Giulia Franceschini

When we think of glass and crystal in Italy, thoughts immediately go to Venice, and rightly so. However, we shouldn’t discount another important tradition, that of Tuscany. In fact, Florence was known for its glass and crystal production already during the Renaissance, when glassmakers …

The Colosseum is a symbol of Rome and Italy, with which everyone is familiar, even those who’ve never visited us. It is majestic and grandiose, as its name suggests, but also reassuring in a way: just like an old friend or a …

We don’t want to be controversial with that title, we are just stating the results of the annual survey carried out by Italian magazine Italia Oggi, in collaboration with the Università La Sapienza, in Rome. Parma was selected as the city with the best …

The Abbey of Montecassino is a symbol of spirituality, history, and resilience. The patron Saint of Europe and father of Western Monasticism Benedict of Norcia founded the abbey in 529 AD. He had reached the hills of Montecassino from Subiaco, on foot, with other …

There are two countries within Italy. One, the Vatican, is the smallest sovereign state in the world. The other, San Marino, is the most ancient Republic still extant. There is something very magical about San Marino, a place which I had …

Our beautiful country has a lot to offer for both nature and art lovers. But how could we forget history? Italy has been at the heart of European and Mediterranean history for centuries and its historical relevance cannot be discounted. …

Younger Gen-Xers (no, I don’t like the “old millennials” label) – and every generation before – remember the thrill of walking with mille lire in their hand to buy five pacchetti di figurine, or the comfort that same walk would give when it …

Ah! The Costiera Amalfitana! The beautiful Amalfi and the charming Positano, but also Ravello and the historical wealth of Pompeii. And then, out there, just a stone-throw away from the coast, there are its islands: Ischia, Procida, Ventotene, Ponza, and Capri, …

What’s the most infamous family in Italian history? Well, the Borgias, of course. Of Spanish origin, the Borgias were known for two things, their power, and their immorality, even though the latter has been largely constructed in the centuries after their …

Coral is a mesmerizing material: it is alive, it belongs to the sea and, just like everything that comes from water – like pearls, sea shells, and Venus, the goddess of Beauty and Love – it has something ancestral and magical. …