How young Neapolitans use catacombs to advance their future
When you think of places to go to in Naples, the Sansevero chappel, Spanish quarter or Via dei Tribunali in the city center usually come to mind. Although equally exciting, the infamous Rione Sanità neigborhood hasn’t been on the tourist radar. On the contrary, both visitors and locals avoided it because of its bad reputation caused by crime, drug...
Italy to launch 'Netflix of Italian Culture' in US next year
Italy's streaming platform ITsART - known as the 'Netflix of Italian Culture' - is set to roll out across Europe in October before becoming available to viewers in the US next year. ITsART gives online access to Italian culture - both free and paid - ranging from art and music to dance and theatre, and is commissioned by Italy's culture ministry. "...
7 Reasons To Fall In Love With Beautiful Calabria, Italy
It was on a layover leaving Colombia and heading back to Canada that I encountered two Italians who were living in Canada. We had coffee together and proceeded to share stories of our travels. Though Canadian through and through, they had Italian roots. Roots that were from Calabria. A fairly well-traveled adventurer, I had never heard of Calabria,...
Wines of Latium: millenary traditions and stories in more than 25000 hectares of vineyards
Today in Lazio there are more than 25000 hectares of vineyards, all with their own history, which have given place to the culture of wine in an important Italian wine scene. The cultivation of wines in Latium has been known since the time of the Etruscans, who already cultivated indigenous varieties of wine, then with the Roman Empire wine became...
Eating and drinking like an Italian: rules every visitor should know
Did my use of “rules” and “Italian” in one sentence cause a second glance? Other than keeping that left lane on the Autostrada open for high-speed designer cars, or maybe dutifully respecting the ZTL signs (Zona Traffico Limitato) that come equipped with a stealthy camera, most rules in Italy are made to be bent if not broken. Mere suggestions, as...
Traditions of the South of Italy: do you know Salento’s pizzica-scherma?
In Italy there are local traditions that are celebrated still today. In particular, there are dances such as the Salento’s pizzica-scherma one of the old traditions of the South of Italy. It is popular in some areas of Salento in the provinces of Lecce, Brindisi and Taranto. The symbols and tradition are what is mainly highlighted. So, here is the...
All About Amarone Wine
“Where does the name for this distinctly velvety and soft red wine – the illustrious Amarone – come from?” I asked this question to Raffaele Boscaini, the seventh-generation owner of Masi Agricola, a prestigious winery in the Veneto that made history with its Vapolicella and other local wines, exporting them around the world and making them more fa...
Sardinia: Alghero, a perfect boating holiday amidst history and nature
The picturesque city of Alghero is located on the north-western coast of Sardinia and falls entirely within the province of Sassari. It is also known as the Sardinian Barceloneta, or little Barcelona, due to the Catalan influences that left their deep mark on many aspects. From the architecture to the traditions, to the typical cuisine and, last bu...
10 UNESCO sites in Italy that maybe you don't know
Unknown among these known, the Excavations of Oplontis in Torre Annunziata (Naples), included in the fantastic complex of the more famous Pompeii and Herculaneum, admitted in the UNESCO list in 1997. The ancient Oplontis often goes unnoticed by the ruins visitors and tourists. It rises into the city centre of Torre Annunziata. In the past, it was a...
A Once-Forgotten Port Of Italy Is Alive With A Diverse Cultural And Literary Legacy
Tourists to Italy are likely to visit Rome, Florence, Venice — maybe even Naples and Sicily. Few venture as far as this city tucked in the country's northeast corner on the Adriatic Sea. Once the flourishing port of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Trieste became a largely forgotten borderland after World War I. But today, those who visit find a blend...
Summer Hiking in the Dolomites
As a passionate hiker, I especially love hiking Italy’s Dolomites, where I have explored quite a bit. I wasn’t prepared though for the spectacle that is Val Badia, one of the most important destinations of the Unesco-inscribed Dolomites, where I spent a few days this summer. Extending for about 16 km from the massive Sella group to the Puster Valle...
Paralympics: Italy get 2 more medals, tally up to 13
Italy got two more Paralympic medals, a silver and a bronze, on Friday to take their tally up to 13 medals: four golds, five silvers and four bronzes. Carlotta Gilli snagged another silver in the S13 (partially sighted) 400m freestyle, following a gold and a silver for the 20-year-old swimmer from Moncalieri near Turin. Sara Morganti won the bronze...