By now most of you know that my favorite region of Italy is Sicily; but close in second place comes the stunning region of Puglia. With miles of blue coastline, infinite olive groves and peculiar stone “huts,” the trulli, Puglia’s promise of...
More infoLa Leggenda del Nodo d’Amore
The Legend of the Knot Love At the end of the fourteenth century, during the numerous wars in the north of Italy, Gian Galeazzo Visconti, lord of Milan, reached the banks of the Mincio river with his troops and camped there to work out a...
More infoItalian Grammar: Qualche vs. Alcuni
One topic that confuses many students is the word “some” and the difference between “qualche” and “alcuni/e.” While they both mean “some” to indicate a small quantity, there are some important...
More infoLa Sicila Bedda
“Italy without Sicily doesn’t leave any images in the spirit. It is in Sicily that one finds the key to everything. The purity of the outlines, the softness of every thing, the fragile reciprocity of the colors, the harmonic unity of the sky with...
More infoA Guide to the Most Beautiful Island in the Gulf of Naples: Ischia
Why do most people in the United States have been or want to go to Capri but no one has even heard of Ischia? I’ve been searching for the answer and I believe that Capri became so popular in America because of the many celebrities who started...
More infoThe famous Bruschetta: Origins, Recipe & More!
Despite its simplicity, which always triumph in the Italian kitchen as well as in life, the bruschetta is one of snacks and appetizers most loved by Italians. When was the bruschetta born? It is difficult to determine with certainty the year in...
More infoItalian Grammar: Essere Vs. Stare
We get asked the difference between the verbs “essere” and “stare” all the time and, as always, while there are rules, there are also many times in which the two are interchangeable and things can get confusing. Main uses...
More infoPerfect Weekend Gateway on Lake Maggiore
By Francesca Marelli Stresa, the ancient Strixia, overlooks the Borromeo Gulf, the widest and liveliest point of the Verbano area. It includes three major and two minor islands. In 1400 it became a fief of the Visconti, then of the Borromeo, then...
More infoThe 7 Secrets of Bologna
A few months ago, talking to one of my university colleagues, I discovered something cool about one of the most beautiful Italian cities: Bologna. She told me how this city is architecturally stunning, how cordial local people are and how...
More infoEaster Egg Exhibition at Villa D’Este
Every year, Easter Sunday lunch at Villa D’Este is an appointment that cannot be missed. The patisserie chefs have been working hard for weeks to prepare an outstanding exhibition of Easter chocolate eggs, animals, sculptures… real works of art!...
More infoEaster In Italy: Chocolate Eggs, Traditions & Peculiar Rituals!
In Italy, the Christian Easter is preceded by a time of penance, called Lent, which starts 40 days before Easter. During the last few days before Easter Sunday and on Easter, there are many folkloric ceremonies throughout the country with...
More infoThe one and only limoncello recipe!
Limoncello is a liquor that has its roots in Southern Italy, specifically, in the Amalfi Coast, Sorrento and the island of Capri and we love to drink it as an aperitif or digestive after a meal. This amazing liquor was born in the early 1900s in...
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