I'm Amy Bizzarri, a Chicago-based freelance writer. My stories have appeared in BBC Travel, Smithsonian, Lonely Planet, Somm Journal, Fodor's, Chicago Tribune, and more.

*I specialize in writing travel content for various tourism websites, including Visit U.S.V.I, Travel Illinois, and Choose Chicago.

*My Great, Great Grandparents met the night the Great Chicago Fire hit our city (1871): Walter Daker, a volunteer firefighter, caught a glimpse of Catherine's long, flowing red hair and, believing it was on fire, swooped her up in his arms to "save" her… the rest is history! I'm the author of four Chicago history-focused books: Discovering Vintage Chicago, Chicago's Iconic Dishes, Drinks, and Desserts, 111 Places Chicago, and 111 Places Chicago Kids.

*Recipient of the 2019 Silver Lowell Award for Best Travel Guide by Society of American Travel Writers for my bestselling retro road trip guide, The Best Hits on Route 66. My upcoming travel guide to U.S. Route 61 will be published by Globe Pequot in June 2023.

*Contributor to the Lonely Planet Florida 10 guide (2023) and Women's Suffrage: The Complete Guide to the Nineteenth Amendment (ABC-CLIO, 2020).

*Recipient of the 2022 best travel article for The Black Cowboys of Chicago's South Side - BBC Travel: bbc.com/travel/article/20210919-the-b...

*I lived in Italy for 5+ years and am a fluent Italian speaker with an M.A. in Italian from Middlebury College (VT). My paternal grandfather is from Castelnuovo Ne'Monti (RE). There will always be a special place in my heart for *il bel paese*, and I’m an expert on Italian travel, food, and wine — ask me anything!

*Freelance translator Italian/English; I specialize in tv/film subtitles

*My passion for wine led me to pursue WSET (Wine and Spirit Education Trust) certification (currently Levels 1 and 2 certified/working on Level 3). I also speak French and have a passion for wine from Bordeaux

*I'm a teacher with 20+ years of experience and a Master of Arts in Education with a focus on bilingual education. I'm Reading Apprenticeship and International Baccalaureate certified.

*In 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023 I received study grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

*I've hosted television and radio segments and produced several smart walking tours with VoiceMap and EAtlas.

*I'm a PADI-certified scuba diver, and I'm proud to be a mermaid: chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/travel/...

Follow me at Instagram.com/amybizzarri to see where I am in the world today!