Glimpses of Christmas Past: Photos from Verona 2019

The Christmas star flies from the arena to piazza bra in verona

Joe and Patricia Gartman have spent the Christmas seasons from 2017 to 2019 in Italy. Here are photos from their time in Verona in 2019 A prosperous modern city of medieval squares, Verona has several historical claims to fame. It’s the town where Romeo and Juliet lived, loved, and, alas (spoiler alert) died. It’s where […]

Glimpses of Christmas Past: Photos from Sorrento 2018

Workers club presepe in sorrento

Joe and Patricia Gartman have spent the Christmas seasons from 2017 to 2019 in Italy. Here are photos from their time in Sorrento in 2018. Perched on top of sheer cliffs, high above the Bay of Naples, Sorrento provides an abundance of picturesque charm, history, views, cafés, summer sunshine and lemon-scented air. It’s also the […]

Glimpses of Christmas Past: Photos from Venice 2019

Christmas tree in front of Doges Palace, Venice

Joe and Patricia Gartman have spent the Christmas seasons from 2017 to 2019 in Italy. Here are photos from their time in Venice in 2019. Those who are tasked with decorating Venice for Christmas have a challenging job: it’s difficult to park a boom lift in the middle of a street to hang lights if […]

Glimpses of Christmas Past: Photos from Turin 2017

Luci d’Artista lights on Via Po

Joe and Patricia Gartman have spent the Christmas seasons from 2017 to 2019 in Italy. Here are photos from their time in Turin in 2017. We arrived in Turin early in December. There was a huge advent calendar set up in Piazza Castello. Every night the fire brigade arrived with a truck-mounted cherry picker to […]

Glimpses of Christmas Past: Photos from Rome 2017

7 Acts of mercy presepe

Joe and Patricia Gartman have spent the Christmas seasons from 2017 to 2019 in Italy. Here are photos from their time in Rome in 2017. When the City of Rome’s official Christmas tree – a72-foot Norway spruce from Trentino – was erected in Piazza Venezia on the 8th of November, it was shockingly bare of […]

Gazzetta Italia: A tale of two women

Pedestrians look at a mural painting made by Italian artist and activist aleXsandro Palombo, depicting Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni (R) and Democratic Party (PD) Secretary Elly Schlein (L) naked and pregnant in reference to the ongoing debate over surrogacy in the country

In this edition of our bilingual feature, Tom Alberto Bull reports on the two women who now face each other in the Italian parliament KEY WORDS Useful Italian words and phrases to add to your vocabulary. Anni di turbolenza Years of turbulence Una fase nuova A new era Una vittoria travolgente A landslide victory Già […]

Life and property in Puglia

Great weather, endless seaside and fabulous food make property in Puglia a perennial favourite for buyers in Italy. Fleur Kinson guides you through this wonderful, affordable southern region Puglia at a glance The region Puglia is the ‘heel’ of Italy’s ‘boot’, and uncluttered region known for its whitewashed towns, its ‘trulli’, its food (especially its […]

Speak Italia: Foreign athletes living ‘the good life’

Chris Smalling playing football

In this edition of our bilingual feature, Tom Alberto Bull looks at the current crop of foreign sports stars enjoying their new lives in Italy… KEY WORDS Useful Italian words and phrases to add to your vocabulary Cibo meraviglioso Wonderful food Clima caldo Warm climate Gente simpatica Friendly people Imparare la lingua To learn the […]

Discover Campobasso’s Festival of the Mysteries

Dressing the ingegni

Every June, locals stage a mesmerising event that’s become a cultural staple for the town of Campobasso in Molise, writes Val Nicastro… Here I am sitting at a table with complete strangers I only met five minutes ago while looking out of the window of my B&B. They gestured for me to join their little […]

Italia! Women: Matilda of Canossa

Matilda of Canossa

Matilda of Canossa, Countess of Tuscany, left a legacy of church-building that has lasted a thousand years… Italia! Women #1: Matilda of Canossa (1046-1115) Revered as La Gran Contessa, Matilda of Canossa was one of the most powerful nobles in Italy and her legacy is built in stone – quite literally. But under normal circumstances […]