La vita italiana

Twelve months ago, during the first lockdown caused by Covid-19,  Italians rediscovered the pleasures of cooking. Don’t get me wrong, compared to other people in the world, we spend an awful lot of time in the kitchen, but sheltering at …

The ancient city of Rome is famous for many historic monuments (which many tourists line up to visit every year), but sometimes, some real antique monuments are seen by looking down, and not admiring upwards. A feature of the city …

It is a well-known fact that the city of Rome becomes a stifling oven during the summer months, and it is during this time that the city appears eerily quiet every weekend, as the locals evacuate the city for some …

Ferragosto  is a typically Italian holiday, that isn’t celebrated anywhere else in the world. While the 15th of August is honored in Catholic countries as the day of Mary’s Ascension to Heaven, Ferragosto in Italy doesn’t have only a religious …

I think we all agree on this: Palermo is one of Italy’s most beautiful cities. Crossroad between East and West, it is a melting pot of cultures, people, flavors and colors. It is reminiscent of the Middle East like no …

Did my use of “rules” and “Italian” in one sentence cause a second glance? Other than keeping that left lane on the Autostrada open for high-speed designer cars, or maybe dutifully respecting the ZTL signs (Zona Traffico Limitato) that come …

Research carried out a few years back found out that the vast majority of Italians considered language the strongest representation of their “being Italian.” It seems a legitimate view: in a country where traditions and cultural habits can change drastically …

I’ve recently come across an article published by Business Insider,  then proposed in Italian on the turismo.it website. In it, ten things about Italy that shock foreigners are listed. Curious, I scrolled the article and began wondering: how do I …

Every time I read about Rome’s underground archeological world, I always think about what Romans often say: “Wherever you dig in the city, you’ll find something interesting.” It’s true: there’s a whole city under the city, in Rome: catacombs, ancient …

Some things are definitely best left in the past, like shoulder pads. Well, this is my opinion, at least. But there are others we still think of fondly: mixed tapes, rotary phones, buying a CD in a store, or the …