The government of Italy announced late on 9 March that the entire country would be subject to the same rules which apply to areas previously known as “red zones.” This has been referred to in the press as Italy on lockdown, but it was not clear what that means. Here is the letter I wrote […]
Category Archives: Life in Italy
07
Mar
Mar
Life in a small town near Modena was turned upside last week when wine suddenly started flowing from the water taps thanks to a mistake at a nearby Lambrusco winery. The “problem” occurred in the Castelvetro area of Modena, when tanks at the Settecani winery began to leak into the water supply. The high pressure […]
07
Jan
Jan
Every year, Italy celebrates 12 official public holidays. These days of rest and celebration range from national days to religious holidays which are widely observed by a majority of the public. During public holidays in Italy, institutions like schools and post offices will be closed. Most private businesses also close on these official national holidays […]
01
Jan
Jan
When it comes to superstitions to ward off bad luck and bring all the good luck, Italians are a pretty creative bunch. There are charms, hand gestures, sayings and actions that are all intended to bring good luck in Italy. Many of the superstitions come from the south, but you can find good luck symbols […]
17
Dec
Dec
Christmas is a wonderful time to be in Italy because of all the decorations and history. Santa has begun to make an appearance in recent years, but there are several unique Christmas traditions in Italy that stretch back centuries and are still celebrated today. Here are 7 Italian Christmas traditions that you can easily recreate […]
01
Apr
Apr
April 1st is celebrated by pranksters in many countries as April Fools Day and even Italy has its own version of April Fools known as Pesce d’Aprile. In other words, instead of April Fools, Italy has April Fish. Jokes and pranks are common in Italy but one in particular is classic and explains why the […]
27
Feb
Feb
A year of babyhood. Little Giacomo was born on the shortest and, to me, the sweetest day of the year. It has been the fastest, longest, most tiring, most inspiring year of my life. I now intimately understand all of the parenthood cliches (and may even be a cliche myself). For me, motherhood has meant very […]
18
Jan
Jan
I can’t really recommend a caffè corretto but I am here to say that you can easily stray from the usual espresso or cappuccino into pure Italian coffee bliss. For that perfect pick-me-up, there is the marocchino. You also totally look like you know what you are talking about if you order a marocchino. A […]