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learn Italian
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Important Dates in Italian History for the Curious Traveler
A short primer on a few of the dates you will encounter while meandering the streets and squares of Italy.
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The Art of Nobel Winner Dario Fo
Calling Italian playwright Dario Fo a “Renaissance” man would probably irk him given his long history of questioning authority and mocking the status quo. But Fo, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1997 (one of six Italians to have won the literature prize) proves he is worthy of this nickname with the new…
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Rome Will Not Be Charging Admission to the Trevi Fountain
Yesterday, April Fools Day, I had a little fun with readers of Gadling, one of several blogs I write for. My article Rome Set To Close Off Trevi Fountain, Charge Admission was just a little too real for some readers. But I am here to tell you that it was completely fabricated. It was simply…
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Rooted in Italy: The World’s First Botanical Gardens
It has been said (too many times) that all roads lead to Rome. But did you know that you could trace botanical medicine and even the environmental movement to 16th century Italy? It was here in the city of Pisa (1544) then Padua (1545) that the world’s first botanical gardens were set up. This month’s…
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Braving the Elements: A Rare Snowfall in Rome
Over the past weekend, Rome got pelted with eight inches of snow, the largest single snowfall in the capital since 1986. The rare snowfall prompted the closure of the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, the Palatine Hill, and other tourist attractions. Many businesses had to close because workers were unable to access public transportation or get their…
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Marble Run: Shopping for Traditional Marbled Products in Italy
Marble, either as a substance or a style, runs through three different artisan crafts that are famous in Italy.
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Give the Gift of Italian Culture
When my colleagues in the Italy Blogging Roundtable and I decided to write on the topic “gifts” for our December post, I knew exactly what I wanted to write about. I knew straight away that I didn’t want to write about Italian gifts you can buy in a store, though there are many I desire…
