Umbria, Italy, is often overlooked. The better-known neighboring regions of Tuscany and Lazio usually steal the spotlight, but Umbria (pronounced “ooohm-bree-ah”) is a lesser-known gem worth exploring. While it doesn’t have a sprawling metropolis or primary industry to hang its hat on, it checks the boxes on all things classic Italian. We’re talk...

Sardinia, a land with an ancient history made of ancestral cults, such as those that today still revive in the folk magic of Carnival or in the lighting of the bonfires of St. Anthony Abbot, courageous acts of faith and devotion such as those of St. Efisio, martyr of the Church with a strong cult in the island, and idyllic places immersed in the pu...

Italy has many beautiful hiking trails, like the Santa Barbara mining trail. It's 311 miles long (500 km) and gently weaves its way across the Sardinian coast following the 19th century extraction routes for many local mines. Or there's the recently reopened Via Dell’Amore (the path of love) near the five medieval villages of Cinque Terre.  However...

Imagine an elegant, magical, and uncrowded Italian city of vast piazzas, arcades, and Art Nouveau-era cafes, with the snow-capped Alps in the background. That’s a pretty good description of the Italian city of Turin in the country’s northwestern corner. Turin may be the country’s fourth largest metropolis, but it seems oddly forgotten if my recent...

On average, most Americans will reach for a slice of pizza at least three times a month. The dish is a classic comfort food, loved for its cheesy, saucy topping and satisfying crust. It is one of Italy's most famous culinary exports, rivaled by spaghetti, of course, which is a midweek classic for many US families. But beyond these favorites, Italia...

A quaint little town in the southern region of Puglia offers up the quintessential Italian experience, described as being similar to Santorini but with much a calmer ambiance. Monopoli charmingly combines its historic medieval centre with its picturesque coastline and is one of the loveliest places to stroll. The town is home to a number of small c...

When you arrive in Bologna, the gastronomic capital of a country that is arguably the gastronomic center of the world, it’s best to arrive hungry. I arrived with a molar that had fractured on a cough drop en route to Boston’s Logan airport. The concierge at my hotel procured an appointment with a dentist shortly after I landed. My toothache throbbe...

Leonardo da Vinci excelled in the fields of art and science, but the Italian polymath was also a highly skilled expert in military structures and defensive systems, breaking new ground in the strategy of warfare during the Renaissance with his designs and inventions. Now, scientists have uncovered a hidden feature underneath a medieval castle in Mi...

Now available on Italy for Movies - the portal dedicated to locations and incentives for audiovisual production, promoted by the Ministry of Culture’s General Directorate for Cinema and Audiovisual and developed by Cinecittà in collaboration with theItalian Film Commissions - is the new section SUL SET.  This innovative tool, which is constantly up...

Land of stories and culture where to discover the authenticity of the South, of villages and towns that join modernity on a human scale, of forests and mountains that romantically overlook two seas: Basilicata is all this, an immersive experience where you can rediscover the beauty of simplicity among the alleys, the views and the emotions of truly...