File this under things you learn during a lockdown: The word “quarantine” comes from the Italian word quaranta – forty. It is a term that was initially used to refer to ships that were kept at sea to ensure that there was no disease aboard. The policy of “quarantine” was first used in Venice in […]
Author Archives: Natalie
As we enter our 12th day of a full national lockdown, the bad news seems to have become a part of our regular lives. We are hoping this changes soon, but we still can’t leave our homes unless we are going out briefly for food, medicine, or a medical appointment. The European Union has closed […]
With all of Italy currently on lockdown, every single restaurant in the country has closed. Supermarkets and some markets remain open with limited hours. However, if you want to respect the quarantine and stay inside as much as possible, there are several options for staying well-fed with food delivery in Rome. There are multiple food […]
When you don’t speak the local language or even if you are simply new to a place, it can be hard to know where to turn for the news. Luckily, it is absolutely possible to find reliable English language news about Italy to follow while you are here, or as a way to keep in […]
For those moments when you can’t be in Italy, podcasts provide a lifeline. Hearing directly from the country can be a welcome bit of escapism even when your next trip might be far off in the future. Voices from Italy and more can provide a virtual link right back to Bel Paese, and share some […]
Every single museum and cultural site in Italy has been closed since March 8th. Since then, the restrictions on movements within Italy have become much stricter. At the same time, the restrictions on coming into Italy also keep growing, with travel bans, flight cancellations, and airport closures. In Italy, we are all stuck inside and […]
I recorded this interview with NBC between the time that the first nationwide locked down occurred, and the next night when stricter measures were put into place. That means: all coffee bars and nonessential businesses are closed; you can only go to work if you work for an essential industry; and we need to be […]
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 […]