An award-winning author, Margie Miklas is a writer, travel blogger, and retired critical care nurse. Margie is enthusiastic about Italy and loves to travel there whenever an opportunity arises. Aside from her Italy travel memoirs, she also writes fiction in the medical thriller genre, her background as a career critical nurse providing the impetus.
When she’s not writing or traveling, she enjoys spending time with her family, trying our new recipes, and relaxing at the beach. She makes her home in Florida and is a member of the Florida Writers Association.
Margie Miklas joins us today for an interview with Travel and Culture.
Travel and Culture: You may not know this, but I have been following your website for over ten years now. And I took several Italian vacations that were inspired by your blog.
Margie Miklas: Wow, well, that makes me feel really good. I appreciate that. It’s so, so heart-warming for me.
T&C: One trip was to Venice, and you helped me find a hotel. That was really nice of you. I don’t know if you remember that. Your blog also helped me find out-of-the-way places. You did a post about a tower with a spiral staircase in the middle of a neighbourhood in Venice, something under the radar for most tourists. Do you know which one I’m talking about? It had a lot of white.
MM: Yes, it’s called La Scala Contarini del Bovolo. From the Bovolo family.
T&C: I saw it in your blog, showed it to my husband, and told him, “I want to visit this tower.” But it’s hard to find! It’s tucked away in the middle of nowhere. We ended up getting lost. But getting lost in Venice is also a great thing to do.
MM: I know, I agree!
T&C: Suddenly we stumbled upon the tower, and we got to climb up to the top and take a lot of pictures.
MM: Yeah, the views from there are just phenomenal.
T&C: The tower is so darn cute. It’s a little treasure tucked away in a neighbourhood where you wouldn’t expect to find anything.
MM: Well, the more I travel, and the more I go to Italy, the more I want to find places that not everybody knows about. So I try to research that.
T&C: How do you do that?
MM: I read other people’s blogs. There’s a book called Secret Venice, and there are all these little details about places. If you’re there for only a short time, you don’t have time to go looking for all this kind of stuff.
T&C: What about places outside of Venice?
MM: I read a lot, and I try to learn things about different places. Places that have allure for me. I do prefer the smaller towns. I like to find things that are unusual, and there’s always somewhere new to see. And that tower in Venice is a perfect example, because I don’t think many tourists see it.
T&C: For me, that’s what makes your blog so special.
What got you interested in Italy in the first place?
MM: That’s my background. My ancestors on my mom’s side came from Sicily, so I was very interested to go there. That was my first trip to Italy.
T&C: Where are you from originally?
MM: I was born and grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, where I had a large extended family, including all four grandparents, who imigrated from Italy. I’ve always been interested in Italy, because of my close family ties and background, but I never made my first trip there until I was close to 60 years old.
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T&C: How often have you travelled there?
MM: I’ve almost lost count, but it’s been thirteen times, most recently last October.
T&C: What experiences or activities did you enjoy most in Italy?
MM: While it’s challenging to decide which experiences I enjoyed most, a few come to mind immediately. Certainly, going to Italy, specifically the Amalfi Coast for two weeks to finish writing my first novel, was a dream come true.
Hiking the Path of the Gods was an adventure I would not trade for anything, and sleeping in a convent in Rome, when I was there for the Beatification of John Paul II, was humbling.
I think, though, that my experiences of meeting Italians in person, especially cousins I had never known, meant more to me than anything else.
By immersing myself into the culture when I travelled solo and getting to know the Italian people through authentic conversations, I gained a deep respect for their hardiness, as their lifestyles are not always easy.
T&C: What kind of advice do you give on your Margie in Italy blog?
MM: My blog is about sharing my Italy experiences through my stories and photographs. Readers will learn about the good and bad in Italy but always with a special love for the Italian people.
It’s not your typical guide about what to see in Italy. It’s experiential, informative, and hopefully entertaining. Lots of posts include travel tips, transportation advice, and cool things to do in specific locations. I want readers to feel my passion, and my frustration at times, about how things really are in Bella Italia. My photos won’t be the same ones you’ve seen a hundred times on other sites or in guidebooks. I share a glimpse into the heartbeat of Italy and a sense of its people.
T&C: How did your travels in Italy change your perspective or affect your writing?
MM: They definitely affected my writing inasmuch as I wanted to be even more authentic in what I chose to write about. I had hoped that readers would become as immersed into the story as possible. I like to inspire them to want to experience Italy for themselves in the best ways possible.
T&C: While you were in Italy, did you try any new foods or regional cuisine? What do you remember about your dining experiences?
MM: While I’m definitely not a foodie and wasn’t even very adventurous at trying new foods at first, I have since developed a more inquisitive palate. After taking several immersive cooking classes in Puglia and Sicily, I’ve learned to appreciate regional dishes, and to savour a wider variety of Italian cuisine. Some of my most memorable dining experiences stem from home-cooked meals in friends’ homes.
T&C: I love your answer, because our Travel & Culture newsletter had its genesis in a cooking class in England.
What dishes do you remember the best?
MM: The fiori di zucca fritti (fried zucchini flowers) my cousin made in her cucina were so light and such a tasty, crunchy treat.
In Venice, I also tried the well-known traditional food known as cicchetti, hors d’oeuvre-size Venetian-style tapas or snacks served in wine bars, known as bàcari. How great to be able to sample these Venetian specialties and eat like the locals!
And in Positano, I tasted acciughe, white anchovies marinated in olive oil and lemon. They were absolutely delicious, and until that day, I would never have even tried them.
T&C: Did you try to cook any of the new dishes when you got home again?
MM: Yes, absolutely. The week I stayed at a (farmhouse) in Puglia included quite a few immersive cooking classes. Once I returned home, I made the polpette al faro (vegetable meatballs) several times, and they turned out well.
T&C: What would you tell someone else who wanted to travel to Italy? What tips can you give us based on your experience?
MM: I’d say to do your homework. Research the locations in advance so you have a good idea of what you might wish to see or do. Learn how to navigate train strikes and various modes of transportation, so you can be flexible. And remember that things are not the same as they are at home. Respect the traditions of the people who live and work in whatever area of Italy you might be visiting. Also, learn a few Italian phrases. I have found the Italians always appreciate when you at least try to speak their language.
T&C: I would second that and add another: Read Margie’s blog, Margie in Italy. I have been so grateful for her tips.
You can also learn more from some of Margie’s books below.
Margie Miklas’s long-awaited dream becomes a reality when she embarks on a two-week Italian travel adventure with her eighteen-year-old twin granddaughters.
As they experience the thrills of a three-hour Vespa tour through Rome, collect sea glass on the beaches of Positano, and learn to make authentic gelato in Sorrento, you’ll feel as if you’re traveling alongside them.
During this life-changing and unparalleled experience, their special, familial relationship strengthens into an even closer and profound connection. Two adolescents touched their grandmother’s heart in ways that left her the gift of cherished memories forever.
During five trips to Venice, Margie Miklas fell in love with the resilient people, their passion, and their beautiful city. With an emphasis on actual issues facing the Venetian people today, this travel memoir is not your typical travel guide. Taking an enlightening, honest look at Venice, where everyday people live and work, the author shares humorous personal anecdotes, travel tips, and essential insider details. Through storytelling and her conversational approach, she succeeds in inspiring readers to feel like they are along for the ride.
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