chiara dalessio

Just a few hundred meters off the Calabrian coast, opposite the town of Praia a Mare, lies the Isola di Dino, a small island that many Italians have heard of, but few have actually visited. With its sheer limestone cliffs, …

In the sunny heel of Italy’s boot lies Salento, a stretch of land suspended between sea and stone; famous for its turquoise water, white beaches, and beautifully rugged coastline, this part of southern Puglia has earned the nickname the Caribbean …

Who doesn’t love meatballs? Fried, in tomato sauce, on top of pasta, or on their own, they are the ultimate comfort food. Used to the deliciousness of my own grandmother’s polpette al sugo, a staple of my childhood — which …

When the white smoke came out of the Sistine Chapel on the afternoon of May 8, I was sitting at my kitchen table, working with the TV quietly on in the background. I’ll be honest with you, it caught me …

Spilimbergo is a small town sitting along the banks of the Tagliamento River, in Friuli Venezia Giulia. Known as Italy’s City of Mosaics, it has recently earned the distinction of being one of the country’s Borghi più Belli d’Italia, an …

Italy is known for many wonderful things: art, architecture, opera, hand gestures, and an enviable approach to coffee. But tucked among these cultural icons, there is something just as incredible: its delightfully peculiar laws. Some are old, some still enforced, …

Art, history, and modern technology helped researchers unveil hidden tunnels beneath Milan’s Castello Sforzesco (Sforza Castle), structures that perfectly match sketches made by Leonardo da Vinci over five centuries ago.  Built in the 15th century, the Sforza Castle had been …

The Catholic Church is preparing for a historic transition following the death of Pope Francis on April 21, 2025, at the age of 88. His passing has set in motion the historical process of electing a new pope, with the …

Every winter, town squares and natural snow-covered stages across northern Italy come alive with the voices of male choirs wearing the distinctive feathered hats of the Alpini corps: these are the Cori Alpini, ensembles rooted in the traditions of Italy’s …

Speaking like an Italian is part verbal, part theatrical, and – let’s be honest – entirely contagious. On any street in Italy, conversation feels like a performance: arms wave, eyebrows arch, voices overlap: it starts with a simple “Ciao!” and …