Heritage

“Would you like fries with that?” may not be as modern a phrase as we think. You’ve probably seen the recent headlines extolling the full excavation of a gloriously intact fast-food joint, or thermopolium, in Pompeii. Virtually undisturbed save for …

Located on the westernmost corner of the country, the region of Piedmont is mostly known for its wines and food. Motherland to internationally known Barolo, Dolcetto, Barbera and Nebbiolo, and of some of Italy’s most delicious cheeses — especially if …

Even during the hardest times, there is something that never changes in Italy: we have plenty of pasta in the larder: it’s cheap, versatile, and makes everyone happy. When the country went into lockdown for the first time, in March …

The country has taken yet another small step towards normality, with the celebration of the Carnevale di Viareggio, after the cancellation of the 2020 edition because of Covid-19. While times are still difficult across the globe, the rise in the …

Twenty-four hours: that’s how long it took to Mount Vesuvius to obliterate Pompeii, Herculaneum, Stabiae, and Oplontis from the face of the Earth. Twenty-four hours and two devastating phases: the first buried Pompeii under meters of ashes; the second, some …

We are between 1547 and 1555. Michelangelo sculpts the Pietà in a single large block of white marble. It depicts the Virgin and Mary Magdalene receiving the body of Christ, deposed from the cross by the elderly Nicodemus. Buonarroti, in …

The Poor Clare Sisters of the Monastery of Turi – beautiful, with its cloister and annexed Saint Clare Church – have considered prayer and work a holy blessing, living in full harmony with Saint Clare rule and Saint Benedict’s Ora …

“I was raised in a home with my Italian immigrant grandparents: they had a very important impact on my life. Neither of them had formal education, but they taught me more about what was important in life than any school …

Italians live longer, we know it: the people of the Belpaese are among the longest-living in the world, along with other Mediterraneans like the Spaniards, and the eastern masters of longevity, the Japanese. There are some parts of the country …

What a beautiful day to write. Despite being the first month that truly brings cold to the country – September seems to be every year more summery – October still has some spectacularly bright days, with colors and scents so …