While hundreds wait in lines in the harsh sun to get into Saint Peter’s, the Archbasilica of San Giovanni in Laterano, also known as the Cathedral of Rome, is practically empty. San Giovanni is the oldest and largest papal basilica in Rome, although it has gone through many reconstructions over the years due to earthquakes,…
In the mornings after I’ve sent the kids off to school and tidied up the house I go down and have my morning cappuccino.
It’s been called the “shame of Italy” and for good reason. The A3 autostrada, a 443km highway that is to connect Salerno to Reggio Calabria, has been under construction since 1966. Faulty construction and mafia meddling by both the Camorra and ‘Ndragheta factions have caused numerous delays during the nearly 50 years since the project…
La Pioggia di Petali di Rose, or the Rain of Rose Petals, brings religious Rome and ancient Rome together in a moving and colorful spectacle.
It’s the conundrum that many travelers to Venice face: how to be a tourist but avoid other tourists.
On May 20, 1960, Federico Fellini’s “La Dolce Vita” won the Palme d’Or at Cannes. Watch “Three Reasons” why this film remains a classic. For more details on where “La Dolce Vita” was filmed, explore this list of Fellini’s film locations from Rome and Rimini.
Before Christianity became the dominant religion of Rome, many people worshipped Mithras, the pagan God depicted here.
The Daily Mail reports on three depopulated Italian towns — Gangi (Sicily), Carrega Ligure (Piedmont), and Lecce nei Marsi (Abruzzo) — that are offering real estate for about €1 down…plus a commitment of €25,000 in renovations and upkeep. They are set in villages that are just a hairs-breadth away from becoming one of Italy’s fabled ‘ghost…
Emilia-Romagna’s Shit Museum explores man’s relationship to manure.
Roman hoteliers, who write that Rome’s 25 million annual tourists is only a quarter of the number that go to London, are less concerned about how tourists are affecting the city than how the city is affecting tourists.
Veronese Green is named after Verona-born painter Paolo Caliari, also known as Veronese. I used the color to guide me on my travels in Venice.
The city of Rome was born on April 21, 753 BC. In Italian, it is known as the Natale di Roma—the birthday of Rome.
It all started with David.
![Visiting the Colosseum Dungeons on a Guided Tour [Review]](https://www.italofile.com/wp-content/uploads/IMG_4780-768x576.jpg)
My review of the tour: Colosseum “Dungeons, Third Level and Arena Floor,” Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill.
Trying to decide if a travel experience is authentic or not is like trying to separate “travelers” from “tourists.” That debate separates those who travel along class and age lines, with travelers proclaiming their experiences better, richer, more true than those of the tourists. There’s even a famous quote by G.K. Chesterton that delineates these…
Have you seen this book? Many years ago, I found this book while browsing the clearance stacks at a used bookstore in Washington, DC. Published in 1990, Gli Alberi Monumentali d’Italia is a beautiful coffee table book full of color photos of legendary trees from Italy’s islands and central/southern regions. Roman pines, Holm oaks, olive,…
The Vatican Museums welcome up to 25,000 visitors per day. Is it time for them to limit the crowds?
We admire Italy’s art and monuments for color, style, and the skillfulness of their creators. But the gruesome stories that many of these famous works depict are a reminder of real human suffering.