The history of Rome is closely tied to its military history. As a fledgling nation, Rome’s military was disorganized and sporadic, only being brought together as it became necessary. With time, however, the military would become a professional war machine, with its members fighting for the glory of the state, […]
The Italian expression notte bianca is literally translated in English as ‘white night’ and it usually refers to a sleepless night. It is not a case, then, this term has been chosen to name an event that takes place in almost every part of Italy. Small towns, big towns, […]
Saffron is known especially for being one of the main ingredients of a typical Italian dish, risotto alla Milanese, to which it gives its characteristic yellow color. It is used in other rice dishes, too Navelli in Abruzzo, just south of the National Park of Gran Sasso, is considered […]
Even without an ancient set of ruins to see, a cathedral to visit, or some centuries-old castle to photograph, the sights of Italy away from the sea areas are just as breathtaking as it is on the coastline. So much of the country is filled with rolling hills, mountains, and lush […]
Italian Moths that seem like Hummingbirds I have been asked, time and time again, “What’s that? Is it a hummingbird?” by the guests that come and stay at our holiday houses here in Tuscany. They were all referring to a curious creature that flits, with great speed, from flower to […]
A few years ago, when we first wrote about it, Sammezzano Castle had not only attracted us for its moorish beauty and outlandish style, but also because it was about to go under the hammer for 20 million euro (around 22.3 million dollars). If sold, we wrote, visits may have become impossible or at least […]
Born on April 18 1480, Lucrezia Borgia was the daugher of Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia and his mistress, Vannozza (Giovanna) dei Cattani. Lucrezia had two older brothers, Giovanni (Juan) and Cesare. She also had a younger brother, Goffredo. Her father doted on his children but had a special bond with his only daughter. […]
We can thank history for it Once upon a time, starting from the Romans up to the glorious days of the Repubbliche Marinare, Italy was a world-dominating country: it was its culture, of course, and its flair for artistic expression and beauty, but it was also its economical and political power. Roman […]
History is often mysterious. At times because of a lack of primary or archaeological sources, especially if we are dealing with ancient facts. In other cases, however, mystery arises by the very circumstances surrounding an event and their lack of clarity. In the cases of Pier Paolo Pasolini, Pope John Paul […]
See also part one of this article: Top Italian Unresolved Misteries Italian Mysteries: the murder of Samuele Lorenzi The murder of Samuele Lorenzi has shocked Italy more than many other, just as brutal homicides. The 3 year old boy was killed in his own home in Cogne, a quaint village in the […]
