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Local Italy
2 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Local Italy
La Bella Vita: Signs summer has arrived in Italy and a guide to Italian bars and cafes
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. After weeks of changeable weather, showers, and unusually cool temperatures, especially in northern regions, sunny and hot conditions are expected across much of Italy this weekend. But as parts of the country prepare for highs of 37-38C over this fine settimana, beach weather isn't the only thing you can look forward to. At the start of summer, as the mercury soars, Italy suddenly starts to look and feel different in many different ways. From loud music at bars and beach clubs everywhere to the return of summer footwear like sandali and infradito and supermarket shelves bursting with seasonal fruit, we listed just some of the signs that summer has well and truly arrived in Italy. Whether you live in Italy or plan to visit this summer, you can expect to be spending plenty of time in Italian bars and cafes - either to cool down in the hottest part of the day or to bask in the late-afternoon sun while sipping on a refreshing tipple. You may already know the difference between a caffè macchiato and a marocchino and the acceptable time of day to order a cappuccino, but there's more to Italian caffe-bar culture than knowing the correct names of the most popular beverages. Here's a handy guide to the unspoken rules around visiting an Italian bar or cafe. Italy is known for being a particularly religious country and for having a generous number of public holidays. So you may find it strange that Pentecost Monday, which commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Jesus's disciples, isn't a national holiday, especially because it does grant residents a day off in several European countries, including Austria, Germany, France, Spain and Switzerland. But why isn't Lunedì di Pentecoste a national holiday? We looked into the reasons for it in the article below.
Local Italy
24-05-2025
- Local Italy
La Bella Vita: Italian-style camping trips and the most unmissable summer events
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. You might consider yourself an experienced camper, or at least someone who knows what to do with their tent poles. But have you ever been on a camping trip in Italy? If so, chances are you've found camping all'Italiana to be a different experience altogether. Love them or hate them, Italian campsites are often a bit different to what we expect in some other countries, and recently I've heard from friends from northern Europe who have had some truly mixed experiences. Our reporter Elaine has written in the article linked below about the ways in which Italy's campsites can take visitors by surprise, and what to know before you go. She writes: "If you pull up to one of these places with vague notions of drifting off not long after sunset to the sound of crickets chirping and the long grass rustling in the breeze, you'll be in for a shock. "That's not just because of the thousands of other holidaymakers around you, but because despite identifying as campeggi, many of these operations are less campsites than they are fully-fledged holiday villages, with a full programme of events that run until late at night and sometimes into the early hours of the morning." Temperatures around the country are still relatively mild for now, but Italy's summer holiday season is almost upon us. As schools close in June and workplaces begin to empty out from July, the country's cultural calendar fills up with all sorts of open-air events and festivals to be enjoyed with family and friends. We've listed just some of the biggest and best-loved national events and celebrations that you'll want to add to your itinerary in the coming months, from arguably Italy's most prestigious opera festival to one of the most popular horse races in the world. Finally, I wanted to share a favourite article of mine for Italian language learners. You probably know that, like most languages, Italian includes words from many other foreign languages. This does include English, but Greek, Spanish and French have all historically had a heavy influence. In fact, around ten percent of all words in the language today are considered to be of foreign origin. One of the lesser known influences on Italian though is Arabic, which counts some 600 arabismi, or words originally from Arabic. And If you live in Italy you probably use at least a couple of them every day before you've even had your breakfast. Take a look at our article below to see if you're able to correctly guess any of them. Is there an aspect of the Italian way of life you'd like to see us write more about? Please email us at news@
Local Italy
15-05-2025
- Local Italy
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. estate.
Local Italy
10-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Local Italy
La Bella Vita: Italy's beach opening dates and what time do Italians eat dinner?
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. As much of Italy prepares for a wet May, beach lovers across the peninsula will be dreaming of the moment when they finally can put on their costumi and ciabatte and dip their toes in the sea. But before you head off to the seaside, it's worth knowing that there are rules governing when the summer beach season can officially start. While you can visit Italy's public beaches at any time, nearly 70 percent of the country's coastline is given over to privately managed beach clubs, and the dates these can open on are strictly controlled by regional - and sometimes local - authorities. Here's a breakdown of when Italy's private beaches will open and close this year by region. What time is dinner time in Italy? If you've spent many summer evenings here, you'll probably say 'very late'. But like so many other things in Italy, it really depends on which part of the country you're in and even the time of year. If you're planning to book a restaurant or want to invite your Italian friends or neighbours over for dinner, here's a look at what time la cena is normally eaten in different parts of the boot. From Aperol and Campari Spritz to Negroni and Bellini, Italy's iconic aperitivo drinks and cocktails are known and appreciated around the world. But if you're looking for an alcohol-free alternative for when aperitivo hour rolls around, there's no need to resort to sugary soft drinks: Italy has plenty of more adult-tasting options on offer. One of the most popular is Crodino, which is said to have been created as a non-alcoholic alternative to Aperol Spritz. With the same bright orange colour and zesty herbal taste as its alcoholic counterpart, it's typically served over ice cubes and with a slice of orange. Find out about other popular Italian alcohol-free aperitivo drinks in the article below. Is there an aspect of the Italian way of life you'd like to see us write more about on The Local? Please email me at news@
Local Italy
18-04-2025
- Local Italy
La Bella Vita: Easter-inspired Italian phrases and why Good Friday isn't a holiday
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. Italy has 12 national public holidays – the second-highest number in the EU after Austria, with 13 – but Good Friday isn't among them. International residents often find this bizarre, not least because Good Friday is a day off even in non-Catholic countries including the UK, Germany and Sweden. So why isn't Venerdi' Santo among Italy's public holidays? Easter is a key event on Italy's cultural calendar, so it may not come as a surprise that the Italian language has plenty of Pasqua -related expressions - some of which can be used all year round. We've put together six of our favourites in the article below. (Bonus points if you manage to drop any of these into conversation at Easter lunch with Italian friends or family.) Picking the right spot for a romantic dinner or a business lunch in Italy can be tricky without knowing the difference between the various types of restaurants you'll find. While you're likely to have a good idea of what a pizzeria is, how exactly does it differ from a ristorante? What's the difference between a trattoria and an osteria? And what about an agriturismo? Though the exact distinction between all types of restaurants isn't always clear to Italians either, each establishment has some peculiar features. Knowing them will help you make the best decision for the occasion at hand. Is there an aspect of the Italian way of life you'd like to see us write more about on The Local? Please email me at news@
