Italy

Sinking Cruise Liner Couture

zazzle.com.au ©zazzle.com.au Australian company zazzle.com.au is capitalizing on the now (in)famous tirade again the captain of the sunken Costa Concordia by selling t-shirts quoting harbor master Gregorio De Falco. The shirts–which apparently are already all the rage in Italy–carry the phrase “Vada a bordo, cazzo!” which translates to “Get back on board, dick!” De Falco [...]

Italian Officials Proposing Ban on Cruise Ships

The Costa Concordia, in the harbor of the Tuscan island Giglio © smh.com.au In response to the Costa Concordia cruise ship that capsized last week, Italian officials are calling for a ban on cruise ships sailing along sensitive areas of the Italian coastline. Italy’s Environment Minister, Corrado Clini, has promised to protect the coast and [...]

High Demand of European Truffles Spawns Black Market, Criminal Activity

European Black Truffles © trufflehunter.co.uk European truffle farmers (or “trufflers”) in Italy and France, are seeing their harvests reduced due to climate change. With a scarce supply of truffles, and marked up prices, the demand has spawned a black market in Europe, along with organized crime. Truffles are being stolen from restaurant pantries and truffle farms, [...]

Gangster ‘Americana’ Served up in Milan Restaurant

Joe Cipolla restaurant, Milan, Italy ©New York Times In a trendy neighborhood of Milan, the most unlikely theme is a big hit with the locals—a restaurant named after an Italian-American gangster. Joe Cipolla, the restaurant’s namesake, was a St. Louis mobman that loved cooking. The Milan restaurant honors Cipolla’s Midwestern roots with a traditional staple—steak. [...]

Japanese Businessman Pays to Restore Ancient Pyramid in Rome

Pyramid of Gaius Cestius ©Alaskan Dude Japanese businessman, Yuzo Yagi, has donated about a million euros to restore a 2000-year-old pyramid in Rome. The pyramid was built in 18-12 BC as a tomb for the wealthy Roman, Gaius Cestius. The restoration project will include an investigation of the pyramid using probes to determine whether there [...]

Cats Amongst the Ruins at Roman Sanctuary

The cats of Torre Argentina © amosfar If you find yourself wandering in Rome past the Pantheon and notice a large number of stray cats, you have most likely encountered one of the world’s strangest sanctuaries. Torre Argentina has been home to hundreds of stray Roman cats for over 80 years. The Anglo-Italian Society for the [...]

Plans to Modernize Rome’s Cobblestone Streets

cobbles and fountain, piazza navona ©antmoose The eternal city might not be so eternal after all, or at least it’s cobblestones are not. Rome is ringing in the new year with plans to resurface a large majority of cobblestoned ancient Roman roads. The cobbled streets, known as sampietrini or ‘St Peter’s little stones,’ have been [...]

Cooking With Grandma, a New Culinary Trend

Marketing in Motion ©D’Arcy Norman Well-heeled travelers in search of gourmet food are steering away from traditional 4-star luxury restaurants and instead seeking out more authentic culinary “experiences.” These new “experiences” are being offered by a variety of locals from Italian aristocrats to ordinary grandmothers in Mauritius, who are opening up their homes to amateur [...]

Rome Declares War on Chewing Gum

The Colosseum, Rome, Italy ©jonrawlinson This Tuesday a few fearless volunteers teamed up with the city of Rome to de-gumify their ancient city. The clean-up is part of a larger campaign to clean off sticky chewing gum from Rome’s priceless archaeological sites and cobblestone streets. Even with the help of the volunteers, who came from [...]

Italy’s Most Famous Chef Working at McDonald’s

Big Mac © like_the_grand_canyon Planning a vacation in Italy and looking to eat a meal from the top chef in the country? Better learn how to say “Big Mac” in Italian. Gualtiero Marchesi, the first chef in Italy to earn three Michelin stars, announced Tuesday he had created two hamburgers and a dessert for the [...]

Photo of the Moment: Bridge of Sighs, Venice

Mangia! Mangia! 12 Tips for Eating Well in Italy on a Backpacker’s Budget

Italia! The land of pizza napoletana, lasagna, Parmigiano-Reggiano, proscuitto, Nebbiolo, gelato, cannolo, limoncello and some of the world’s best espresso. Visiting such an epicurean all-star can be daunting for a dedicated diner. With so many essentials to try and tourist traps to fall into, how do you optimize your epicurean exploits? First, put down the [...]

