francesca bezzone

Carbonara Day, celebrated every year on April 6, was launched in 2017 by Unione Italiana Food and the International Pasta Organisation to honor and share one of the most iconic dishes of Italian cuisine with the world: pasta alla carbonara. …

Every year, around this time, Italy enters its most colorful season: market stalls are filled with peonies and poppies, balconies are thick with geraniums, and entire hillsides bloom in coordinated palettes of wildflowers.  The country’s connection with flowers, however, goes …

On March 28, 2025, the Italian Council of Ministers adopted Decree Law No. 36, introducing a set of legislative measures to reform the country’s citizenship by descent regulations. The aim, as clarified in the official press release by the Ministry …

Among the many regional desserts that dot Italy’s culinary map, semolini dolci from Piedmont andcrema fritta from Abruzzo are two examples of how texture, tradition, and indulgence come together in fried form. Though they come from different corners of the …

When I was a child, I loved the sound of church bells. My grandmother would explain to me what each different ring meant—whether it was calling people to Mass, announcing a wedding, or marking a solemn event. For me, bells …

Palermo has long been known for its cultural heritage, stunning architecture, and deep historical roots. A city of contrasts, it retains layers of Arab, Norman, and Baroque influences, evident in its churches, palaces, and colorful markets. It is a place …

The twin cities of Gorizia in Italy and Nova Gorica in Slovenia have been jointly designated as the European Capital of Culture for 2025, in an unprecedented move that created the first cross-border capitale della cultura since the initiative’s establishment …

If we think of Italian music and cinema, thoughts go immediately to two names: Ennio Morricone and Nino Rota, who composed some of the most incredible and world-known soundtracks in the history of the Seventh Art. It is right to …

The song Mamma has a special place in Italian music history, both because of its universal theme, maternal love, and the many famous artists to whom it is associated.  The song was composed in 1940 by Cesare Andrea Bixio, with …

I was born Catholic, like most Italians of my generation. Brought up by devout grandparents, they taught me how to make the sign of the cross the right way and the words of all prayers. Today, at the ripe age …