La vita italiana

Italy is a country where cheese is king. So much so, we kind of fight with our cousins, the French, to decide who loves cheese more. Truth is, both countries do. Cheese is more than something you use to add flavor to …

Of course, we love being lazy and soaking up the sun by the sea. Of course, there is nothing more refreshing and “zen” than a walk up our incredible Alps. And I am not even going to get started with …

“Sweetie, where are you going on that bike?” If you like oldies made in Italy, you are probably familiar with the refrain from the 1951’s eponymous song, Bellezza in Bicicletta – incidentally, an interesting story, that of this song, but …

With February approaching, it is natural to think of Carnevale. Can’t you smell the sweet aroma of chiacchiere and frittelle in the air? But of course, this time of the year isn’t only about food, but also about the ageless tradition of dressing up in fancy …

  “Italy isn’t Italy without donkeys.” – Princess Nicoletta Caracciola  Italy’s glories are numerous, and often they’re immortalized in kitschy miniatures easily packed and carted home by tourists. Models of the Coliseum, the David, Pisa’s tower, a gondola, a donkey…wait, what? …

Superstitious or not, don’t we all like to tip the odds in our favor with a little sprinkle of good luck – especially these days? Every culture has its go-to list of good luck enhancers, but when it comes to Italian …

It’s difficult to say no to a piece of candy. Or two, if you have a sweet tooth. And while today’s globalized world means that a lot of the sweet treats we eat in Italy are the same you have …

If you’ve ever been to an Italian old-men bar, the one where your granddad would go spend the afternoon with his mates if that’s the type of thing he is into, or if you had the curse – or blessing, depending on …

There’s a plethora of articles out there on what not to do to avoid self-proclamation of “I’m a tourist!” when visiting Italy. Much of it is worthy advice…unless you prefer sticking out. However, many of these eye-openers for the stranieri …

Spiaggia libera o stabilimento? This is the eternal question of Italy’s sea vacanzieri.  Spiaggia libera, which means, literally, “free beach,” is open to everyone, but has no services, besides an outdoor shower and public toilets. Stabilimenti, on the other hand, offer full services …