can ask questions and share experiences of your own!
Subscribe, Review, and Partner:
Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss an episode and please rate and leave a review to support our adventure!
If you’re looking for expert advice or assistance in creating your own immersive and authentic experience in Italy, visit us at www.amicivacations.com or send us an email at info@amicivacations.com.
If you're interested in sponsoring or advertising on this podcast, contact us at info@amicivacations.com.
Published and produced by Avalanche Sound Productions.
Wednesday Mar 19, 2025
Wednesday Mar 19, 2025
Today we explore the most eaten Italian food in the world – Pizza!
Everyone loves pizza – “that’s amore!”
There is so much to learn about pizza, and we talk about:
The history and the birthplace of pizza,
Pizza toppings and pizza dough,
The various styles of Italian pizzas,
Italy’s pizza culture, and
How it compares to the pizza found in the United States.
Resources:
Discover our Trip Planning Services | Follow: Instagram • Facebook
Join our FB Group “Experience Italy with Friends,” where you can ask questions and share experiences of your own!
Subscribe, Review, and Partner:
Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss an episode and please rate and leave a review to support our adventure!
If you’re looking for expert advice or assistance in creating your own immersive and authentic experience in Italy, visit us at www.amicivacations.com or send us an email at info@amicivacations.com.
If you're interested in sponsoring or advertising on this podcast, contact us at info@amicivacations.com.
Published and produced by Avalanche Sound Productions.
Wednesday Mar 05, 2025
Wednesday Mar 05, 2025
EP12 Italy’s Wine Culture (feat. Alfonso Aiello)
Today's episode is inspired by the fact that we now live in the heart of wine country.
Wine is the foundation and essence of Montepulciano and, quite honestly, it is an integral part of the Italian lifestyle across the country. After all, it’s produced in all 20 regions.
Today’s episode is special in that we have our first guest speaker, Alfonso Aiello – an expert and distributor of Italian wines.
We’ll talk about everything you need to know to fully experience Italy’s wine culture, including:
An overview of Italy’s wines,
The ins and outs of wine tastings,
How to choose a winery, and
Tips to discover your favorite Italian wine.
Resources:
Wine Folly | A New Life in Italy Podcast |Smart Move Italy | Discover our Trip Planning Services | Follow: Instagram • Facebook
Join our FB Group “Experience Italy with Friends,” where you can ask questions and share experiences of your own!
Subscribe, Review, and Partner:
Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss an episode and please rate and leave a review to support our adventure!
If you’re looking for expert advice or assistance in creating your own immersive and authentic experience in Italy, visit us at www.amicivacations.com or send us an email at info@amicivacations.com.
If you're interested in sponsoring or advertising on this podcast, contact us at info@amicivacations.com.
Published and produced by Avalanche Sound Productions.
Wednesday Feb 19, 2025
Wednesday Feb 19, 2025
EP11 Exploring Castiglion Fiorentino
If you’ve been following our story, you’re aware that we’ve been on a journey since last September to find a place to call home and begin our new life here in Italy.
This first episode of 2025 is dedicated to our third and final trial location in Tuscany – the beautiful hilltop medieval village of Castiglion Fiorentino. This area of Tuscany was relatively new for us, and it was fun to spend a month exploring this charming village and the neighboring towns of Arezzo and Cortona during the holiday season.
Listen to learn why it’s an amazing place to both visit and live!
Resources:
Get Inspired | Discover our Trip Planning Services | Follow: Instagram • Facebook
Join our FB Group “Experience Italy with Friends,” where you can ask questions and share experiences of your own!
Subscribe, Review, and Partner:
Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss an episode and please rate and leave a review to support our adventure!
If you’re looking for expert advice or assistance in creating your own immersive and authentic experience in Italy, visit us at www.amicivacations.com or send us an email at info@amicivacations.com.
If you're interested in sponsoring or advertising on this podcast, contact us at info@amicivacations.com.
Published and produced by Avalanche Sound Productions.
Wednesday Dec 04, 2024
Wednesday Dec 04, 2024
Our final episode of the year showcases the southeast corner of the region of Tuscany known as the Val d’Orcia. The countryside area is quintessential Tuscany as it is made up of charming medieval hill towns and rolling hills dotted with cypress trees, farmhouses, vineyards and olive groves. It’s magical!
We’ve been in love with this area of Tuscany for over 25 years, so it was clear to us that we had to test out living in the Val d’Orcia as part of our new life in Italy. We spent a month living in Montepulciano and exploring the Val d’Orcia countryside and absolutely loved it.
Listen to learn why we think it’s an amazing place to both visit and live!
Resources:
Get Inspired | Discover our Trip Planning Services | Follow: Instagram • Facebook
Join our FB Group “Experience Italy with Friends,” where you can ask questions and share experiences of your own!
Subscribe, Review, and Partner:
Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss an episode and please rate and leave a review to support our adventure!
If you’re looking for expert advice or assistance in creating your own immersive and authentic experience in Italy, visit us at www.amicivacations.com or send us an email at info@amicivacations.com.
If you're interested in sponsoring or advertising on this podcast, contact us at info@amicivacations.com.
Published and produced by Avalanche Sound Productions.
Wednesday Nov 20, 2024
Wednesday Nov 20, 2024
Before we head into the holiday season, we thought this week’s episode would be a great time to talk about planning your 2025 dream trip to Italy. Make use of that quality time with family and friends to talk all about it!
You may also have heard that the Vatican is hosting a little event called the Jubilee in 2025, so we’ll first discuss how that may impact your plans.
And assuming you decide that 2025 is the year for you, we’ll discuss the many ways to go about planning your trip:
Plan it entirely by yourself
Sign up for an organized tour
Enlist the help of travel professionals
It’s another episode packed with useful information that we hope inspires you to start planning your dream vacation to this amazing country now.
Resources:
Vatican Jubilee Website | Why Amici Vacations | Get Inspired | Follow: Instagram • Facebook
Join our FB Group “Experience Italy with Friends,” where you can ask questions and share experiences of your own!
Subscribe, Review, and Partner:
Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss an episode and please rate and leave a review to support our adventure!
If you’re looking for expert advice or assistance in creating your own immersive and authentic experience in Italy, visit us at www.amicivacations.com or send us an email at info@amicivacations.com.
If you're interested in sponsoring or advertising on this podcast, contact us at info@amicivacations.com.
Published and produced by Avalanche Sound Productions.