The Camposanto - Pisa, Italy
WHILE THE CAMPOSANTO (MONUMENTAL CEMETERY) is right next to one of the most recognized buildings in the world, it does not see nearly as many visitors. The silence and stillness when traversing the open-air hallways adds to the sometimes haunting nature of the 14th-15th-century frescoes. These works of art include “The Last Judgement,” “Hell,” and...
Christmas in Trentino Aldo-Adige: The best Christmas Markets in Italy and Zelten Christmas Cake!
Considered the crossroad between the Mediterranean and Central Europe, Trentino Aldo-Adige is one of Italy’s northern-most regions and is breath-taking, full of culture and snow-covered landscapes. Besides this year due to the pandemic, Bolzano, the largest city in the region hosts a magical Christmas market. Roughly 80 exhibitors set up their boot...
Grande Natale! Italy’s over-the-top Christmas celebrations
It’s not even up for debate. Italy is one of the grandest places on earth. Period. What then would we expect during the Christmas season in Italy but the best of ways to celebrate it! One day? How about one month! Christmas Day — it’s a big day for many reasons, a day that retailers started prepping us for in early July. But the 24 hours of the 25...
2021 Fiat 500e first drive — Could this Italian icon tempt you to go electric?
It’s fair to say that Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) hasn’t been the fastest off the mark when it comes to electric cars. With the lead-footedness displayed across all its brands — Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Jeep, Lancia, Maserati, and Ram — you could be forgiven for thinking that the Italian-American multinational simply isn’t int...
Allora, we have the 2021 Sanremo contestants!
Sanremo Musical Festival marks an iconic week in the Eurovision and Italian musical calendars. Not only is it the most popular Italian song contest and awards ceremony locally but commonly supplies us with the Italian Eurovision contestant for the year. During the Sanremo Giovani 2021 (a smaller contest dedicated to 'Newcomers' to the Italian music...
Word of the Day: Cin Cin, because it's time to celebrate!
Happy Christmas, Buon Natale a tutti! Festivities, even in this dreadful Covid-19 climate, remain a time to think positive and smile. And is there a better way to celebrate that making a toast? In English, we use the word cheers, in Italy, we use cin cin (pronounced tcheen-tcheen). Cin cin is so much like cheers that the popular 1980s TV series Che...
Italian Trade Agency Launches The Extraordinary Italian Jewelry Website, the New Official Virtual Home Showcases Italian Jewelry Talents.
The Italian Trade Agency, the Italian government agency that supports the business development of Italian companies abroad and particularly small and medium-sized businesses, announces that its new U.S. hub to present the outstanding Made in Italy jewelry is now live. Valued at $1.54 billion for the year 2019, the Italian jewelry export business ra...
Two-euro coin to thank healthcare personnel
IN 2021, the Italian mint plans to issue a new two-euro coin dedicated to healthcare personnel. A sketch of the planned coin has been revealed, showing a man and woman side by side wearing medical coats and masks with the word ‘Grazie’, thank you in Italian. Beside them, there will be a red cross and a heart. The plan is to create three million of...
Capri, Hollywood Film Fest: Sophia Loren-Starrer 'The Life Ahead' to Receive Humanitarian Award
The Life Ahead, a new Italian film which features an awards-contending performance by the legendary Sophia Loren, will be feted with the Capri, Hollywood — The International Film Festival's Humanitarian Award, the fest announced Tuesday. The fest's 25th — and first virtual — edition will run from Dec. 26 through Jan. 2. Loren, 86, had not appeared...
Covid-19: Rome nurse will be first in Italy to get vaccine
A nurse at Rome's Spallanzani hospital, a specialist centre for infectious diseases, will become the first person in Italy to receive the Pfizer covid-19 vaccine. The female nurse will be among the five members of staff at the Spallanzani, including two doctors, a healthcare social worker and a researcher, to get the vaccine when the nationwide vac...
Christmas in Calabria: Singing in the Streets, Bonfires and Sweets
In the province of Cosenza and still upheld in inland villages, there is the Christmas Eve tradition of the strina. In the past, the musicians used to go from house to house to bring the “good news” of Christ’s birth, getting paid and thanked with eggs, cheese, olive oil, wine and salami. In more recent times, groups of relatives, friends, acquaint...
Italian Oscar Candidate 'Notturno' Named European Movie of the Year - Variety
Rosi shot “Notturno” over three years along the rattled borders of Iraq, Kurdistan, Syria and Lebanon in his signature observational — but also empathetic — style. The impressionistic doc captures people who have long been contending with the ravages of war and terror, most recently inicted by ISIS. After launching from the Venice Film Festival, “N...