Visit any traditional Italian festival or street fair and you are sure to find a porchetta stall surrounded by a hungry crowd. The succulent pork is beloved throughout the country, but the rustic delicacy originally hails from the Roman countryside. Porchetta is instantly recognizable due to its size and presentation – a full, boned pig, […]
Author Archives: Natalie
19
Jun
Jun
Naples is best known for its chaos and pizza, but it is also home to quite a few artistic treasures. One of my favorite sculptures in all of Italy is in a small chapel in the center of Naples: the Veiled Christ by Giuseppe Sanmartino. View this post on Instagram #CristoVelatoNotebook Per la rubrica #CristoVelatoNotebook […]
17
Jun
Jun
Before the reopening, designers spent time reimagining the future of dining in Italy. In reality, we have seen little plexiglass in restaurants and the regulations say that masks are not required at your table during consumption. Mask wearing and eating and drinking, you see, don’t go very well together. However, now a group of Italian […]
15
Jun
Jun
There is nothing quite like an extended lockdown and the uncertainty of a global epidemic to make you appreciate the solid foundations and familiarity of your own neighborhood. We are lucky to live in Testaccio for many reasons, but I have always particularly loved the architecture of this quartiere. We have public housing dating back […]
08
Jun
Jun
After 70 days of strict quarantine which allowed people to only leave their homes for urgent reasons, and always with a legally binding signed statement, Italy began to reopen on May 4th. First, some businesses such as factories were allowed to restart. Other places like eateries we’re finally allowed to open for takeaway. Children were […]
28
May
May
There are few bars in Rome that have a view of the Colosseum. Yes, there are a few gussied up (and pricey) coffee bars right on the street near the monument but they don’t have much atmosphere. For a truly special drink near the Colosseum, the only real choice is the stunning bar at Palazzo […]
20
May
May
Tucked into a little dead-end that you might otherwise pass right by is one of my favorite hidden wonders in La Serenissima. The spiral staircase of Venice is officially known as La Scala Contarini del Bovolo. In Venetian “bovolo” means snail shell, which is usually known as a “chiocchiola” in Italian. The pretty stairs do […]
12
May
May
Updated: July 5, 2020 First things first: everything that has to do with the novel coronavirus comes with a lot of uncertainty and changes quickly. I am not an epidemiologist or a government official. This article is updated to inform you of travel restrictions in Italy in 2020 and to direct you to the official […]