A colossal statue of Atlas, buried for centuries among ancient ruins, will soon take its rightful place among the ancient Greek temples of Agrigento on Sicily. The city’s archaeological park announced that the artwork, one of the most celebrated sculptures on the island, will be raised upright in front of the Temple of Zeus. In Greek mythology, Atl...

THE EREMO DI SAN CATALDO (Hermitage of Saint Cataldus) is built into a steep cliff by the road connecting Contigliano to Cottanello in the region of Sabina, northeast of Rome. Its origins are unclear, and some historians believe that it could date back as far as the 10th century, a time when the nearby Abbey of Farfa controlled the region. However,...

Two English words, stay and vacation, joined together gives meaning to a new word staycation, which is precisely what this year’s summer vacation will entail for many Italians. Yes, we all need a holiday, but without moving too far and taking advantage of Italy’s scenery, landscape, historical heritage as much as possible. Italy, for fear of repeti...

The vineyard landscapes of Langhe-Roero and Monferrato cover five distinct wine-growing areas - Langa del Barolo, the hills of Barbaresco, Nizza Monferrato and Barbera, Canelli and Asti Spumante, Monferrato degli Infernot - and the Castle of Cavour, which Unesco describes as “an emblematic name both in the development of vineyards and in Italian hi...

When passing the Swiss/Italian border in Chiasso, on one side there was the Swiss Police without masks but within only 2 meters, everybody was wearing a mask, and that was Italy. To my big surprise, there was no queue to get into the parking garage at the center of Como where usually during the summer, one has to wait until a car comes out, but the...

Casa Italiana Director Stefano Albertini interviews Stefania Ippoliti, head of both the Tuscan Film Commission and the Tuscan Media Library that puts her at the center of all pre-production, production, and research concerning film production in Tuscany. She will talk about her experiences in the field as well as take questions from NYU students cu...

In Palermo, Arab craftsmen carpeted the Norman palace with glittering mosaics and 18th-century artisan Giacomo Serpotta fashioned fanciful scenes from stucco in chapels around the city. Few interiors in the exotic, enchanting, and at times exasperating capital of Sicily, though, are as enchanting as the stately dining room of the Palazzo Lanza Toma...

Those of you who have been lucky enough to be to Pompeii know the place is magic. Because of the peculiar — and tragic — causes of its destruction, the Roman hub remained protected from time and further construction for over 1000 years. That’s why Pompeii is so essential, historically and archaeologically, for all classicists: this is where we lear...

The hilltop village, where the Knights Templar are said by locals to have hidden the Holy Grail, insists that documents dating to the 18th century prove it was never legally incorporated into Italy. It hopes its claim will boost tourism and attract new residents, saving it from the fate of other small Italian towns, where depopulation has left hist...

Venetian cuisine is made with few ingredients but rich in taste. Although the city of Venice is famous all over the world for its immense beauty, art, architecture and history, few know its refined gastronomic tradition. Venetian cuisine: simplicity and influences from various cultures Venice was entirely built on water, built on hundreds of islets...