NEWS FROM : ITALY  

The meeting point is in Perugia’s historic centre, at the corner of Via dei Cartolari and Via Alessi, in front of the elegant Palazzo Ansidei di Catrano. One’s imagination immediately drifts to the luxurious life of Luisa Spagnoli, a pioneering entrepreneur in the food and fashion sectors. She became wealthy, but she started in the basement of that...

Italian vacations with my father were a highlight of my early teens. Our typical destination was his hometown of Aradeo, a sleepy comune in the province of Lecce in Puglia. We’d spend days jumping into the sea and evenings eating pizza, while nighttime was dedicated to wandering the cobbled streets along with the rest of the town, from curious todd...

February 1st, 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of women’s right to vote in Italy. This historic moment dates back to 1945 when, following the end of World War II, the country restructured its political system. Prior to that, Italy had a long history of denying women voting rights, even though the feminist movement was gaining traction in the early...

In 1955, the young Count Ermelino Matarazzo of Licosa entered the Società Napoletana Imbottigliamento Bevande Gasate, a company that, at the time, operated as a Coca-Cola bottling plant. With his sharp business instincts and determination, Matarazzo requested—and received—permission from Coca-Cola to create a new soft drink using local Campanian in...

There is a demographic crisis at hand, rapid technological development, and a profound transformation in production models. Among the epochal changes sweeping through the labor market, one long-standing issue is becoming more pronounced: businesses are struggling to find the necessary talent. The problem of declining birth rates will not be unique...

One night in 1171, King William II, known as “the Good,” was resting from the burdens of war and governance, as was customary for Norman kings, in an ancient Arab village called Balharā. In a dream, the Virgin Mary appeared to him and revealed the location of an immense treasure—a war booty hidden by his father, William I, known as “the Bad.” She i...

Geographical coordinates are essential for identifying any point on Earth. This is possible, as is well known, thanks to a "network" of meridians and parallels. Among these, the Prime Meridian that passes through the English city of Greenwich stands out. Not everyone knows that there is also a city in Italy crossed by a meridian. This city is Termo...

Home to such global favourites as Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and prosciutto, Parma is a food lover’s paradise, the heart of Italy’s “Food Valley” and officially recognised by Unesco as a city of gastronomy. And there’s plenty to entice beyond the dinner table – this cultured city of art and music has an innate elegance and authentic atmosphere. Cur...

A familiar face has resurfaced from the ruins of an ancient Greek city in Italy. Archaeologists in Sicily have discovered what they believe to be an ancient Roman mask mould depicting the iconic Medusa. Under the direction of Roberto Sciarratta, they unearthed the mould in a building from the late Republican period (133 to 31 BCE) in the ruins of F...

“What’s that smell?” I remember asking my friend as we cycled along the Tanaro river towards Alba. The air was dense with a sticky, sweet, toasted aroma—pleasant at first, then vaguely nauseating. “Ah,” he said with a grimace. “It’s the smell of that thing your parents didn’t want you to eat when you were a child. And also, the smell of what made t...

Modern day pizza dates back to the 1700s in Italy. Since then, this food has spread with pizzas of all styles and types being enjoyed in countries around the world. Thankfully, the United States has been blessed with many styles to enjoy, including Detroit-style pizza with its wonderful corner pieces and Chicago-style deep-dish pizza. What many Ame...

The Italian Alps are set to host the next Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in 2028. This decision was taken by the IOC Members today during the 143rd IOC Session in Lausanne, following a presentation by the project leaders. Dolomiti Valtellina 2028 will be the fifth edition of the Winter YOG. Competitions will take place only in existing venues acr...