A UNESCO World Heritage site, the city of Ferrara in Emilia Romagna is worth visiting for plenty of reasons – not least of which is its peculiarly shaped coppia ferrarese bread. Coppia (ciupeta in dialect) means "couple," and the bread is made by cutting two strips from the dough, which are then rolled between the palms of one's hands so that they'...

When most people think of Neapolitan pizza, the first to come to mind is the UNESCO-protected wood-fired pies with a raised cornicione (crust). Yet the pizza fritta (fried pizza) is one of the city’s most beloved street foods, and its humble origins make it even more meaningful. World War II Due to the devastation and poverty caused by War War II,...

One of the most important places of Christian pilgrimage in Italy, the Basilica of Saint Francis in Assisi is also a Unesco World Heritage site, welcoming visitors as a distinctive landmark as they approach the Umbrian town, birthplace of Francis. The basilica of Saint Francis was built starting from 1228, just two years after Francis’ death, as a...

Compiono cinque anni i Caschi blu della Cultura, la task force italiana istituita nell’ambito dell’iniziativa “Unite4Heritage” dell’Unesco. Era il 16 febbraio 2016, infatti, quando veniva firmato a Roma il Memorandum of Understanding che dava vita a questo particolare gruppo di pronto intervento. “L’Italia è stata il primo Paese a mettere a disposi...

Archaeologists working at the sprawling 200-acre site of Hadrian’s Villa in Tivoli have discovered a breakfast room where the Roman emperor would dine with his wife, Vibia Sabina. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the estate was constructed around 120 AD and served as a retreat for the emperor when he wanted to relax outside of his Palatine Hill pa...

Positano is one of the most suggestive towns of the Amalfi Coast. It's situated on a high cliff, like a crib. Here, there are tourists from all over the world, it is certainly the right place to relax and to disconnect from everyday life. Positano has been a Unesco World Heritage Site since 1997, for its beaches and the beauty of the natural landsc...

The Cilento lands are karstic in nature. Mankind has been present in the caves of these territories since the Middle Paleolithic (500.000 thousand years B.C.). The testimonies of human passage are still tangible, from the mountainous massifs of Grotte di Castelcivita to the Grotte dell'Angelo in the Vallo di Diano.  The first Greeks arrived on Cile...

Civita di Bagnoregio, a clifftop village surging out of a valley in Italy's central Lazio region, has been proposed for World Heritage Status by the Italian UNESCO commission. All going well, the "Cultural Landscape of Civita di Bagnoregio" could enter the prestigious UNESCO list in 2022, in a proposal backed by Civita and the Lazio region with the...

The South of Italy has no shortage of breathtaking landscapes, rich history and incredible cuisine – but it’s still somewhat unknown when compared to other areas of the Bel Paese. It’s a good thing then that there are several initiatives that aim to make it more accessible and popular, like the Cammino Materano and its newest hiking route.

Italy is the country with the largest number of Unesco World Heritage sites in the world, and, every year, more areas or monuments vie for the prestigious recognition. Let’s look at what Italian sites have been nominated for Unesco World Heritage status in 2021. Bologna’s famous porticoes, a landmark of the city, like the Two Towers and the local c...