Under-the-radar Italy: Timeless towns, cultural charm and UNESCO wonders
Italy is home to some of the world’s most iconic landmarks, but beyond the well-trodden paths lies a treasure trove of lesser-known gems. From ancient mosaics to medieval towns and tranquil thermal springs, these hidden UNESCO-listed destinations offer a glimpse into Italy’s rich history, art and culture. As it turns out, you don’t need to die to...
History and Culture Collide at the New Italian American Museum in Manhattan
Walking down Mulberry Street in New York’s Little Italy can often feel like a contact sport. Locals elbow past tourists, pedestrians duck and dodge al fresco dining tables, gift shops all but assault you with racks of kitschy souvenirs. Heaven help you during the annual San Gennaro Festival. When you reach the intersection of Mulberry and Grand Str...
Sardinian Sa Pariglia: 5 facts about the spectacular acrobatic horse rides
Sardinian Sa Pariglia, which have their roots in chivalric jousts, are one of the most beautiful and engaging testimonies of the rich cultural heritage of the ancient island of Ichnusa, but they represent much more than mere horse races. Sa Pariglia, as it’s called in the Sardinian language, so deeply rooted in the identity of the island, are indee...
Italian Eatery in south Minneapolis to reopen under new ownership
South Minneapolis' Italian Eatery will reopen next month, with a trio of Twin Cities chef-owners at the helm. The re-imagined restaurant, to be called ie By Travail, was announced Thursday by Travail Collective. The restaurant group, which operates Robbinsdale's acclaimed Travail Kitchen and Amusements, Nouvelle Kitchen & Brewing, Pig Ate My Pizza,...
Discovering Modena: 10 places to get to know the city
Modena, one of the most precious pearls of Emilia-Romagna, is a city that enchants because of its happy union of art, history, culture and gastronomy. Famous in the world for its traditional balsamic vinegar, luxury cars such as Ferrari and Maserati, and for being the home of Luciano Pavarotti, Modena is actually an extraordinary art capital having...
Number of Italians, Irish on Staten Island continues steep decline, new data shows
For decades, Italian Americans and Irish Americans dominated the landscape of Staten Island, at one point combining to account for nearly half of all borough residents. But while those two remain the highest-represented ethnicities in the borough, both have seen their numbers dwindle over the past decade-plus in a trend that continued in newly rele...
The Italian Town That Becomes a Giant, Goose-Themed Board Game Each Fall
Every year in mid-November, the small northern town of Mirano, Veneto, Italy, goes absolutely goose crazy. Stuffed geese start popping up in every storefront. Goose sausage goes on sale. Soon, posters paper the town, calling people to a street fair of many spectacles—and to something called the Zogo dell’Oca, the “goose game” of Mirano. On the week...
Sotto breathes new life into the century-old Italian Village
My sister, Madeline Shea, and I have been coming to the Italian restaurant La Cantina in downtown Chicago since the respective ages of eight and seven, so it wasn’t without trepidation that we visited its successor, Sotto, for the first time in early December. The cheeky, Italian American bar (Bar Sotto) and restaurant (Ristorante di Sotto) combo f...
The 'best affordable ski resort for adults' is a lively town hidden in the Italian Alps
Europe offers some of the best and most luxurious skiing in the world, often at sky-high prices. But if you're on a budget, you can also find some charming ski villages where locally run slopes don't charge outrageous tourist prices. Bardonecchia, an underrated town in the Italian Alps has claimed the number one spot as the cheapest resort for adul...
Volunteers deliver best holiday gift ever!
We put out the word and they turned out in droves. In what can only be described as a holiday miracle, nearly three dozen volunteers and benefactors pitched in to pack and move the Italian American Veterans Museum from Dec. 26-28. The distance travelled was negligible — from the top floor of the Office Center to a building across the grounds — but...
IABF College Scholarships
The Italian American Baseball Foundation awards college scholarships to deserving student-athletes who express pride in our culture and heritage. All awardees must follow the application process. Our goal is to honor graduating high school seniors or current college players. An IABF scholarship committee will select the winners each year. The schol...
The etymology behind Italy’s regional and provincial names
Italy is a country steeped in history and culture, and its regions and provinces each carry a rich story that goes beyond mere geography. The origins of these place names are fascinating, often reflecting a blend of ancient civilizations, linguistic evolution, and historical influences from earliest Latin settlements to the linguistic imprints of t...