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Join us on Sunday, December 19 at 4PM and discover the surprising stories behind our most cherished traditions from Saint Nicholas and the Nativity to candy canes and Christmas stockings. Award-winning author, lecturer and photographer, Carla Gambescia will guide us through the stories behind our holiday festivities! RSVP Here. This event is FREE t...

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Can a dish tell a story? Can it bring someone to a special place even if living on the other side of the world? In other words, can you feel you are in Sicily without having to move, not a single step, from London, Berlin or New York?  The answer is yes, absolutely. A dish can do this and many other magic things, especially at Christmas time.And we...

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Among the most famous Christmas desserts, born in Campania but now appreciated and enjoyed throughout the country, struffoli have their roots in ancient times, even if their origins are uncertain. According to many, struffoli derive from the Greek strongoulos – hence the name – meaning “rounded,” while others believe that Neapolitan pastry chefs we...

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The famous living nativity scene is back for another year, one of the most folkloristic in Italy: it takes place in a fascinating and beautiful setting which has been a UNESCO World heritage site since 1993 Let us discover together the living nativity scene in the Sassi di Matera, an event that has become a must.  Matera’s rocks: about them Before...

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Known as La Vigilia (the vigil) in southern Italy, the Feast of the Seven Fishes is a classically Italian way to celebrate Christmas Eve, first introduced to the northeast in the late 1800s by Italian immigrants. The meal’s roots come, ironically, from fasting. Catholic tradition dictates meatless fasts before major holidays — but in the American w...

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Sculptors from around the world return to Jesolo, a seaside resort near Venice in north-east Italy, for an annual sand festival dedicated to religious art. The 18th edition of the popular event, which skipped a year due to the covid pandemic, opened on 9 December and can be visited until 6 January 2022. On display are 12 monumental sculptures, made...

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The tradition of the ‘presepe’ in Italy began with none other than Saint Francis of Assisi’. Profoundly moved after seeing the sacred representations on the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, Francis returned to Italy and created history’s first nativity scene in 1223 in a cave just outside Greccio (Lazio). Thus, the tradition of arranging nativity scene...

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Winter is an ideal time to visit Italy. Not only are there fewer tourists and shorter wait times at the museums and monuments, but there are many unique festivities and traditions only found this time of year. The Christmas festive season starts on December 8th, the date of Immaculate Conception of Mary, and celebrated till January 6th, the day of...

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There is the classic crumbly kind with almonds and the tender kind with hazelnuts and chocolate. Unlike panettone, which was born in Milan, and Pandoro, originally from Verona, nougat is part of the confectionary heritage of the whole Mediterranean. According to some torrone was born in ancient Rome, others say it came from China through the Arabs,...

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In Italy one of the most appreciated desserts which is also the most famous all over the world is panettone, undoubtedly. Italy’s gastronomic tradition comes with many regional and national dessert recipes. However, you should know that this product is together with pandoro a symbol of Italian Christmas. In fact, its presence on the table during th...

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