A river runs through it: The Tiber has shaped the culture and history of four regions
Italy is home to almost 1,200 rivers but the three best known are the Po, the Arno, and the Tiber. The Tiber, also called the Tevere, is not the longest river in Italy but it is the longest in central Italy and has played a crucial role in the development of several regions and the Eternal City of Rome. The river flows from two springs separated by...
Why Gibellina, Sicily Is Italy's Next Capital of Contemporary Art
On January 14, 1968, a 6.4-magnitude earthquake hit the Belice Valley in western Sicily. In less than two days, the farming village of Gibellina—and its neighboring towns—were reduced to ruins. “All that remains is a shapeless pile of rubble, twisted beams, and crumbled walls. Reconstruction on the site will be impossible: just clearing the rubble...
Summer 2025 outlook: growth in Italy’s coastal tourism continues
Between June and August 2025, Italy’s seaside towns are expected to welcome around 20.7 million visitors and record 110.1 million overnight stays—up 2% and 1.1% respectively compared to summer 2024. These figures represent nearly half of all summer tourism nationwide and reinforce Italy’s role as a global leader in beach tourism. In raw numbers, ar...
Migration trends in Italy: rising emigration and shifting return patterns
Between 2023 and 2024, Italy saw a sharp rise in both the number of citizens moving abroad and the arrival of foreign nationals. According to the latest report from ISTAT, approximately 270,000 Italians emigrated during the two-year period—a 39.3% increase compared to the previous biennium. At the same time, about 760,000 foreign citizens immigrate...
Inside The New World Of Italian Soccer Tourism
Italian soccer is undergoing a significant transformation. Not only are club owners championing the integration of Italy’s natural beauty and culinary culture into the match-day experience, but Serie A is also leading the race to export league games abroad, with plans to send Milan and Como to Australia as early as 2026. But exporting matches to t...
The world’s first cell phone? Made in Italy in 1935!
In the collective imagination, the invention of mobile phones is tied to the booming consumer culture of the 1980s. But long before the Motorola DynaTAC or the first brick-sized handsets made headlines, an Italian engineer had already envisioned – and built – the first portable phone. In the mid-1930s, Domenico Mastini developed what can rightly be...
Italy’s Southern Gems Transform Tourism with Bold Revival While Navigating Resident Challenges and Economic Growth
Italy’s southern cities are experiencing a vibrant surge in tourism that is opening fresh economic opportunities and revitalizing communities. This growth is driven by strategic efforts to attract visitors while investing tourism revenue into local development. However, alongside this promising expansion, residents face challenges such as rising ho...
The new American dream? Buying and renting out vacation homes in Italy.
Every time Laurie DeRiu visited her father-in-law in Sardinia, she left enamored by the Italian island's beauty and relaxed atmosphere. "It's a totally different quality of life there," DeRiu, 60, told Business Insider. "It's not at all the hustle and bustle that happens, especially in the northeast." Though she fantasized about someday moving to S...
How to avoid tourist traps in Italy: 10 tips for a more authentic trip
In recent years, the desire for authentic travel experiences has grown rapidly among visitors. More and more travellers are looking to venture off the beaten track, seeking not just the postcard-perfect landmarks, but genuine connections with the territories, their traditions, and their inhabitants. Choosing to experience the real Italy means more...
What's in a name? The weird, rude, and cheeky world of Italian food names
Italy is known for its culinary elegance: truffles from Alba, saffron risotto from Milan, delicious seafood, even the simple – but famed – aura of pasta al pomodoro. But beyond polished menus and starred trattorias, Italian cuisine hides a wonderfully irreverent side, one we find in all its – allow me to say – cheekiness in the names of certain dis...
Living in Lecce: Baroque beauty in Italy's heel
Nestled right down in the heel of Italy’s boot, Lecce is called the “Florence of the South”, known for its extravagant Baroque architecture and winding old town. With a population hovering around 95,000, Lecce is big enough to offer a bit of buzz, but small enough that you’ll quickly recognise familiar faces at your favourite pasticceria. The town...
Pantelleria capers: tradition, history and tasty recipes
Today we are talking about one of the most precious ingredients of Sicilian cuisine: the Pantelleria Caper! The protagonist of many recipes, especially spring and summer, the Pantelleria caper is the flower bud of a particular plant cultivated on the island of Pantelleria, in the province of Trapani, and since 1996 recognized as PGI. Do you know wh...