Farewell to Antonio Martino
Last March 5, Italy lost a giant, and America lost a friend, an admirer and a great expert of its greatness and merits. We the Italians lost a friend and a guide. That's why we want to remember Professor Antonio Martino with the speech he gave, when he was Minister of Defense of the Italian Government, at the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery on Memori...
Italian flavors: Nocellara del Belice
The history of the Nocellara del Belice olive is 2,700 years old. Sicily, particularly the Belice Valley area, has been colonized at various times over the course of the centuries. The land was subjected in turn by the Sicani, Elymians, Phoenicians and Greeks, followed by the Romans, Normans, Arabs and Spaniards. The reason for this is simple. Loca...
Italian entertainment: Pasolini, the provocative director that Italy was not ready to understand
"Only loving and knowing counts. Not having loved, not having known". It would be enough to contextualize this sentence to understand how brilliant, divisive and provocative Pier Paolo Pasolini has been for Italian culture. Writer, linguist, director, poet, he was born on March 5, 1922 in Bologna, Emilia Romagna, exactly 100 years ago. Because of h...
Italian handcrafts: Perugia Knitwear
In the 12th century, tapestries and tablecloths were woven in the Umbria area using the French “bird’s eye” motif technique. These embroideries were created primarily on fabrics, often for use in a liturgical setting, and featured geometric shapes or stylized animals and people. Over the following centuries, tablecloths from Perugia were used throu...
Italian language: Names of months in Italian - part 1
Hello everyone. This month we are going to review the names of the months in Italian. But to make it a little more fun I would like to talk a bit about where they come from and what they mean. Why did I decide to do it now that it is already March? Simple, because March used to be the first month of the year. As usual, I’ve been using as reference...
Italian wine: Pinot Nero is in Abundance in the Oltrepo Pavese
When one thinks of the great wine regions of Italy I’m sure the Lombardy wine region isn’t the first that comes to mind. If you’re a fan of pinot noir the Oltrepo Pavese is a region that one must seek out as it hosts one of the largest areas under vine for Pinot Nero. The Oltrepo Pavese is located along the 45th parallel where you also find the gre...
Italian culture and history: Ischia, Capri and Procida
For travelers in search of the opportunity to relax by the sea - yet still partake in an active cultural and social scene - a trip to the lovely islands of the Bay of Naples is definitely one for the bucket list: we’re talking about Procida, Ischia and Capri. A long weekend is ideal for enjoying the beauties on display on these three islands and fo...
Italian traditions: The Easter Passion in Trapani, the procession of the mysteries
One of the festivals that most represents the Italian Easter tradition is the "Procession of the Mysteries" in Trapani, Sicily, where there is an intense popular participation. Imagine a river of people standing for twenty hours in extreme silence as they watch the representation of the "Mysteries". This magical word is not to be considered as an i...
Italian gardens and parks: The Ancient Beechwood of Mount Cimino
Mount Cimino, with its 1,053 above sea level, is the highest peak of the Lazio Anti-Apennine chain of Cimini Mountains, in the province of Viterbo, in Tuscia. The mountain overlooks the municipality of Soriano nel Cimino, where a wonderful beechwood of 58 hectares extends from 600 to 1053 meters of altitude. Among the most impressive and beautiful...
What's up with WTI: Editorial # 148
Ciao from Rome! I wrote my last editorial right before the week when the Italian Parliament would elect the new President of the Republic. We dedicated the cover of the January issue of our magazine to the President who was ending his 7 years, Sergio Mattarella, to thank him for his wonderful service. In that very weekend we also decided to ask s...
Italian little Italies: San Casciano dei Bagni, the thermal baths of the Grand Duke
San Casciano dei Bagni has been famous over the centuries for its thermal springs. Located on the hills of Siena, near the border with Lazio, its urban structure naturally traces a route that gently accompanies you during the discovering of its most beautiful corners. It is a circular itinerary, like the old town centre, that goes around the hill...
Italian sport: Berrettini, the Hammer
For over fifteen years, Italian tennis has returned to shine as it did in the days of the "immortals" Lea Pericoli, Nicola Pietrangeli, Adriano Panatta and Corrado Barazzutti. First, the Italian tennis players called up to the national team exploded, winning 4 editions of the Fed Cup from 2006 to 2013 (today the trophy is called the Billie Jean Kin...