Who is The Palladian Traveler?
BENVENUTI!
Welcome to the blogging lair of the The Palladian Traveler (TPT) and his lens-loving, graphic software-manipulating alter ego, Tom Palladio Images (TPI).
This is an eclectic site devoted to the pursuit of happiness — actually, la dolce vita (the sweet life) — from within the borders of Italy and, occasionally, beyond.
So, why did I pick TPT and TPI as my pseudonyms?
Well, I traded in my hometown St. Louis Cardinals baseball cap in the United States for a Borsalino and a wine glass, and now hang my capello, camera AND palate in Vicenza — City of Palladio — in the Veneto region of Northeastern Italy. Plus, my actual name is Tom.
It all makes perfectly good sense, right?
After countless years as a “company” print and broadcast journalist, with well-worn passports that have gotten me in and out of 42 countries and counting, I’m now finally on my own — totally unrestricted — to follow the prevailing wind of the moment to wherever it may take me.
With my trusty camera gear, notebook and a No. 2 lead pencil, I strive to do my very best — dangling participles and double negatives aside — as I keep my eyes, ears and mind wide open along the ancient and endless streets, roads and paths that I travel.
I fell in love with Italy years ago; actually, I married into the Bel Paese.
I’m inspired by the beauty I find in all things that are very, very old; and, reliving history, or at least meandering around time-tested pavement laid down centuries ago and just looking up and marveling at what occupies the space still today, really gets my “Vespa” running. And, I try and uncork that excitement and energy in each and every article and photo that I jettison into the blogosphere.
TPT provides a tad of historical perspective, a dash of humor and tidbits of info that you wouldn’t normally know existed unless you carefully looked between each and every bit of cobble along the way.
The subject matter runs the gamut and is written from the fresh perspective of an expat trying to absorb and understand all the nuances of his adopted culture: food, wine, travel, customs, traditions, expressions, impressions, style, trends, etc.
My quest, as TPT-TPI, is to always be at the ready to capture new and interesting topics for my visual essays, all postmarked from my creative hideaway in the centuries-old Centro Storico (historic center) district of Vicenza.
I believe I’m a fair writer-reporter with a decent eye behind the lens and a clever twist with the pen, but I’ll leave it up to those that read and, hopefully, follow this blog to serve as my critics.
You can also follow me at TravelingBoy.com, ItalianNotebook.com and LocalWineEvents.com.
I look forward to receiving your feedback as I’m sure you are of mine.
Now that you know who I am and why I’m here in the blogosphere, perhaps you’ll accept my open invitation and join me as I meander along the proverbial cobblestone to somewhere.
Ciao for now.
©Palladian Traveler | ©Tom Palladio Images
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Incredibly talented….Count me a fan of your lovely work.
Your cyber condo is comfortably cluttered. Anythign you pick up is interesting and worth asking about or spendig time with. Keep it gong. with
Cecil – Thanks for joining in the fun. I’ll do my best to keep you “posted.”
Richard – Thanks very much for “tagging along” with me.
It seems like you like food too! Check out my food blog
http://www.gourmandchic.wordpress.com think you will like it – Nicole
Yes, l do like food; I live in Italy and have no choice :>)Nicole – I just took a quick spin around Gourmand Chic. If you post, I will follow. Not sure “most hotels in Venice (the most EXPENSIVE city in all of Italy) charge 10 euro for breakfast.” More like 20-30, if not included in the room rate. Do like Italians do, grab your prima colazione (breakfast) at a bar: cappuccino, caffe latte or latte macchiato with a brioche. Ciao for now.
Thanks for checking out my GC blog. Yeah, I am sure the price of breakfast goes up with the quality of the hotel. When we went to Capri and Positano we were lucky that they all charged 10 eurosl When I travel with my parents to Europe and we stay at 4-5 star hotels, then I remember paying even 40 euros for some breakfasts. I tend to like local joints anyways. Had I spent more time in each city, I definitely would have explored more.
So glad I found your blog. I am in love with Italy, so much so that I had to write a book about it!
Thank you for “stumbling” upon my blog. I hope you spend some time with The Palladian Traveler. To whet your appetite, I just post a new video underneath the GOOD SIGHTS in the homepage header. It’s a visual look at the just-restored Basilica Palladiana by Andrea Palladio. Take a look.
Hi there,
I nominated your lovely blog for a Blog of the year award 2012.
http://thethoughtpalette.co.uk/our-awards/blog-of-the-year-2012-award/
Coreen — OMG. That is no nice of you to nominate me. I’m speechless and honored by your gesture. Thanks so much.
