Culture

The famed marble quarries of Carrara are practically sacred ground. The gleaming white surface of the exposed marble graces the crests of the Apuan Alps, often mistaken by the unknowing for snow. Gargantuan chunks cut from the mountainside for almost …

The Roman Empire is often associated with the most glorious moment in the history of the Italian peninsula, but are we, modern-day Italians, the genetic descendants of the old inhabitants of the Eternal City? A short disclaimer before delving deeper …

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 …

If you are a musician or an opera fanatic, you are bound to know some Italian, as our beautiful language is regarded as the language of music across the world. You only need to pick up any score to understand …

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 …

Once upon a time, a whole 13th century village disappeared under water, but if you bring yourself on a lake’s shores at the right time, you can still see it. No, it’s not the beginning of a fantasy tale, nor …

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 …

Pasta alla carbonara and pasta alla puttanesca: staples of central and southern Italian cuisine that, slowly but surely, became common, beloved dishes across the country. With its creaminess and the luxurious combination of guanciale, egg, black pepper and parmesan, carbonara …

Roman cuisine is as iconic as the city it was born in, with many of its most typical dishes having become integral part of our national food tradition, from carbonara to pasta alla gricia, all the way to deliciously cheesy …

Calabria is known for many reasons: its history and natural beauty, but also its food and the fertility of its soil. Some of the fruits traditionally associated with the region, including those we’re about to discover, developed almost a cult …