Six Destinations and Their Famous Desserts

Turkish Delight ©zoonabar For travelers with an insatiable sweet tooth, Fox News has a list of six delicious desserts and the destinations you can savor them in. From Turkish delights in Istanbul to Pastel in Lisbon, these signature treats are worth skipping your meal and moving straight to dessert.

Six Best Cities to Get Lost In

Venice, Italy © Accidental Hedonist For the directionally challenged, Lonely Planet compiles a list of the six best cities to toss out your pathetic map and just get lost. The cities all have one thing in common–an easy way to find your bearings and get un-lost when the need arises. Who knows what you might [...]

12 Worst Tourist Traps in the World

Damnoen Saduak Floating Markets © Phillie Casablanca CNN compiles a list of 12 experiences that are about as authentic as a celebrity in Madame Toussaudes. Cross these places off your bucket list—or add them to your list for an opportunity to enjoy crass tourism at its finest.

Corrupt Roman Gladiators Busted by Police

Roman Gladiators © Adam Kahtava In a scene straight from ancient times, Italian police disguised in centurion garb infiltrated and busted a corrupt ring of gladiators in Rome this week. The Daily Mail reports: The officers swooped on the men after reports from tourists and holiday companies that they were threatening and intimidating people into [...]

Italy’s Best Kept Secrets: Killer Destinations Without the Crowds

Paradoxically, Italy is one of the most over-touristed, yet under-appreciated countries in the world. Let’s look at the facts. Each year, over 50 million tourists visit Italy to experience jaw-droppingly beautiful Roman Catholic cathedrals, warm Mediterranean climates and waters, and savor the sweet-sounding Italian dialects. In fact, Italy has over 41 UNESCO world heritage sites, [...]

10 Cities with the Best Free Attractions

Pike Place Market Seattle, Washington © two gypsy hearts Broke ass budget backpackers can even afford these sites. From Seattle to Hong Kong, AOL Travel has a list of cities with attractions priced just right (free!).

Pisa, Italy Bans Erotic Souvenirs

Pisa Tower © B a m s h a d Those looking to stock on up their phallic-themed renaissance trinkets will have to look beyond the city limits of Pisa, Italy. The town, famous for its leaning tower, has banned all erotic souvenirs and imposed a fine of up to $700 on shopkeepers caught selling [...]

Milan’s Live Mannequins: Italians Angered by “Merchandisation of the Human Body”

Live mannequin in a store window © Spidere Widely known for its leadership, especially among elected officials, in fighting the objectification of women, Italy is absolutely shocked by the use of live mannequins in a store window last week in Milan. From Reuters, a labor union representative expressed outrage that this could happen in Italy [...]

Photo of the Moment: Another Bike on the Wall, Italy

Gorgeous 360-Degree Panorama of the Sistine Chapel

In case you missed it, The Vatican website offers this gorgeous 360-degree panorama of the Sistine Chapel. Complete with angelic soundtrack!

Exclusive Rome: Discovering The Vatican Necropolis

Kirsten Amor goes where few tourists ever venture for a rare glimpse into The Vatican Necropolis.

Photo of the Moment: A Moment’s Rest, Sicily

Photo of the Moment: Lone Red Boat, Venice

Photo of the Moment: Sunset Over Santo Spirito, Florence

Photo of the Moment: Vernazza from Above, Italy

High Culture on a Low Budget: Bolzano’s Teatro Stabile & Christkindlmarkt

Christkindlmarkt Time is Here… © dustpuppy The holiday season has hit Europe full swing and there is no better place to start than in the land of eternal Christmas; the Alps. Located in South Tyrol, Bolzano (also going by the name of Bozen) is one of Italy’s best-kept secrets. Akin to walking in a snow [...]

Photo of the Moment: San Marco Deluge, Venice

Venice Hit By Deepest Flooding in 22 Years

Venice is regularly underwater. It floods often – as much as sixty times per year. However, on Monday, December 1st, the city experienced its deepest flooding in 22 years – submerging most streets. Sirens alerted the residents to the coming water. Normally, wooden walkways are raised throughout the city during the frequent floods. This time, [...]

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