La vita italiana

One of Rome’s most famous landmarks, the Spanish Steps (Scalinata di Trinità dei Monti), has become the subject of a recent ownership dispute between Italy and France. While this iconic site has long been associated with Italian culture and history, …

Ragusa Ibla is a village in the southeastern part of Sicily, approximately 15 miles from the city of Modica and about 60 miles from Catania. It sits on a hilltop in the Hyblaean Mountains and is part of the city …

The Sagra del Mare di Procida is a culturally rich festival held annually on the island of Procida in the Gulf of Naples. It was first established in 1939 as a way to celebrate Procida’s profound connection to the sea, …

Each of our lives moves toward the same destination, but what distinguishes us is the path we take to get there. This journey defines us, and if there’s one mode of travel that stirs our imagination about where life might …

The ticking of typewriter keys, constant like the stream of thoughts racing through the mind and eyes of a reporter as they translated events witnessed just hours before into words, was the unmistakable soundtrack that filled newspaper offices until the …

The Sistine Chapel is probably one of the most celebrated works of the Renaissance era. Built in the 15th century under Pope Sixtus IV and named in his honor, the chapel forms part of the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace and serves …

You may have heard people in Italy referring to others with titles like Cavaliere, Commendatore, or even Grande Ufficiale: Silvio Berlusconi, the late divisive former Prime Minister and tycoon, remains perhaps the most famous of all Cavalieri della Repubblica, at …

San Leo, a picturesque village in the Emilia Romagna region of Italy, more precisely in the Rimini province, is a place filled with history, culture, and good food. Perched on a hilltop, San Leo offers stunning panoramic views of the …

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 …

In the evening, we would get into the car and drive to the curve or straight stretch we had scouted out in the days before. Armed with blankets—the spring nights were still chilly, especially in those mountainous or hilly areas—we …