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"It's time to smuggle some s---,” chef Evan Funke jokes as we climb into the Land Rover Defender, arguably the largest vehicle the majority of Italy’s streets have ever seen. Funke, the chef behind Los Angeles pasta temples Felix Trattoria and Mother Wolf and the recently opened Funke, is not talking about drugs or antiquities. He is speaking of se...

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Is there anything more magical, I wonder, than being in a place like Rome, or Florence, for the first time? The emotion of finally seeing “for real” what we have known all our lives from pictures in books, TV documentaries, or the words of our relatives, is something difficult to describe, so much so it’s not unusual for some to remain speechless,...

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Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, better known simply as Caravaggio,  in Naples lived for only eighteen months between October 1606 and June 1607 and subsequently in the autumn of 1609 until his death occurred in 1610 in Porto Ercole on the return journey from Naples to Rome. Despite the brevity, it was an intense and fundamental period for his ar...

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“O Madonna Mia!” It’s a phrase that far surpasses “oh my god” in Italian–fitting, considering this country’s reverence for the Divine Mother. Madonnina statues are enshrined on street corners, watching over intersections from north to south. She adorns necklaces alongside crosses. Her image veiled oversees bars, gelaterias, and even butcher shops—a...

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In the charming Tuscan countryside, in the province of Siena, stands the imposing Abbey of San Galgano, a place that fascinates with its mystical beauty and legends that surround it. Among the many elements that attract attention is the sword in the stone. We explore where the homeless church is located, the history and secrets of the abbey, trying...

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Hands aren’t just for typing and texting, but for creating,” says Pasquale Marinelli, a bell artisan in Italy. Pasquale and his brother Armando are the 26th generation of a family who has been crafting handmade bells since the middle ages. Pouring scalding-hot liquid metal into carefully designed molds, the two sweat over glowing embers, working wi...

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Once again, Venice’s acqua alta is all over the news. Rising water levels in Piazza San Marco disrupt daily life for locals – and throw a wrench in visitors’ carefully planned itineraries. So what can you do when flooding inundates the Floating City First, it helps to have a solid understanding of why Venice floods – and how the impact of flooding...

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In Italy, as we know, there’s a fondness for rivalries—be it between cities, flags, or neighborhoods. Among these, the Palio of Siena is undoubtedly the most renowned, not just in the Belpaese. However, numerous other events fill our streets and squares at various times of the year, giving life to medieval games that closely mimic the reality of th...

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If the destination of your trip includes the beautiful city of Florence, you will most likely have opted for a stay of several nights. For this reason, we have decided to recommend you ten possible one day trip from florence, a tour to make the most of your holiday. There are ten and they are all reachable and can be visited in a day, of course if...

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Easily accessible from Rome or Florence, the region is famous for its gastronomy and cultural treasures. Self-styled the green heart of Italy, the landlocked region of Umbria is known for its truffles and olive oil, roast pork and sausages, wine and cheese. It also has great cultural treasures, many of them in mountain cities such as Orvieto, Peru...

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