La vita italiana

Norcia: a cradle of tradition and art, a symbol of western culture, home to Saint Benedict father of monasticism and patron saint of Europe. Norcia: medieval alleys and stone, “norcinerie” with their prosciutto and wild boar salame, the peaceful fragrance …

This time of the year is my personal favorite: I am a child of the snow and the mountains, invigorated by the dry, crispy chill of winter, rather than the sticky heat of the summer months. I like early-setting darkness …

Christmas is a universal feast. It is the apogee of all year’s celebrations for Christians all around the world; it is a time of love and warmth for everyone else. Regardless of your faith and beliefs, in the end, Christmas …

You can find bigger Christmas trees and more extravagant decorations in the United States, but nothing looks, tastes, feels or sounds like la stagione natalizia (Christmas season) in Italy. With roots in the “Saturnalia,” the winter solstice rites of ancient …

Greccio is a small town near Rieti, where St Francis conceived the first living nativity scene ever made in history, in 1223. To keep this tradition alive, the inhabitants of Greccio recreate this live nativity scene every year since 1973, …

Rieti is the place where Saint Francis was inspired for his encyclical “Laudato si” and where he started his spiritual journey through the Holy Valley. Everyone can travel on his steps today, walking on a green trekking trail and visiting …

The opportunity to visit Firenze, the capital of Tuscany and the Renaissance, is something nobody should ever miss. It is an experience to be lived at least once in a lifetime. Why? Because Florence is certainly one of the most …

Panforte is a typical dessert originally from Siena, Toscana region. It’s a type of spiced bread that can be enjoyed all year long, but especially during the Christmas holidays. The ancient origins of this delicious dessert date back to the …

When it comes to peppers, we all know the basics: bell peppers are sweet, habaneros are extremely hot, some are good fresh, some are better dried. But have you ever heard of a sweet pepper called “Corno di Capra”? The …

Even if the “classic” Tiramisù is considered one of the best known and delicious Italian desserts, in the recent years many styles of the original recipe have been served in many restaurants all around Italy. Here you will find a …