francesca bezzone

Possibly the most famous and recognizable Roman building in the world, the Colosseum is as iconic as anything can be: it’s synonym with the grandeur of the Roman Empire, with its power and, well… also with our ancestors’ penchant for …

The Roman army is legendary: whether you think of Caesar’s Republican days or the greatness of the Empire, its strength, prowess, organization are not only known among classicists and military historians, but also among common people, used to the centurions …

Twelve months ago, during the first lockdown caused by Covid-19,  Italians rediscovered the pleasures of cooking. Don’t get me wrong, compared to other people in the world, we spend an awful lot of time in the kitchen, but sheltering at …

My great uncle was a painter. Class 1918, the youngest of three, he had blond hair and the looks – I am told – of an old Hollywood actor. Left-handed and extraordinarily talented, he had always been an artist at …

Not farfrom Reggio Calabria, deep into the beautiful Aspromonte National Park  and at the heart of the Griko-speaking area of the region (Griko is a dialect, vestige of the  old presence of the Greeks here), curious travelers will find one …

When I used to live in Liguria, there was a place I loved particularly. It wasn’t a beach, nor a promenade, as you may expect, perhaps, in a region known for its seaside beauty. It was a convent. In Loano, …

In Italy, Easter comes a close second in the list of most loved celebrations after, needless to say, Natale. Both rooted in religious tradition, they are the apotheosis of Italian spirituality, heritage and, of course, food.  Easter is a movable …

A year and two months since the first Covid-19 case was reported, Italy is still battling the virus. However, things may just have begun looking up: this week, most of the country will be placed in the lowest-risk zona gialla, …

People of America, Italy wants you back. With the promise that international travel will finally resume any time now, Americans can hope to fly over to the Belpaese again, after 15 months where boarding a plane to Europe remained a …

To us Italians and Italian-Americans – and to most historians – there isn’t really any doubt about it: Christopher Columbus was from Genoa. However, not everyone is as certain as we are, so much so the University of Granada, in …