One of the best ways to see Tuscany's legendary Val D'Orcia region is on the reopened steam railway running through fields, forests and vineyards. Most of us see Tuscany’s famous rolling landscape from the road. Or maybe on foot, since walking holidays in the region have become so popular. But there’s a more unusual way to get your fix of stunning...
READ MOREThe thirteenth and fourteenth centuries saw Tuscany rise on textile manufacturing and trading along with the bankers of this region developing bookkeeping theories and practices that form the basis of modern banking. Siena, then the Republic of Siena, was one of the most-wealthy, self-governing city-states found in what is today a unified Italy. Si...
READ MOREWant to understand the proposed future of Pimlico Race Course? One place to look would be to a race even older than the Preakness Stakes (G1) at a venue far more ancient than even Old Hilltop: Il Palio, the twice yearly horse race around the Piazzo del Campo, the central square in Siena, Italy. The Dec. 13 release of the second phase of the Marylan...
READ MOREOn 1-2 December 2018, Siena will return to its origins for a weekend, bringing medieval customs and traditions back to life with the historical re-enactment of the “mercato grande” – the Tuscan city’s main marketplace at the time. Immersed in this Medieval atmosphere, Siena’s excellent culture, food and wine and craftsmanship will take center stage...
READ MOREAccording to tradition, on the occasion of the All Saints Day, Pan co’ Santi is prepared in Siena. It is in fact a Sienese version of the cakes with raisins and dried fruit that are typical of this period – with many variations – throughout Italy. Among them all, Pan co ‘santi distinguishes itself for a marked presence of black pepper and a moderat...
READ MORELe università americane promuovono i più svariati programmi di study abroad, che consentono agli studenti iscritti ai corsi di laurea di trascorrere un periodo di formazione all’estero. Molti di questi programmi si svolgono in Italia e durano in media da tre mesi a un anno. Durante questi mesi, gli studenti accrescono la propria conoscenza di una c...
READ MOREA local choir conductor led more than a dozen singers on a 10-day concert tour to Siena, Italy, this summer, strengthening the bond between the two cities that was first established in 2006. “It was a phenomenal sharing of American music with an Italian audience,” said Helen Demong, artistic director and conductor of Northern Lights Choir. The root...
READ MOREFrom ancient Roman ships in Pisa to a deeper understanding of Pompeii, via a cycle route in Siena, there's plenty still to look forward to in Italy as part of the EU28-wide celebration of culture. As one of the most culture-intense EU nations, Italy has plenty to offer for the European Year of Culture Heritage 2018. Italy is hosting 1,136 events...
READ MOREThis is the story of the knight Galgano and how a vision made him renounce to wealth, war and women in name of a life of meditation and prayer. This is a story where faith, legend, history and literature merge in one intriguing tale, to the dénouement of which, in truth, we won’t be able to come. This is a story of Tuscan hills, hermits, abbeys and...
READ MOREOn June 24th each year, Florence's main square turns into an arena for a sport which is a brutal combination of rugby, football, and wrestling. The Local explores the history of the unique tradition. Calcio Storico (Historical football) is a game thought up by 16th-century Florentines and as the name suggests, it's an early - and very violent - for...
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