Tante Belle Cose is a newsletter and podcast where I explore the many beautiful things to discover in Italy that are not covered in travel magazines or the mass tourism market. Episodes include straightforward advice for how to plan your Italy trip and stories to inspire your travels.
All episodes are free, but subscribers become part of our travel planning community. Every week, the conversation will continue beyond the paywall with the opportunity to ask questions and get high-quality, vetted answers.
About the name
In the small towns of South Italy, it’s still common to meet a group of older men who gather daily in the piazza to watch the day go by and talk with visitors until their wives call them home for lunch. Their salutation is not “ciao" or “arrivederci” but “tante belle cose” — many beautiful things.
About me
I’m Danielle Oteri, the founder of Feast Travel, where I provide trip consultations and bespoke trip planning. I’m also the founder of Arthur Avenue Food Tours in New York City, and the brand new Cilento Food Tours. Barron’s named me a Worldwise Entrepreneur.
I’ve studied, traveled, and worked in Italy for two decades and have never stopped discovering new places that leave me filled with awe and wonder. I studied graphic design in New York and Florence, then returned to Florence for an MA in art history. I was a Lecturer at The Cloisters, the medieval branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, for 15 years.
Writing & Lectures
I’ve written for BBC Travel, Condè Nast Traveler, and the UK Independent. The piece of which I’m most proud is an essay for The Paris Review about a museum security guard who couldn’t get anyone to listen to his ideas about the Unicorn Tapestries.
Want to go to Naples? Purchase my guide, “Three Days in Naples,” with map-synced itineraries.
Here are my online lectures, available via Context Travel.
Introduction to Salerno with a Historian: Explore the Little Known, Crown Jewel of the Amalfi Coast
Through the Eyes of Elena Ferrante, Part 1: A Look at Naples with a Historian: Explore the neighborhoods of Naples through a discussion of the "My Brilliant Friend" novels
Through the Eyes of Elena Ferrante, Part 2: A Look at Italy with a Historian: Experience the history of modern Italy from a Southern Italian perspective, inspired by the Neapolitan Novels
Want to chat? Send me an email at danielle@feasttravel.com
Stay up-to-date
You won’t have to worry about missing anything. Every new edition of Tante Belle Cose goes directly to your inbox.
