La vita italiana

For Italians, the piazza or square, is not just the architectural space that characterizes cities and villages, but an open air, urban living room. It is the heart of each Italian town where history, architecture and social relations become one. …

Pizza is the ultimate comfort food: it’s filling, it’s versatile, it’s perfect for sharing but also great to have on your own. A night on front of the tv screen is not the same without pizza and every typical Italian …

The exodus begins in early August. Factories in the Tiburtina Valley grind to a halt. Executives abandon EUR’s corporate offices. Shops on Via del Corso and cafés in Piazza Navona shutter their windows and post signs. Surveying the deserted centro …

“Ciao, what are you up to?” Flavia says while looking at me and checking if I have any white hair, if my dress is this season’s or a couple of years old, and whether I have gained weight or not. …

There is a special sound that speaks of Italy, the same for thousands of years, a sound that becomes one with the country’s landscape, dotted with churches and belfries. Wherever you are, on the mountains or by the sea, the …

“Industrial city of the 20th century:” this is how Ivrea has been recently introduced to the UNESCO World Heritage List, at the beginning of the month of July. Ivrea is little known outside of Italy, but its most beloved son, …

Gucci, Valentino, Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, and Trussardi – we all know the names and are familiar with the image of these fashion powerhouses, but how did Italian fashion brands establish such a strong hold on the global market? To …

Water: the locus where the world of the seen and the unseen meet, the origin of life, the strongest of protection against enemies, the most melodious of voices for lovers and poets. In Rome, water means Tiber and just there, …

The late July heatwave has been making sun, sea and sand lovers happy this year, with temperatures well into the high 80s and a gentle breeze caressing the land and freshening up the evenings. And even for those who find …

The new generation of Italians coming to the US is a welcomed repeat performance, one that has been ongoing for over 100 years. Italian immigrants have historically brought generous amounts of flair, dedication and creative talent from the old country. …