Vicenza, Italy: A Renaissance Jewel with a Modern Twist
Vicenza is certainly one of Italy's top industrial hubs, leading in textiles and steel. It's the national center for gold and jewelry. Here, traditional craftsmanship meets modern luxury from brands like Gucci, Hermès, and Tiffany & Co. Visitors always find something valuable. Tag along as we roam the evocative streets and expansive piazzas of Vice...
Centuripe, what to see in the amazing human-shaped village in Sicily
In Italy there are some villages that are truly one of a kind, capable of capturing the curiosity of tourists from all over the world. Many of them are famous for their history, others for their specialties of excellent food, wines and crafts, but some are truly noteworthy above all for their particular…profile. This is the case of Centuripe. Centu...
'Fairytale' Italian village loved by celebrities that you may not have heard of
Nestled in the heart of Italy's Umbria is a village that is often referred to as being among "I Borghi più belli d'Italia", translating to the most beautiful villages of Italy. This walled medieval village of Montone is almost in the centre of Italy and has a rich history behind it. The village is the origin of the Fortebracci Condottieri family, w...
Where Odysseus threw a barbecue: exploring Sicily’s Favignana island
I cycled into birdsong, into colour, the light glimmering against the white of the low stone walls. There was a spaciousness as I cycled, a lateral stretching of soundscape, big skies, birds fluting. I didn’t meet anyone else on the narrow lanes and had a sense of being completely alone on an island of 2,000 people. Is there anything happier than b...
Cerda, the town of Targa Florio and artichokes
April 1982 marked the beginning of theArtichoke Festival in an area of about 700 hectares dedicated to artichoke cultivation. Now, 42 years later, the festival remains a reflection of the dedication of the residents of Cerda (Palermo), who have a true passion for growing spiny artichokes, a source of pride for this town’s agriculture. The Cynara Fe...
Federico Borella & Michela Balboni — Photographing rural Italy’s “tree men”
In a small village called Satriano, in the heart of Italy’s picturesque Basilicata region, an ancient ritual has been rekindled by the local people. Every February, on the weekend before Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras), 131 men go into the forest. When they emerge, they are dressed from head to toe in branches of ivy. Almost unrecognizable, besides their...
Alba Longa and its Legendary Kings
Alba Longa, an ancient city located in the Latium region of Italy, holds a prominent place in the realm of myth and legend. According to tradition, this fabled city's origins can be traced back to the aftermath of Troy's fall, attributed to the legendary hero Aeneas. Within the confines of Alba Longa, the Silvian dynasty, descendants of Aeneas, gov...
Is Amalfi or Positano Better? Exploring Italy's Coastal Gems
In short, if you’re looking for gloss – high-end boutiques, haute cuisine and a nightlife as polished as the cliffside views – Positano is the place to go. It’s an enclave for the jet-set, with Instagram-ready moments around every corner. But if you’re more flip-flops than stilettos, the town of Amalfi is your ticket to sprawling historic ruins, an...
This Italian Town Is the World Capital of Violin Making. How to Plan a Music-focused Trip
When I was my son's age — 13 — it wouldn’t have occurred to me to connect music and travel. I was a reluctant violinist, and would have quit in an instant if my mother had let me. When I brought it up, she would quote master violin teacher Shinichi Suzuki: “Music exists for the purpose of growing an admirable heart.” And that would be the end of th...
Engineering students gain real-world knowledge for future success during Italy trip
More than 20 Vanderbilt engineering students recently visited Italy during their spring break to not only see some iconic structures, but also learn the engineering behind the Pantheon and Venice’s sophisticated floodgates so they could apply that knowledge to future engineering projects of their own. The trip was part of an inaugural class taught...
100 years of Marcello Mastroianni, the star who never wanted to be a heartthrob
The iconic Italian actor Marcello Mastroianni (1924-1996) recalled that, when he was offered the chance to star in La Dolce Vita (1960), he asked the director — Federico Fellini — to see the script. What he got was a folder containing a pornographic drawing. Any heartthrob worthy of the label would have reacted with a complicit gesture, or perhaps...
Republic Day in Italy: what it is and how it is celebrated
The Italian calendar includes 12 national holidays, plus a whole series of other "lesser" holidays that are celebrated only in some cities, such as those dedicated to patron saints. Among these special days, the Republic Day, in italian Festa della Repubblica, is one of the most heartfelt by the population, despite the fact that, for historical rea...