Towers of Bologna
One of the possible explanations for the vertical construction craze is that rich families used the towers as a symbol of wealth and status, as well as for defensive purposes to guard their land. Some of the smaller structures were built as dwellings. The exact number of towers built in medieval Bologna is not clear. It was suggested that up to 180...
An Italian Marvel: The Floating Scaligero Castle
Castello Scaligero (Scaligero Castle), in the commune of Sirmione, sits on a thin peninsula jutting out into the southern end of Lake Garda. Essentially, the ramparts of the castle function as a small fortified harbor for what was the Scaligera fleet. The castle has a de facto moat (the surrounding lake) and even a drawbridge through which visitors...
Il migliore ambasciatore dell’immagine dell’Italia? Gli italiani!
L’immagine estera dell’Italia rappresenta uno dei principali driver della riconoscibilità e del vantaggio competitivo del Made in Italy sui mercati esteri. Questo articolo riporta alcuni risultati di uno studio condotto dal Centro di ricerca sul Made in Italy (MADEINT) dell’Università degli Studi Internazionali di Roma su un campione di 4.550 consu...
7 Fabulous And Affordable Places In Italy You Need To Check Out Now
Italy’s most popular destinations—Rome, Venice, Florence, the Cinque Terre—are endlessly alluring, but in peak summer months they can be crowded and expensive as well. The country’s classic attractions—great art, architecture, food, wine, medieval villages and beautiful country landscapes—can be found outside its famous spots, but where are the bes...
Elephant Fountain
Today, the enigmatic pachyderm mentioned by the geographer sits atop an 18th-century fountain in the middle of a piazza. The fountain was constructed in the 1730s by Sicilian architect Giovanni Battista Vaccarini, who appropriated the city’s by-then legendary elephant as its centerpiece. Vaccarini draped a marble saddle cloth over the elephant that...
Niccolo Ricci, CEO of lifestyle label Stefano Ricci, gives t2 a peek into the world of Italian luxury
Fine tailoring, fine leather, fine wine, fine interiors…. Italian uber luxury brand Stefano Ricci — founded in 1980 by the eponymous designer — is all about the finer things of life, handcrafted to perfection. Niccolo Ricci, the CEO of the label, takes t2 through the journey of the brand and tells us why the world loves all things Italian. Some of...
Italy leads 'made in space' race
Italy is leading the 'made in space' race with the Italian Space Agency (ASI) planning the first factories outside Earth's orbit, newly reappointed ASI chief Roberto Battiston told the Mars to Earth 2018 conference Friday. The extremely high-tech products will be unique because they will be made in the absence of gravity, he said. "If factories in...
European Tastes Have Finally Caught on in the U.S., Says Italian Designer
Italian architect and interior designer Piero Lissoni has designed the interiors for hotels, restaurants and yachts, most notably, the new Sanlorenzo SX88 motor yacht. His projects span the world, including Miami, Milan, Tokyo, Amsterdam and Shanghai. He was commissioned to design the hotel rooms, individual residences, front entrance, the lobby lo...
Granita, sorbetto, grattachecca o sgroppino… Much more than ice and syrup!
Sicilian granita has rougher consistency than gelato, is entirely free from air and has a sugar content of about 30%. It is made of water, fruit juices or syrups. On the Siracusa coast, it’s semi-liquid, whereas on the opposite side of the region both its texture and name change: it becomes cremolata. The typical syrups used to make granita Sicilia...
The Lambrusco renaissance
Lambrusco’s second life. After opening the world markets to Italian wines and years of struggles at bay, we have now been witnessing the rebirth of Lambrusco for some seasons, which has become synonymous with fizzy red wine – or rosé, everywhere. It cannot go unnoticed, however, that Lambrusco has many different identities. The homelands of Lambrus...
The Italian Startup Clairy is Determined to Solve The Indoor Air Pollution Problem with Plants with Its Kickstarter Campaign Called NATEDE
The Italian startup Clairy continues to raise funds for its second successful Kickstarter campaign for the smart indoor air purifier NATEDE. NATEDE has already raised €500,000 during the first half of its Kickstarter campaign, which ends on June 1st. Until then, anyone anywhere in the world will be able to join the campaign and pre-order this natur...
How women rice weeders in Italy took on fascism and became heroines of the left
In an era before the dawn of pesticides and mechanisation, an all-female workforce was employed to “disinfect” and harvest Italy’s rice crops. These Italian rice weeders may be a thing of the past, but they have a remarkable political legacy. Italy was, and remains, Europe’s largest rice producer. The rice weeders, known in Italian as “mondine”, co...