Escape the Heat by Heading Underground: Top Five Caves in Italy
With the latest heat wave, dubbed Lucipher, sweeping across Italy, and temperatures easily reaching 40°C in cities, you may want to look for some respite from the heat. Why not head underground to visit some of Italy’s most fascinating caves? Here are five to consider, from north to south and the islands. Grotte di Frasassi (Marche) One hour from...
The North of Sardinia: Sennori, a village with a musical soul in the heart of Romangia
A Mistral breeze blows through the branches of the Romangia olive trees and creeps between the rows of vines. Sennori, unfolding on the top of the hill, dominates the landscape as if it wanted to admire it: by day a view as far as the eye can see over the countryside, the nearby village of Sorso and the Gulf of Asinara, by night a harmony of bright...
San Paolo Albanese and the Museum of the Arbëreshe Culture
It is a treasure trove of traditions, located in the heart of the Pollino National Park - at an altitude of about 850 meters - and stands out among the most characteristic villages in all of Basilicata. Welcome to San Paolo Albanese, whose peculiarity is linked to its historical-artistic and, above all, cultural heritage. The village, in fact, was...
Accessible Ravenna: Art, Culture and more
8 UNESCO monuments, 700th anniversary of Dante’s death, Mosaics and Street Art. These are just some of the interesting attractions just waiting to be discovered here. Among the most beautiful towns in Emilia-Romagna, and completely flat, Ravenna Old Town is paved mostly with cobblestones: not ideal for mobility, but the excellent maintenance makes...
Not Just Pompeii - Campania’s Best Archeological Sites
Most people flock to Pompeii and ignore its sister site, nearby Herculaneum. Like Pompeii, this ancient Roman town was destroyed and buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD; but because it was covered by different volcanic materials, it is better preserved than Pompeii - and just as fascinating, if not more. The buried remains of Hercula...
Madonna sings 'Bella Ciao' at 63rd birthday revel in Puglia
US pop legend Madonna sang the iconic WWII Resistance ditty 'Bella Ciao' as she continued her week-long 63rd birthday celebrations in her much-loved Puglia region on Thurday night, sources said Friday. The singer, born Madonna Lousie Ciccone and whose paternal grandparents came from Pacentro near L'Aquila in Abruzzo, turned 63 on Monday and has bee...
The Italian tradition of peaches in wine, a delicious summer drink
It is a tradition very popular all around the country, that which sees Italians – mainly in the summer – eating peaches in wine, usually red wine, after having been left to rest for a while in the fridge both to cool off and so that all the flavors can mix perfectly. Probably the tradition has its origins in the South of Italy where it may have sta...
My Family Rented an Italian Villa to Reunite During COVID - Here's What It Was Like
Sicily — particularly Taormina — has become a special place for my family over the years. Although our Sicilian heritage traces back to a small town almost 200 miles away, the strikingly beautiful hilltop town, lively beaches below, and friends we've made have captured our hearts, and we can't stop going back. The moment Italy reopened to Americans...
10 things to do in Sassari
What a place guys! Today we are in the northwestern part of Sardinia, in an area inhabited since the Paleolithic, even the first hominids had good taste in housing. Here the territory is prevalently hilly, the wind blows and keeps the atmosphere cool with the city located about 200 meters above sea level, in a particularly strategic place for urban...
The Sistine Chapel in the Vatican Museums
Among the most famous rooms in the world, the Sistine Chapel stands alone. Neither one of the largest nor grandest properties in the Vatican, its fame is mostly based on its immense ceiling frescoes created by none other than the great Michelangelo Buonarroti. This series of scenes from the New Testament of the Bible form a staggering tableau that...
The nostalgic southern tradition of the Italian homemade tomato sauce
A very popular tradition of the Belpaese regards the making of Italian homemade tomato sauce: recipes are passed down from generation to generation and it is very much about spending some time together with the family. For some, sauce making is almost like a ritual: so, here the recipe and some trivia! Homemade tomato sauce is something that has to...
Gnocchi Thursday - A Rather Roman Ritual
If you're familiar with Roman food culture, you likely know the phrase giovedi gnocchi, or gnocchi Thursday. This expression originates from the saying Giovedì gnocchi, venerdì pesce, sabato trippa (Thursday dumplings, Friday fish, Saturday tripe) – a maxim rooted in the Trastevere quarter. The saying originated from lower-class food rationing an...