The latest stories
Our stories go where a guidebook stops: the rituals of the Italian coffee bar, the makers keeping old crafts alive, the festivals and kitchens of small towns, and the routes worth slowing down for. Each one is written to be useful on the ground and worth reading at home, and each links to the places, dishes and makers it names, so one story leads you to the next.
95 stories
Genoa at Christmas: Presepi, Palaces and Pandolce
Choose a Genoa Christmas route through the historic centre, the Madonnetta presepe and Palazzo Reale, with time for pandolce.
Bologna at Christmas: Porticoes, Markets and Tortellini
Walk from Piazza Maggiore to the Servi, visit the Archiginnasio and make room for tortellini in broth on a Christmas stay in Bologna.
Verona at Christmas: Santa Lucia and Pandoro
Explore Verona’s Christmas traditions, from Santa Lucia and pandoro to a Piazza Bra walk and a reserved Castelvecchio visit.
Venice at Christmas: Canals and Winter Evenings
Build a Venice Christmas visit around Rialto, San Polo and the Doge’s Palace, with practical checks for tides, reservations and evening returns.
Palermo at Christmas: Santa Lucia and the Sicilian Table
Plan a Palermo Christmas visit around cuccìa, sfincione, a central walk and the Palatine Chapel, with holiday closure checks.
Turin at Christmas: Lights, Arcades and Chocolate
Plan a Turin Christmas visit around Luci d’Artista, the Museo Egizio, a central walk and a bicerin, with current light-season dates.
Italy in January: Cities, Ski Days and Epiphany
Choose a January trip around Epiphany, a city base or the Dolomites, with practical checks for museum days, mountain access, weather and transfers.
Natale Italiano: A Christmas Playlist
Ten recordings in order, from Ambrogio Sparagna and Italian Christmas songs to Laura Pausini and Mina, with direct listening links.
Italian Christmas for Kids: Activities to Try at Home
Make a small Christmas calendar, write to Santa Lucia, build a paper presepe, share a tombola card and leave a stocking for the Befana.Santa Lucia in Italy: Letters, Gifts and Cuccìa
The 13 December feast through Bergamo’s letterine, Verona’s gift tradition and Sicily’s whole-wheat cuccìa, with ideas for a small celebration at home.
The Befana Lunch Menu and a Stocking to Fill
A Tuscan Epiphany lunch of pici, arista and cavallucci, with complete recipes, a shopping list, a cooking plan and ideas for packing the calza.
Santo Stefano Lunch: Bollito, Orange Salad and Ricciarelli
A 26 December lunch with three complete recipes, their shopping list and a cooking plan, plus a clear choice between cooking from scratch and using Christmas leftovers.
An Italian New Year’s Eve Dinner Menu
Three dishes for an Italian New Year’s Eve at home: escarole pie, precooked cotechino with lentils and almond torrone, with a full-batch shopping list and cooking timeline.
The Italian Christmas Table: Setting and Service
Plates, cloth, a low centrepiece and room for each course: set a Christmas table around the meal you want to share.Songs and Films for an Italian Christmas
Three songs, a Befana adventure, Eduardo’s televised theatre and Pupi Avati’s Christmas drama: choose the music and story for your evening.The Zampognari: Listening to Italy’s Christmas Bagpipes
Zampogna and ciaramella, mountain traditions and Scapoli’s collections: a guide to the instruments, their makers and a thoughtful Christmas visit.
Every story
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