Traditions

“Fatta l’Italia, bisogna fare gli Italiani,” famously said Massimo D’Azeglio shortly after the unification of Italy. And he was right: in those faithful last decades of the 19th century, when Risorgimento reached its apogee and political ideas of unity and …

For a number of years, I have wondered why Easter Sunday falls at different times of the spring season. Although Easter usually comes in the month of April, it can come as early as March 22nd or as late as …

The “Scoppio del Carro” or Explosion of the Cart, is one of the most spectacular festivals in Italy. It’s an ancient tradition that is deeply rooted in folklore. One that’s exciting and noisy as it is colourful. This is Easter, …

After three eventful days in Naples, we rented a car and drove over the mountain pass to the Amalfi Coast, the iconic site of southern affluence and prosperity. The Amalfi Coast is another of those iconic, idealized images of the …

If you’ve ever visited the Apulian countryside, you’ve walked amongst the giants. The majestic ulivi secolari (centuries-old olive trees) have stood the grueling test of time. Imbued with a sage elegance and peaceful tiredness that only comes with old age, …

The first memories I have of Fabriano paper are of the A5 notebooks we used in elementary school: each page was heavier and thicker than average, making it perfect for the daily wear and tear imposed by the hands – …

We all love it and eat it, and we may even be somehow knowledgeable about how to prepare some of its most representative dishes, but what do we really know about the history of food in Italy? Why does the …

Bagheria is a curiosity, a literary space in the most exotic place in Europe: Sicily at the crossroads of the Mediterranean, part of Europe and Africa, yet belonging entirely to neither. Sicily remains a unique land with an Arabic vibe, …

After visiting Fellini’s hometown of Rimini, our journey through the cinematic roots of the Emilia-Romagna region leads us to the city of Ferrara. Besides being known as one of the “capitals” of the Italian Renaissance, as well as because of …

I have lived for fifteen years outside of Italy and had to endure the oh-so-harsh reality my beloved adoptive country knew next to nothing about aperitivo: the ritual, the food and, crucially, the drinks. Honed by years of aperitivo practice …