Giulia Franceschini

If you have been an English major in university, mentions of Otranto immediately bring to mind the dark, ghostly atmospheres of Horace Walpole’s Castle of Otranto. Surprisingly enough, though, this beautiful town in the region of Puglia, known also for …

In Italy, rosa is not only the color of baby girls. Rosa means Giro d’Italia, the cycling competition we love the most. As precise as a Swiss clock, our Giro comes every May, its colorful, happy caravan traveling across the …

Introduced with Royal Decree number 532 on the 31st of May 1914, film censorship has been abolished in Italy at the beginning of this month by Minister for Cultural Heritage and Activities Dario Franceschini. From now on, a specialized Commission …

The amazing tale of Italian fashion is made of style, beauty, creativity and preciousness. It is also made of names so famous around the world they are synonym with Made in Italy and Italian style themselves: think of Prada, Gucci, …

Tomatoes may be among the most ubiquitous ingredients in our cuisine, but they are a gift from the New World. It was the Spaniards who, very likely, first introduced the plant to Europe and, during its first years of diffusion, …

Memories of Milan bring images of the Duomo and Via Montenapoleone to mind, art and fashion remaining two of the reasons people like the city so much. But if you’ve visited, and especially if you’ve lived there and enjoyed your …

Olive oil is a staple of the Mediterranean diet and among the healthiest ingredients you can keep in your pantry. It is also a symbol of Made in Italy around the world and a reason of national pride: indeed, Italy …

Research carried out a few years back found out that the vast majority of Italians considered language the strongest representation of their “being Italian.” It seems a legitimate view: in a country where traditions and cultural habits can change drastically …

Literally, dolce far niente means “sweet doing nothing,” but in truth it is much more than that. It is hands down one of Italy’s most coveted activities, and not because we are lazy, but rather because in today’s busy world, …

In the past twelve months, we’ve all become sadly acquainted with the idea of contact tracing: used very successfully in the management of the pandemic in countries like South Korea and Israel, it hasn’t been as efficient here in Italy, …