Naples' Holy Undeground: the Catacombs of San Gennaro
Rome is holy, Turin is esoteric but Naples is the Italian city with the closest relationship with the Otherworld, in all its forms. It’s not because of what is there physically — although, we will see, there are some spots of considerable interest from that point of view, too — but rather because of its people’s attitude towards the spiritual and t...
Now you can move into an Italian house for just $12,000
For the determined buyer with a strong vision and good home improvement skills, the fire sale of crumbling Italian houses for a little over a dollar each has been a gift. The rest of us, unable even to install a simple shelf, can only look on in envy. Until now. Several villages are now offering houses that are ready to move into. The price is a li...
A brief history of Ponte Vecchio, the Old Bridge in Florence
It earned its name, "Old Bridge," by surviving a long and exciting history. It's possible that the bridge existed in some form during the Roman Empire, but it was first recorded as being a defensive structure in Medieval Italy. The bridge, built of stone and wood, crosses the most narrow point of the Arno River and connects the City Center to the d...
Postcards From Italy: Capri
In the 1930s, the streets of Capri were still deserted. The rationalist-style villa of writer Curzio Malaparte, which he designed himself, was still being built. During these years, characters like the industrialist Friedrich Alfred Krupp stayed at the Quisisana hotel for months, drinking an aperitivo at the hotel bar at the same time every day. At...
8 Virtual Museum Tours In Rome
While the lockdowns imposed during the past twelve months have limited our ability to experience all Rome has to offer, many exquisite art exhibitions housed in the city are available to tour via the New Virtual Tours of Civic Museums. The site, launched on February 16th, is an online platform that allows users to virtually discover eight different...
Trieste: A Wealth of Beauty
Trieste in northeastern Italy is a wealth of beauty. It’s the city that stole my heart. I was pleasantly surprised wandering around this seaside town. Nestled in the Gulf of Trieste right on the Adriatic Sea, art lovers will adore Trieste’s sea sculptures. The fresh Mediterranean sea breeze welcomes you. Seagulls call overhead and line the waterfro...
Prato Journal: The first “Urban Jungle” in the world proposed for Tuscan city.
Prato is the capital of the Province of Prato in Tuscany, Italy. Over the centuries, Prato has mainly been famous for its textile industries, with its products being sold to various parts of Italy as well as Europe. Prato has also played an important role in the slow food movement, which is reflected in its wonderful cuisine. The city, with about 2...
Shocking things about Italy: are they all true?
I've recently come across an article published by Business Insider, then proposed in Italian on the turismo.it website. In it, ten things about Italy that shock foreigners are listed. Curious, I scrolled the article and began wondering: how do I feel about it, as an Italian? Do I agree with it, do I understand its point of view or is foreign press...
Golf: Ryder Cup 2023 to be green, plastic free - Montali
Paolo Montali, general manager of Italy's Ryder Cup 2023 project, told ANSA Tuesday the event will be eco-sustainable, green and plastic free. He said the event at the Marco Simone Golf & Country Club outside Rome would become a "global reference point." The clash between Europe and USA on September 29-October 1 2023 will also serve to relaunch tou...
When Focaccia Gets Sicilian
While focaccia is most closely associated with Liguria, various iterations of the beloved flatbread stud the peninsula…and a few miles beyond – here's a look at three that are native to Sicily. The nuns invented it Palermo's sfincione is one of the Sicilian capital's must-eat street foods. A pizza by the slice of sorts, sfincione has humble orig...
The Better Part Of Italian Indifference
If you are a bear, you are probably better off living in the Italian part of the Alps as opposed to any other part. Why? Is it because Italians are so kind hearted? No. Cowardly? Certainly not. Animal lovers? No, not necessarily — God help you if you are a pig. No, the reason seems to be, conservation biologists aver, is that Italians do not care a...
Beyond the famous Leaning Tower: Piazza del Duomo in Pisa, Unesco World Heritage Site since 1987
Pisa rises on the east coast of Tuscany, just over 80 km from Florence and easily accessible by car, train or bus. The birthplace of Galileo Galilei was one of the four Italian maritime republics in medieval times. It is rich in history, culture and art. Piazza del Duomo in Pisa stands just on the edge of the urban agglomeration. It is a large squa...