Reader Competition: Pictures of Italy

Send us your favourite pictures from your travels to Italy, and each month the best photo will win a bottle of Nino Franco Rustico Prosecco and cooler!… THIS MONTH’S WINNER Carnival Costumes by Rosemary Wilmot “I was lucky to join the procession for the Silent Gondola Parade for the end of Carnevale – absolutely fantastic […]

Tales from Italy: Tasty Memories

Rosemary Campbell has always stayed true to her roots in Italy, returning to her parent’s home town every year to soak up the fine weather and sunflowers that adorn the hills… Can you tell us about your family connection with Italy? My parents immigrated to Toronto, Canada in January 1952 from the seaside town of […]

Italian Book Review: History, Recipes & Travel

Here we review a new book from food writer Valentina Harris, updated travel guides and insightful fiction – read on for our selection of recently published Italian books this month… Fiori di Zucca by Valentina Harris, published by Duncan Baird, £20 (hardback) As the author of more than 40 internationally successful titles and from her […]

Italian White Wine: Sicily

Grown around – and even on – the slopes of Mount Etna, the grape varieties that thrive in Sicilian soil make some of Italy’s finest white wines. Paul Pettengale investigates… Wine has been a way of life in Sicily for thousands of years. When the Greeks inhabited the island around 1500BC, they brought with them […]

At-Home Coffee Machine: Which is Best?

The Marketing Manager at De’Longhi UK explains which sorts of coffee machines are the best for the home… Q. There are now many different types of coffee machines for the home. You can use capsules, powder or beans. Is there a big difference in the quality of coffee that these different methods produce? And is […]

Renovation in Italy: Involvement in the Process

MD of Marche Homes Direct, Kevin Gibney explains the best level of involvement for people undertaking a renovation project abroad… KEEPING A CLOSE EYE Q. As a UK resident, I will not be able to regularly check on the renovation work being done to my holiday home. How heavily should I be involved throughout the […]

Espresso Machines Review: Italia!’s Top Picks

There is nothing more indicative of true Italian life than the fondness for espresso – so this month we test seven of the best coffee machines on the market… Conjure up the flavours of Italy and somewhere in your daydream is sure to be a sip of thick espresso, taken after lunch or during a […]

Pecorino Cheese Recipes: Classic from Abruzzo

This month James Gingell looks at the success of Pecorino cheese, and how best to utilise this ingredient in your Italian kitchen. Plus, a few recipes to get you started in true Abruzzo style… Pecorino is the name given to a group of Italian hard cheeses predominately made from ewes’ milk. Its name derives from […]

Politics of Italy: Giuseppe Garibaldi

In the 19th century Giuseppe Garibaldi and his legion of loyal supporters fought for the independence of what we now know as Italy, and his revolutionary actions have not been forgotten… As a result of his exploits as a general and commander Giuseppe Garibaldi is considered a key individual in the formation of unified Italy. […]

History of Florence: Michelangelo’s David

The statue of David by Michelangelo is a proud republican statement, placed like a guardian watch dog in front of the town hall of Florence… Initially commissioned for an external buttress on the Florentine cathedral, the destination changed after Michelangelo finished the over-life-size, five foot tall sculpture, due to its pertinent relevance to contemporary politics. […]