Category: Culture & Lifestyle
Posts about culture in Italy. Festivals, religion, etiquette, language, and more.
More Than A Mocha: Turin’s Sweet, Rich Bicerin
The bicerin is an important part of the coffee culture in Torino (Turin). Learn more about the bicerin.
Italy’s Alpini Corps: The Traditions Beyond the Feathered Cap
The grey felt cap adorned with a black raven feather worn by old northern Italian men and some modern-day camouflaged troops is known as the Cappello Alpino. This recognizable cap signifies that the wearer is or was a member of the Alpini, an elite corps of the Italian army that is most closely associated with…
Best Places to Kiss in Rome
Before I tell you about the best places to kiss in Rome, you’ve got to really want to kiss and be kissed.
The Atlas of Ancient Rome: Your New Favorite Coffee Table Book
The Atlas of Ancient Rome, a gorgeous, new two-volume set edited by Andrea Carandini, promises to be an “authoritative archeological survey of Rome from prehistory to the early medieval period.” The slip-cased set is available now.
Photo of the Day: A Ray of Light in San Giovanni in Laterano
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,…
Photo of the Day: Mithras in the Vatican
Before Christianity became the dominant religion of Rome, many people worshipped Mithras, the pagan God depicted here.
Natale di Roma: Rome Celebrates Its Birthday
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.
The Monumental Trees of Italy
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,…