Great blog Tom! I too am giving you another BOTY award star to add to your lapel, shoulder or wherever it is you are keeping them lol! I look forward to following you now that I have found your wonderful blog. Love your writing style and your humor – looks like you are really enjoying life.
LL — Late with the reply, but THANKS!
What a wonderful find … i’m on my way to the diving board to plunge in to your Palladian waters …
Come on in, the water is just fine. :>)
just discovered your blog via ItallanNotebook..I moved to Umbria 11 years ago from Boston and share your passion about Italy. You must discover some gems in my neck of the woods..around Lake Trasimeno..
Margaret – Glad you stumbled upon my blog via ItalianNotebook. Glad to have you on board. I’ve not been to Lago di Trasimeno, but when I do I will let you know. I did venture into Norcia for a week over Ferragosto and ate until I couldn’t eat no more. You can read about it in my post, “Saints and Truffles and Wild Boar, Oh My!” http://thepalladiantraveler.com/2012/08/20/saints-and-truffles-and-wild-boar-oh-my/
Ciao for now.
Great to find out about you & your blog through the Italian Notebook. Look forward to reading your work! Lisa Tavelli Feinberg
Lisa – Thanks for joining my “cobblestone community.” Ciao for now.
I am absolutely thrilled you visited my blog so I could find yours! I believe I’ll join you on your travels. B-E-A-U-TIFUL girls! Loved that post you did with the slide show. We in my house are three boys–kids are grand, aren’t they? Till the next post…
AllGuys – Glad you to have you joining me along the cobblestone to somewhere…
Will have to come back and browse through your food and wine sections thoroughly! Thanks for visiting.
Come back whenever you like.
Congratulations! You have been chosen for the ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award. You deserve this award for having such an inspiring and interesting blog which keeps your readers coming back for more.
for more information see The thought Palette at: http://thethoughtpalette.co.uk/our-awards/blog-of-the-year-2012-award/
Hi Palladian traveler! I found your blog on the blog of the year facebook group and I’m so pleased. It’s fab and I look forward to reading more of your posts! Bisous Bailey
A follower AND a kisser. Thanks!
Hi, just to let you know, i have nominated you for three blogging award. Hope that you happy with this news. If you prefer not to accept, of course I understand … passing on the honor…. I always enjoy stopping by… not much of leaving notes…. but I appreciate your thoughts and images.
http://djmrakiey.wordpress.com/2012/12/20/the-gift/
DJ – Thanks again for the plethora of blogging awards. I just posted my “acceptance speech” at http://thepalladiantraveler.com/2013/01/02/dont-shoot-the-messenger/
Tom, your talent never ceases to amaze! You make difficult things look easy.. we have sent your blog info on to others we knew in Vicenza. Bravo and congratulations on the awards!
Ron & Sunny
This page brings on smiles
Happy 2013 Tom, or is it PT? 
Paula – Either way, or TPT. Happy New Year 2 u, 2.
Happy New Year Tom! Love reading about all the Italy I have yet to see. Hopefully, this year will allow me (us) to travel to the Northeast corner and beyond! Happy and safe travels in 2013!
I have nominated you for a Kreativ Blogger Award! If you would like to accept here’s the link to my post: http://sarahryan85.wordpress.com/2013/01/06/a-whole-new-year-ahead/
Sarah – Thanks so much for stopping by and for bestowing a Kretiv Blogger Award on TPT. I accept and will post a “thank you” sometime soon.
oh fun, another travel and photography blog! I found you via East of Malaga. So, did you retire to Italy then? My hope and dream is to retire to Malaga, Spain. We shall see….nice to meet you, I’m liking what I see so far!
Thanks for stopping by. Don’t be a stranger and come back often.
Thanks somuch for liking my recent blog post ‘Word of the Week Challenge entry – Clouds’ ! Your support is appreciated!
You’re welcome.
We’ve nominated your blog for an award (or two, or three…), if you accept them. If not, just consider it a token of our esteem!
See our post at http://windagainstcurrent.com/2013/01/13/award-appreciation-we-thank-our-readers-for/
And of course thanks again for the awards you gave us!
Vladi – Thanks for “paying it forward” to a lot of worthwhile blogs/bloggers. Clear sailing, K?
What a wonderful blog. I can’t wait to read more and live vicariously through you. I, too, fell in love with Italy when I first visited many years ago.
TSC – Glad to you have you along!
