Giulia Franceschini

The ancient Roman city of Pompeii was famously destroyed in AD 79 by the sudden eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Within moments, the town was buried under at least six meters of volcanic ash and pumice, capturing in chilling detail the …

In an era dominated by GPS and digital navigation, it’s difficult to imagine a world where long-distance travel was possible without modern maps. Yet, the Romans, masters of engineering and logistics, managed to build and maintain a sprawling empire spanning …

Composed in 1898, ’O Sole Mio is among the most iconic songs to emerge from Italy. Its creation was a collaborative effort between Giovanni Capurro, a poet and journalist, and Eduardo di Capua, a composer. Capurro’s lyrics paint a vivid …

The debate over the authenticity of Italian cuisine recently took center stage again, fueled by comments from two historians, Alessandro Barbero and Alberto Grandi.  The controversy began in 2023, when Alberto Grandi, a professor of food history at the University …

Everyone loves Italian food,  but as it turns out, pronouncing the names of some of its most iconic dishes is not as easy as enjoying them. The topic piqued the interest of the people at Preply, a popular online language …

Southern Italy, particularly the regions of Puglia and Sicily, is grappling with a mounting agricultural crisis. Recurring droughts, rising temperatures, and diseases such as xylella fastidiosa have ravaged traditional crops like olives, grapes, and citrus fruits. The situation has reached …

Matera is known for its stone-carved architecture and unique cultural heritage, but this isn’t why the town has made the front pages of Italian newspapers in recent times.  After its stint as the European Capital of Culture in 2019, Matera …

If you have been to Italy, you know it: there are some street names you’re bound to find everywhere, from the largest of cities to the tiniest village. Just like you find a Market Square or Shop Street everywhere in …

Pasta alla Papalina is a quintessential Roman dish, full of tradition and with very aristocratic origins. Though not as universally known as some of its more popular Roman cousins, like carbonara or cacio e pepe, pasta alla Papalina has a …

Recently, I stumbled upon an interesting article online about the wisdom of Italian proverbs. Needless to say, the ones from Naples stood out as particularly colorful and direct, just like the city itself and just like its people. Their blend …