francesca bezzone

The iconic FIAT 500, symbol of Italy’s post war economic renaissance, became part of MoMA’s permanent collection last year, but 2019 brings even more lustre to the tiny Italian four-wheels, as it will be one of the centrepieces of The …

When your grandparents bring you up, getting cured with peculiar medical remedies is as natural as getting double portions on your dinner plate because you’re the youngest. We all got warm milk, honey and a drop of rum when we …

A solitary woman dressed in dark regal hues, her fingers adorned with  topazes and opals,  a voice as deep and smooth as the softest of velvets. She sits in a room scented like opium and incense, twilight cloaking everything in …

Gladiators: the stars of the ancient Roman world: but it’s not gold all that glitters.  Before Pompeii and Hercolaneum were rediscovered by archaeologists in the 18th century, we knew relatively little about them and the way they lived, but today, …

When it comes to food, Italy remains traditional to its core. Don’t get me wrong: the country has long embraced international cuisine and has certainly become more demanding when it comes to it. We want gourmet burgers and know that …

This year, the 20th of March was not only the last day of Winter: it also celebrated the innovative beauty of Italian design around the world. The day, Italian Design Day 2019, endorsed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and …

Visiting the Fontana di Trevi, turning your back at it and throw a nickel into its waters, with the hope of coming back, one day, to Rome, the most magical place in the world. Of course, all tourists do it: Rome has …

You’re young, smart and hold a prestigious degree: the world is at your feet! Or not, because employment opportunities are meagre and you’re still struggling with reaching the end of the month, when you aren’t just living off your parents, …

For Christian Catholics, Holy Week is the most spiritually pregnant moment of the year, even more than Christmastime. But in Italy, this is a time resonant with meaning among people who don’t believe, too: Holy Week is a time of …

Music lovers all over the US received an early Christmas gift last October when Alessandro Safina, renowned operatic tenor, who has become a household name around the world thanks to his passionate and soulful pop opera performances, announced his 2019 …