Easter Sunday in Italy is celebrated quite differently than most people are used to. If you are looking for a giant fluffy bunny and brightly colored eggs, you should look again, because you won’t find that during this week-long celebration that stops an entire country in its tracks. Easter in Italy celebrates and commemorates the…
Tiziano Vecellio (better known as Titian in the Anglosphere) was born in the Italian town of Pieve di Cadore in the late 1480s. His father, Gregorio Vecellio, had many duties around the city, which included managing mines and taking care of the town’s castle. When Titian was only in his teens, he was sent off…
Rome must be the number one city on many bucket lists. There are almost too many things to do. But the visitor should consider taking a detour down the Appian Way a little past the Circus Maximus and the Baths of Caracalla to the Catacombs of St. Callixtus, or the Catacombs of San Callisto. The…
Historical documentation indicates that the domestication of the artichoke began in Sicily around the 1st century, moving into the more northern areas of Italy and then from there into France around the 15th century and was finally brought over to the Americas in the 18th century. We have many different varieties of artichokes in Italy,…
Despite the fact that nowadays you can find just about any fruit or vegetable at any time of the year, the traditional Italian recipes indicative of the Easter season utilize the products that, at one time, could only be found in this particular part of the year. Vegetables like Asparagus and Artichokes are used often…
Driving in Italy is unlike any other country you may have visited. Getting around in the city can be a thrilling and challenging experience, while the country roads are more relaxed and leisurely to drive. Italians drive on the right side of the road, but their laws may seem stricter than American traffic laws. Right…
If you’re looking to beat the heat and visit one of Rome’s many parks, the Villa Borghese park is one of the easiest parks for you to take a trip to. This park, located in the heart of Rome, just north of the Spanish Steps is an extremely convenient park to visit. When you’re in…
The Crostata is a very typical Italian desert. Like an American pie that begins with a basic pastry which thinly lines the bottom and sides of a pie pan and then can be filled with a multitude of different things, the Crostata uses a pasta frolla (shortcrust pastry) laid out medium thickness in a tart…
Italy is one of the most popular vacation destinations in the world and with good reason. Visitors find a whole universe of ancient history, amazing food, and millennia-old art and architecture that still inspires. Even with so much to enjoy and explore, some travelers avoid visiting Italy in August. Italian summers are hot, humid affairs…
This year, take advantage of Italy’s most beautiful and relaxing tourist destination—the Cinque Terre Beaches. The Cinque Terre is a ten-kilometer stretch on the Italian Riviera, located on the Mediterranean coastline. Specifically, this tiny paradise where land meets sea, is located in the Liguria region of Italy right between Florence and Genoa (known for pesto…