National Parks are natural areas protected to preserve wild nature for posterity and to safeguard their ecosystem. In Italy there are 24 Natural Parks and they cover about 5% of the national territory. Parco Nazionale dell’Abruzzo, Lazio e Molise Map of the National Park of Abruzzo The most famous national park […]
What did Romans do in their spare time? They all fled to Rome’s best-kept secret, a place called Ancient Stabiae . Located on a panoramic bluff overlooking the Bay of Naples, lies Ancient Stabiae, a little known jewel in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius. Here, powerful Romans built extraordinary villas, […]
Is coffee healthy? Or to be exact, is black coffee healthy? Well, let’s start with this: Thank you, America! I mean, there’re plenty of things to thank you for, like peanut butter cups, Edgar Allan Poe, Nirvana, and root beer… But I’m talking about something else today, I’m talking about […]
This traditional style of ceramics comes from Sicily. It’s now famous worldwide and a must souvenir for travelers. An Old Tradition Ceramics appeared for the first time in Sicily in the 6th century B.C. They were more functional than decorative. The Arabs imported ceramics to the locals. So, the style […]
Agrigento is certainly famous for the production of its cannoli siciliani, cassate, and other local foods, but there is another thing this area is known for: almonds. More than the fruit itself, Agrigento is renowned for the festivals celebrated in its honor, a true touristic attraction with Sicily almonds. Two events […]
Salumi is not a term often heard outside of Italy, yet many of these products are found in specialty shops or Italian delicatessens and are used by cooks all over the world. Some, like prosciutto, need no introduction while others are not usually seen outside their motherland. Salumi are a large family of high-quality cured […]
Italian History In many ways, the history of Italy is the history of the modern world. So many pivotal moments in our collective past have taken place in Italy that it can be considered Europe’s historical keystone. In this section, learn about the great and not so great moments in […]
Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus was born on August 31, 12 AD. He was the third of the six children that were born to Caesar Augustus‘ adopted grandson, Germanicus, and his granddaughter, Agrippina. He was born in the ancient town of Antium (modern Anzio), which was located in Central Italy, near the […]
Breathtaking Views in Umbria I’m listening to the car radio and on comes “Una Storia Importante” by Eros Ramazzotti. The first lines of the song “quante scuse ho inventato io” remind me of the many excuses I used to make for not having the time to get out there and […]
OK, so you have made the trip into Italy, the vacation of a lifetime. You are ready to enjoy the finer things this ancient part of the world has to offer. Fine wine, fantastic food, beautiful museums, ancient ruins, and the sea all clamor to be part of your itinerary. […]
