The Order of St. Clare, often known as the Poor Clares, today numbers some 20,000 nuns around the world. But how did this 13th-century nun become the patron saint of television? Italia! Women #3: St. Clare of Assisi (1194-1253) Chiara Offreduccio (she didn’t become “St. Clare” until two years after her death) was born to […]
The ‘Grandmother of Gynaecology’ Trota of Salerno studied and practised at the Medical School of Salerno during the 1100s… Italia! Women #2: Trota of Salerno (12th Century) We know very little of the life of Trota except that she worked at the Medical School of Salerno during the 12th century. There are no biographical records; […]
Looking for things to do in Le Marche? Jane Keightley talks us through her top 10 Le Marche attractions… Although not as popular with tourists as neighbouring Tuscany and Umbria, Le Marche is blessed with beautiful hill towns as far as the eye can see. With the soaring peaks of the Sibillini Mountains on one […]
In this edition of our bilingual feature, Tom Alberto Bull reflects on SSC Napoli’s first Scudetto since the days of Diego Maradona… KEY WORDS Useful Italian words and phrases to add to your vocabulary Il lutto collettivo Collective mourning Il mitico giocatore The legendary player In tutta la città All over the city Il modo […]
From its mythical role in the formation of Rome to its presence in the wild today, the wolf is an iconic symbol of Italy. Jenny Oldaker goes on the trail of this elusive predator. No animal in Italy is quite so culturally significant – or so divisive – as the wolf, and myths surrounding the […]
In this edition of our bilingual feature, Tom Alberto Bull looks at how Italians are saving money by turning to old techniques for leftovers in the kitchen. KEY WORDS Useful Italian words and phrases to add to your vocabulary. Il aumento dei costi Rising costs Dove possibile Where possible I metodi tradizionali Traditional methods Il […]
Joe and Patricia Gartman have spent the Christmas seasons from 2017 to 2019 in Italy. Here are photos from their time in Verona in 2019 A prosperous modern city of medieval squares, Verona has several historical claims to fame. It’s the town where Romeo and Juliet lived, loved, and, alas (spoiler alert) died. It’s where […]
Joe and Patricia Gartman have spent the Christmas seasons from 2017 to 2019 in Italy. Here are photos from their time in Sorrento in 2018. Perched on top of sheer cliffs, high above the Bay of Naples, Sorrento provides an abundance of picturesque charm, history, views, cafés, summer sunshine and lemon-scented air. It’s also the […]
Joe and Patricia Gartman have spent the Christmas seasons from 2017 to 2019 in Italy. Here are photos from their time in Venice in 2019. Those who are tasked with decorating Venice for Christmas have a challenging job: it’s difficult to park a boom lift in the middle of a street to hang lights if […]
Joe and Patricia Gartman have spent the Christmas seasons from 2017 to 2019 in Italy. Here are photos from their time in Turin in 2017. We arrived in Turin early in December. There was a huge advent calendar set up in Piazza Castello. Every night the fire brigade arrived with a truck-mounted cherry picker to […]