Lucca’s historic city walls form a 3-mile greenway loop that completely encircles the city, and the bike path stretches for the entire loop on top of these walls. You’re not balancing on a narrow wall, as many people first imagine; the walls are 40 feet high but they’re also almost 90 feet across. The path is very wide (wide enough that it was once...

To experience the finest Italian Renaissance art anywhere, there’s no finer place to visit than Florence, Italy. That’s what keeps drawing State University of New York at Fredonia students each summer to Art History 390: Arts of Italy, a study abroad course taught by Department of Visual Arts and New Media Associate Professor Peter Tucker. Beginnin...

To find the place I’d like to show you today, we need to leave behind Tuscany’s iconic rolling hills with their vineyards and olive groves, and venture deeper into the Val d’Orcia region. Between the historic towns of Siena and Montepulciano — approximately 50 kilometers south of the first — and just a stone’s throw away from the UNESCO World Herit...

We don’t need to tell you that Italian cuisine is so much more than just pizza and pasta. Each region in Italy, from Lombardy in the north to Sicily in the south, offers its own unique culinary treasures that are steeped in centuries-old traditions, offering a true treat to the palates of food lovers worldwide. With this in mind, here’s our roundup...

Ever since Stanley Tucci delighted American viewers with his 2021 CBS Searching for Italy series, Florence’s buchette del vino, or “wine windows”, have enjoyed a new renaissance. International travellers knock on the wooden doors or ring metal bells to claim a drink, recording the occasion religiously on Instagram and TikTok. But how many of these...

Today's Google Doodle commemorates Giovanna Boccalini Barcellona, an Italian educator and advocate for women's rights during the early 20th century, on her 122nd birthday. As per the description, she was instrumental in promoting women's emancipation and gender equality. Additionally, Boccalini Barcellona played a pivotal role in founding Italy's i...

The Boboli Gardens (Giardino di Boboli) is a historic park of the city of Florence. It extends behind the Pitti Palace, which was for nearly four centuries the residence of the grand dukes of Tuscany and for a short period of the kings of Italy. The Medici family was the first to ensure its accommodation, creating the model of the Italian garden th...

Every morning millions of people reach for their eyeglasses even before getting out of bed.  With the world in focus, their day can begin. Nonetheless the history of eyeglasses remains blurry even if with a strong Italian connection from Ancient Rome to this day. So, it’s no wonder a feature article, “The Power of Big Ideas” published in Newsweek o...

The City of Austin and Florence, Italy entered into a “historic agreement” to facilitate educational, cultural and business collaborations between the two cities, according to a city release Wednesday. The City of Austin’s Economic Development Department announced the signing of the Protocol of Cooperation Agreement. Officials noted international c...

It’s a beautiful sight. As iconic as the skyline view etched with Florence’s famous Duomo or perhaps Michelangelo’s marble masterpiece “The David”, the majestic Ponte Vecchio has spanned Florence’s Arno River for almost 700 years. The reflection of her 3 shallow arches supporting an array of shops glistens over the waters creating the guarantee of...