What is an Italianista?
An Italianista is someone who loves Italy—not just to visit, but to live, speak, cook, and feel Italian, wherever they are. We love the language, the culture, and especially the food. If you’re passionate about Italian cuisine, ancestry, language, and everyday life in Italy, you’re in the right place.
What to Expect from Ciao Italianista
Ciao Italianista is a blog about Italian heritage, food, and immersive travel. You’ll find stories and strategies for exploring Italy through its:
- 🥖 Food: From cooking classes to street snacks, we highlight the best food experiences in Italy (and beyond).
- 🍷 Recipes: Authentic Italian recipes rooted in regional flavors and family tradition.
- 🌄 Language, Lifestyle & Travel: Language, culture, habits, hikes, piazzas, and all the little things that make Italian life magical.
- 🧬 Roots Travel: Genealogy guides and heritage trip tips to help you walk in your ancestors’ footsteps.
We focus on slow, meaningful travel—the kind where you savor both the sauce and the scenery.
Ciao, I’m Justine!
My story starts in 1984, when I first stepped onto Italian soil after high school. One trip, one bite of pane pugliese, one cobblestone street in Sorrento—and I was hooked.
Since then, I’ve earned a BA and MA in Italian, studied abroad in Bologna (Italy’s food capital), taught in an Italian immersion school, and led Italian circle time classes for kids online—where yes, we made pesto together over Zoom.
More recently, I’ve shifted my focus to Italian Ancestry Travel, cultural immersion, and food storytelling—and brought my daughters along for the ride.
Meet the Trio
In the summer of 2022, my daughters, Taja (on my left) and Milan (on my right), joined the Ciao Italianista team. We’ve since explored Italy and Barcelona together, with more adventures on the horizon—including our Italian Roots Trip to trace our ancestry and taste our heritage.
Milan is our photographer and visual storyteller, specializing in food and candid moments from our journeys.
Taja is the planner and culinary strategist, studying Experience Industry Management at Cal Poly. She’s all about immersive travel and next-level meals.
How We Can Help You
We can help you:
- Plan a meaningful Italian roots trip
- Find authentic recipes and reliable cooking techniques
- Discover unique food tours, cooking classes, and wine tastings
- Learn Italian language and culture
- Discover Italy destinations and travel tips
- Explore everyday Italy through lifestyle tips, hikes, and local insights
- Travel deeper, not just farther
Fun Facts About Us and How We Get in With the Locals
- Justine listens to TED Talks in Italian to stay fluent. Her favorite one so far is “Morte e rinascita della cucina italiana” (Death and Rebirth of Italian Cuisine) by Daniele De Michele.
- Ask about when our driver on the Amalfi Coast called a friend… who called a friend… who called the bouncer. One text to Francesco, and boom—“Justine!” Front of the line.
- Justine searched on and off for her great-grandparent’s origins in Italy for 40 years and finally solved the mystery! Spoiler alert: her great-grandmother is from Schilpario and her great-grandfather is from Bergamo.
- Our family lived in Costa Rica and Baja as expats for three years when Taja and Milan were little.
- We have a group chat called “trio”.
- Taja sends me Italian Instagram cooking reels all day long. Milan sends me photos of our dog.
- We have a dog named Carmen but we call her “her little majesty” most of the time. She’s a Jack Chi (Jack Russell Terrier/Chiahuaha mix).
Looking for Italian Community?
Italian Roots Travel is a community for people passionate about planning a memorable trip to discover their Italian heritage. Whether you’re researching your family tree, planning a trip to your ancestral hometown in Italy, or simply curious about Italian culture, this group is here to connect, inspire, and guide you on your journey. Share your stories, ask questions, and learn how to explore your Italian roots.
Curious what comes next?
I’m still warming up the espresso machine, but if you’re into Italian food, ancestry travel, and everyday dolce vita adventures—join the list before it’s a thing. You’ll be the first to know when the stories, tips, and recipes start rolling in.