15-05-2025
La Bella Vita: Where to find Italy's best beaches and escaping the crowds in Rome
La Bella Vita is our regular look at the real culture of Italy – from language to cuisine, manners to art. This newsletter is published weekly and you can receive it directly to your inbox, by going to newsletter preferences in 'My Account' or following the instructions in the newsletter box below.
The pristine cove of Cala Goloritzé, on the eastern coast of Italy's Sardinia island, has recently been named the world's best beach in the latest ranking by experts at The World's 50 Best Beaches.
But Sardinia isn't the only Italian region where you can find glittering sand and crystal-clear waters.
The number of Italian beaches awarded the prestigious Blue Flag (or Bandiera Blu) recognition has risen to 487 this year – two more than in 2024 and up from 458 in 2023.
Here's where to find them.
From the Colosseum to the Vatican Museums and the Pantheon, Rome's best-known sites attract thousands of visitors every day during peak tourist season.
But if you're planning a trip to the city soon and are looking to avoid long queues, packed tours and gridlock crowds, Italy's capital has no shortage of hidden gems that usually draw far smaller numbers of visitors but are just as enjoyable as some of the more popular sights.
From a Renaissance villa hosting one of the world's largest collections of Etruscan artefacts to one of ancient Rome's largest public bath complexes, we rounded up six of the best attractions to escape the tourist crush while visiting the Eternal City.
The Italian language has no shortage of options when it comes to talking about the human 'rear end'.
Think of sedere (butt), fondoschiena (bottom) and chiappe (buttocks), for instance.
But unlike other bottom-related nouns, the term culo, which is the closest Italian equivalent of 'ass' or 'arse' in English, can be found in several popular phrases that have very little to do with human anatomy.
Though you won't learn them in any Italian course or find them in language textbooks, these expressions are very common in everyday Italian and are well worth getting familiar with if you're looking to add some cheeky flamboyance to your speaking skills or simply want to know what Italians are talking about when they use them.
As summer approaches, most of the country will be heading for the beaches or mountains to beat the heat in the coming months – but there are lots of other ways to cool down in Italy, including sipping on a refreshing tipple.
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