Awesome job on the blog, I love it. I agree blog of the year award should be yours!
Thanks girlfriend. I look forward to next year’s “lap dance” photo op with me, u, T and G-S. Ciao for now.
So glad I stumbled upon your blog on the Italian Notebook. My husband & I have been to Italy 3 times and are going again this fall. My cousins live in Arco and in Varone (not Verona) near Riva del Garda and we see them each time we go. Northern Italy is spectacular (well, really, so is the whole country!), and we would like everyone to know that. On second thought, maybe not–don’t want to spoil it! Anyway, I will be visiting your blog frequently to see what you have to say. I love your photography. I’m an amateur just getting started in photography and am just learning how to hone my “photographic eye”. Thanks for the inspiration!
J. Perchan
Dayton, Ohio
Jeannette — So glad to have you alongside as we meander together along the cobblestone to somewhere. Enjoy your upcoming visit around Lago di Gardo, which is just up the road (so to speak) from my creative hideaway in Vicenza. Buon viaggio e in bocca al lupo!
Hi Tom, Enjoy you blog. We will be visiting Italy again this April for three months (our 11th visit). We are making three home bases in Italy and our final home base will be in Vicenza. We will be there for around 28 days…as we have been there on previous trips, I thought you may have some ideas of where we could visit this year. We will have a car so distance is not a problem. Once again love your blog , we have nominate you for a few awards.
Regards, Sandra & Bruce AUSTRALIA
Hi Sandra — Are you telling me that you’re planning to use Vicenza as your home base for the last 28-days of your Italy trip? You may want to move hotels more frequently as there are so many sights and regions easily accessible, but not worth the drive back to Vicenza each day — you’ll waste a lot of time doing that. Are you flying out of Venice when your trip concludes, or Milano Malpensa? Where have you been in previous trips? That’ll help me scratch my noggin’ to come up with some new destinations for you.
Hi Tom,
Thanks for your reply.
Tom, we have chosen The Veneto region as our third base because we wanted to live within the local neighbourhood for a short time. We usually just get to know people and sadly have to move on…we meet so many wonderful Italians in our travels. This trip we are staying with the Marinoni Family at Il Castello Barbarano, Vincentino.
In The Veneto we have spent time in Bolzano, Padua, Mestre, Trevisio, Vicenza, Peschiera, Venezia, Murano, Burano, Torcello, Verona (last year Opera at the Arena “Aida”), and we have visited the lakes area, Como and Lake Garda. We have also been to Modena, Maranello etc. etc….too many towns to mention.
We have always missed seeing Soave, so we will make sure we go there this trip.
We would love to see more of your beautiful Vicenza….maybe we could meet and have a chat over caffe! We will be there from 15th May. The next part of our trip will be France and will fly from Venice to Lyon (France). Our stay in France will be for about 3 weeks, then we fly from Paris to Hong Kong for a few days then home to Sydney.
If you ever venture down under we would love to show you our beautiful Sydney.
Regards,
Sandra
mrs.mac@mac.com
Hi Sandra – Well, it certainly looks like you have everything under control. I’d say you’re a bit of an expert when it comes to Italian travel. When you do arrive in Barbarano, just outside the city limits of Vicenza, drop me a note and, if I’m here, we can certainly meet and catch up. Buon viaggio!
Just found your great travel site. I have walked to the top of te steps to the piazza to look over the town of Vecenza. I wonder if I’llever pass that way again.
Bill – A return trip to the City of Palladio is in your hands. It’s up to you. I’d say it would be well worth a second visit.
Tom, I truly enjoy your blog posts which are so well written & love your gorgeous photos which is why I have nominated you for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award http://wp.me/p1oytH-NR
Keep up the great work!
K
Fantastic works! Thank you for dropping by my blog and leading me to yours. Such talent and passion for photography is inspiring!
Thanks Angie. You’re not too bad yourself
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Thanks for the like, Tom. I’m liking what I’ve read so far on your blog, and I look forward to following you on your adventures!
Hi Ruth — Thanks for coming down from your Rocky Mountain perch to check out my sea-level blog. I hope you won’t be a stranger. Ciao for now. TPT
I have taken a short stroll here…and I like it so far. Thank you for visting me – I will be back! Italy is a favourite country with me, and not just because of the culture and the landscape. It’s the language. Beautiful. I’m still a bit disappointed on my old school, because I could only choose Spanish. Which I did, of course…
Ann-Christine — Thanks for “strolling by” my blog. I hope you’ll meander back often.
