Pompeii: the nightmare, the dream, and the awakening from a centuries-long night
Over in just a few hours, the disaster that buried a city and its inhabitants under the ashes of Vesuvius has preserved priceless treasures, still intact to this day. On the evening of that August 24, one might have asked what tomorrow would bring—but by dawn, the end had already come.
On February 5th in the [...]
Between myth, reality, love and adventure: Casanova in Venice
“Now the gondola docked; marble steps led into the magnificent, gaily illuminated house of Senator Bragadino …; masked figures flitted up and down the stairs; some paused, curious …. He stepped into the room, where a serious game of cards was in progress. When Casanova entered, everyone murmured his name, like terrified prey, because they [...]
Creative genius and christian spirit: precious treasures in the wake of St. Francis of Assisi
Medieval paths lead to the places most loved by St. Francis: the Sanctuary of La Verna, the holiest mountain in the world, and the Basilica of Assisi, one of the oldest gothic buildings in Italy and a sublime expression of the creative genius of Giotto.
The first time I saw Assisi I was in the valley [...]
Do Italians have more fun?
The great attraction to all things Italian has shown a significant growth trend in recent years. What lies behind the phenomenon?
Ever since the release of “La Dolce Vita” by the inimitable Federico Fellini, it seems that Italy and the Italian lifestyle have been synonymous with style and pleasure. That image has been forged by the [...]
The secret of the real “neapolitan” pizza
Often garnished with creative toppings, the famous pizza of Naples is the most loved by Italians and the most diffused in the world. But for the Neapolitans themselves, “real” pizza is a rite—an ancient tradition that the master pizza-makers guard and hand down generation after generation.
Anyone who sees “Bella Napoli” written over the door of [...]
