We the Italians Editorial Staff
The editorial staff of We the Italians magazine is composed of young students and professionals who share Italian citizenship, of which they are proud, and a passion for the United States. Two Flags, Many Hearts.
Italian handcrafts: The Veneto amusement district, ride-making capital of the world
Between the quiet towns of Bergantino and Melara, tucked along the left bank of the Po River in the province of Rovigo, lies one of Italy’s most extraordinary industrial secrets: the Veneto Amusement Ride District. This global hub for amusement ride manufacturing is nestled in the rural heart of Polesine, a land where centuries-old artisanal tradit...
Italian curiosities: Flying between the mountains with the Angel’s Flight of Basilicata
How would you imagine traveling between two ancient villages perched high in the mountains? Most people think of winding roads or steep hiking trails. But in one remarkable corner of southern Italy, people do it a very different way - by flying. That’s right: no bridges, no tunnels - just a single steel cable stretched across a wide mountain valley...
Italian street food: Trieste’s bread-crusted ham with mustard, bread and kren
This month, we're spotlighting a sandwich that’s anything but ordinary. It’s not just a snack - it’s a symbol of a city, a people, and a long-lost yet still deeply felt cultural identity. We’re talking about prosciutto in crosta di pane - a baked ham wrapped in bread crust that captures the heart of Trieste’s rich Central European soul. Loved by lo...
Italian territories: Vallo di Noto, where baroque beauty meets ancient earth
The exact origins of the word "Vallo" remain uncertain, with scholars debating whether it comes from Latin or Arabic roots. Historically, the Vallo di Noto was a major administrative division of the Kingdom of Sicily, responsible for overseeing justice, taxes, and occasionally military matters. It remained in place from the Norman era until 1818, w...
Italian traditions: “La Madonna che Scappa”, Sulmona’s spectacular Easter ritual
Every Easter Sunday in the town of Sulmona, in the Abruzzo region of Italy, one of the country’s most emotional and unique religious traditions takes place: the "Madonna che Scappa in Piazza" - the Running Madonna. This centuries-old Easter ritual is a dramatic reenactment of the moment when the Virgin Mary learns of the resurrection of her son, Je...
Italian flavors: Mozzarella di Bufala campana. A taste of tradition, a legacy of excellence
Mozzarella di Bufala Campana is one of Italy’s most iconic and cherished cheeses. Soft, fresh, and delicately elastic in texture, this stretched-curd cheese is made from the milk of water buffaloes, not cows - a distinction that gives it a richer taste and a unique nutritional profile. Its traditional production is centered in the southern region o...
Italian entertainment: 50 years later, the enduring legacy of Amici Miei
Exactly 50 years ago, Italian cinema once again proved its genius for creating unforgettable characters and stories that would become cultural landmarks - at least in Italy. Back then, few Italian films made it across the Atlantic, which means American audiences missed out on some remarkable masterpieces. While the 1990s gave the U.S. Friends, Ital...
Italian wine: Ligurian wines, a legacy carved by sea, stone and tradition
In Liguria, a narrow strip of land nestled between the mountains and the Mediterranean Sea in northwestern Italy, wine production is as much about geography as it is about tradition. The region’s steep coastal cliffs and terraced vineyards, often with no road access, define what many call “heroic viticulture.” Grapes are harvested by hand, often ca...
Italian curiosities: From Lucca to the world, the combustion engine
The spark that helped ignite the modern world came not from Detroit or Berlin, but from Lucca—a charming Tuscan city better known for its medieval walls than for its revolutionary inventions. In 1853, two Italian visionaries, Eugenio Barsanti and Felice Matteucci, patented what is now recognized as the first internal combustion engine. Though their...
Italian entertainment: Farewell to Pierino, the Italian harmless rebel in a school smock
Alvaro Vitali, one of the most recognizable faces of Italy’s “commedia sexy all’italiana” in the 1970s and ’80s, has died at the age of 75. Best known for his iconic portrayal of Pierino, the mischievous schoolboy character from a series of risqué comedies, Vitali appeared in over 150 films during his career. It’s incredibly hard to explain the Pie...
Italian traditions: The Calabrian tarantella, a living folk tradition
The tarantella calabrese, sometimes called tirantella or in the past u sonu, is a term that encompasses various traditional dance and music styles found throughout the Calabria region of southern Italy. While it shares a name with other southern Italian tarantellas, the Calabrian version is distinct—especially in its rhythm and performance style. U...
Italian historical trademarks: Balletto di Roma
The Balletto di Roma company was founded in 1960 through the artistic partnership of two icons of Italian dance, Franca Bartolomei and Walter Zappolini. Since its inception, the company has been dedicated to producing and promoting original Italian dance across Europe and around the world. Its repertoire today is rooted in tradition yet open to inn...