Rome…a city with rich history, amazing food, vibrant culture, world class museums, and…cats? Most cities seem to share their streets with a population of urban felines, whether they are stray, feral, or abandoned. As cute as they may be, some of these cats are injured, carry diseases, or are unsterilized, and can therefore add to … Continue reading The Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary
Alessandria is a town in the region of Piedmont, in Northern Italy, an hour drive from Milan, Genoa and Turin. If you could draw imaginary lines between these 3 cities of the industrial north, Alessandria would sit in the middle: a strategic position for a town with some 94.000 inhabitants. In 2018 the city will … Continue reading What to see in Alessandria, Italy
If you are into wine, here is a suggestion for a wine and food trip where you can discover full-bodied red wines from the Italian northern region of Piemonte. I will focus on Langhe, part of the much bigger area known as Langhe, Roero and Monferrato. It is here that the widely known red wine … Continue reading Barolo wine trip
La Pazza Gioia is the latest film by Paolo Virzí featuring Micaela Ramazzotti and Valeria Bruni Tedeschi. The story follows the life events of two women who meet in a psychiatric clinic. I liked the film, because the plot is original and it focuses on dramatic life stories but with a touch of irony. It … Continue reading La Pazza Gioia (Like Crazy) by Paolo Virzí
Missed Part I? No worries, read it here. Day 7-8: Touring Ancient and modern Rome (Lazio) The main landmarks We managed to conquer Rome in 2.5 days. The must-sees are located in the heart of the city and within walking distance from each other. We started by throwing a coin (using the right hand over … Continue reading Travel guide: Italy’s highlights in 14 days (Part II)
Summer holidays are surely the period everyone is looking forward the most. This means getting away from the daily routine to find some sun, discover new seaside or mountain landscapes, immerse into a new culture, admire some pieces of art, or taste delicious local food. However, two or three weeks are often too short to … Continue reading Travel guide: Italy’s highlights in 14 days (Part I)
Once you have become accustomed to the abundance of delicious food products at Italian supermarkets, it is very hard to adapt to doing your grocery shopping in any other country. However, you can expect to find at least the basics. London is a good example and British supermarket’ aisles reflect its society syncretism at the … Continue reading 7 products an Italian would buy at Albert Heijn
Cesare Cremonini is an Italian pop singer catapulted to fame with his Lùnapop band in 1999 with a song called 50 Special, an ode to the Vespa that was lighthearted and uplifting. I was in Italy for my younger sister’s graduation and after all the celebrations with family and friends she went to see Cremonini’s … Continue reading Lost In The Weekend by Cesare Cremonini
I love travelling by train especially when you have great landscape outside. The TV documentary below is about a journey between Italy and Switzerland with a train line called ‘Vigezzina’. It is only available in Italian but you can still grasp an impression of this charming valley and its people and traditions. Here is the … Continue reading Domodossola-Locarno by train with the Vigezzina
Last week I took a train journey from Alessandria to Rome. The intercity 511 is now considered a slow train, since high speed trains can do the same journey in less than 3 hours. Me and my younger sister are paying a visit to our grandmother. Traveling at 400km per hour? Maybe next time. I … Continue reading Train travel in Italy: how to start a conversation