Hello fellow St. Louisan. I was just watching a Cardinal game today while I was sitting in the dentist’s waiting room. It sounds like you have had an exciting life both while punching the clock and after. Am following your blog. Nicely written, beautiful photos. Have you been in the Dolomites? That’s where I will be this summer.
Hello Rosemarie. Nice 10-0 shutout of the Reds today (yesterday for me) with Westbrook going 7+ innings. To answer your question, yes, I’ve been to the Dolomites and do so every year. I take my annual ski week in the Val Pusteria area. If you’ll poke around my blog you’ll see my notes about our annual Ski Trek Villabassa, along with Slow Food around the Dolomites and the great Hugo aperitivo (cocktail). Nice to have you viewing my blog. Go Cards!
Thanks. I will check out your posts about the Dolomites.
thanks for dropping by! I’ll follow your posts
Thanks for “tagging along” with me. I’ll do the same with your blog. Btw, because you like hiking, you need to head over to Italy and walk the Via Francigena pilgrim route down to Rome. Here’s the link to my article on one of the hill towns that overlooks the route: http://thepalladiantraveler.com/2012/12/11/a-canterbury-trail/
Morning! Thanks for the link and interesting info from the Via Francigena. Did you walk it? I have heard from some treking Pilgrims that Rome/St. Paul’s Cathedral is not very welcoming for backpacker Pilgrims as is the Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage route. Very saddening for those who do the arduous trek.
So now I know a little more. You married a lovely Italian lady? Well, you’re never going to be hungry.
Unfortunately, Maria passed away two years ago. I miss her and her cooking.
Hi sir! saw your page at the group in facebook. You have a very great blog. Wow, good to see a successful broadcast journalist. I’m currently studying journalism right now. I hope you can impart some of your wisdom and knowledge to me. I was really inspired while reading your about me page. God bless you sir!
Just continue to ply your trade as a journalist and follow the lead of your university professors. One tip I can give you: Write long, edit short, then edit some more until your satisfied with the result.
Thank you sir! Hope to hear from you more
God bless.
What a fabulous blog you’ve got here. A big thank you for sharing. Makes a mere noob like me just want to stfu and just read/listen & learn.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting, Dan. Your works not too shabby either. You’ve got some great looking and very creative shots on your blog. Keep honing your craft, as I’ll be following your efforts.
Hi Tom. Happy to find out about you on Facebook. Our friend Terry Shepard clicked a Like so I clicked your page to see what was up. Loved the blog. So now’s I’m Following on your coattails. Given what you do, you might enjoy taking a peek at my blog http://www.throughharoldslens.com. Best, Harold
Harold — Thanks for becoming a part of the “Cobblestone community.” I’ve also become one of your “disciples.”
Love the name “Cobblestone Community”.Especially since San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, where I live, has cobblestone streets. At the moment, I’m packing up my camera gear and heading to Positano.
Congratulations on getting out of the rat race and creating just the life that pleases you.
Thanks. Now that I’m retired, the only rats I come across are the ones crawling around my apartment. Just kidding, it’s as clean as a whistle. Appreciate you’re finding my blog. Why don’t you FOLLOW my dispatches and we can meander along the cobblestone together. Ciao for now. TPT
Done! BTW, I grew up wandering cobblestone roads all over Europe. The super-highways in the US really aren’t doing the job for me, so I need to get back this summer for a refresher – planning to spend time inScotland and hoping for some cobblestones there…
They’ll be a plenty (cobblestones) in the Highlands, for sure. I hope you’ll blog about it.
I love your blog, Tom! it’s truly inspiring
regards from Indonesia,
Badai
Thanks, Badai. Appreciate you’re thumbs-up review. I hope you’ll FOLLOW my blog, and I’ll return the favor. I know very little about Indonesia, but I’ve been nearby numerous times. Ciao for now. TPT
I’ve followed you already
and I hope my blog will give you additional info about Indonesia. Ciao 
Harold — I signed for the email delivery alerts whenever you post something new. Btw, can you teach me the tango, virtually?
There you are. Now I recognize you without your hat. Cheers.
Cheers 2 u, 2.
Thanks for leaving your ‘stamp’ on my blog, Tom. Having followed the trail to yours, I’m now just a little green with envy for your lifestyle in Italy……loving it and a follower already. Hello new best friend!
CW — Looks like we’ll be meandering along the cobblestone together — you up in Cornwall, me down here in Italy. Thanks for joining up!