I'm a journalist, translator and English teacher in Rome working on two projects: Inglese Professionale Business English coaching in Rome, translations and proofreading. Italian Gems A blog exploring the less-well known corners of Italy and defending the country's heritage
When I was preparing my trip to Tuscany while working as an English teacher in Rome, I surveyed my Italian students to uncover the best hidden jewels in the area around Siena. One of them I remember immediately suggested San Quirico d’Orcia, a town I had never heard of but that sounded ideal for my … More A stroll around San Quirico d’Orcia and its public gardens
“I wish you to know that every tear proceeds from the heart, for there is no member of the body that will satisfy the heart so much as the eye. If the heart is in pain the eye manifests it.” – St. Catherine of Siena A visit to Siena is the chance to discover more … More Learning about the life of St. Catherine of Siena
Valpolicella in the Veneto, known locally as the “pearl of Verona”, is a hilly and scenic area of Italy where you can tour vineyards, discover the local range of wines from Valpolicella Classico to Amarone, and visit some of the most beautiful and elegant villas of Italy. One of my favourite aspects of the Veneto … More A weekend journey through Valpolicella and Valpantena
Palermo in Sicily is Italian Capital of Culture in 2018, with many special events and exhibitions planned. So this is an ideal year to visit the southern Italian island and discover its colourful history and culture. Here are our top ten suggestions of gems to explore in the city and across Sicily: 1. Stanze al … More Ten of the Best Sicilian Gems to visit in 2018
Here are the top ten Italian Gems viewed on this blog since it was started four years ago: The spellbinding tales of Benevento’s witches and the walnut tree 2. A glimpse of Christmas Nativity Gems in Rome, Naples, and Salerno 3. Finding gems along the Aurelian walls, Rome’s ancient ramparts 4. Revealing the jewels under … More Top Ten Italian Gems at start of 2018
Cerveteri’s Necropolis of Banditaccia is the greatest example of Etruscan burial traditions and architecture and one of the most significant ancient sites in the Mediterranean. If you are interested in learning more about the Etruscans, who held power in the Italian peninsula before the Romans and strongly influenced its culture, Cerveteri is an essential stop … More Cerveteri’s Banditaccia: the Etruscan kingdom of the afterlife
Naples’ Ospedale degli Incurabili is an old and still-functioning hospital in the centre of the southern Italian city that is linked to a wealth of interesting stories of early medicine, magic and alchemy, religious people and those recognised as saints for dedicating their lives to helping the poor and sick here. Founded around 1520, it … More Naples’ Pharmacy of the Incurables: merging science, magic, and art
Sicilian puppeteer and storyteller Mimmo Cuticchio has seen the role of the island’s traditional puppet theatre change over the years, from a daily ritual for many, to an outmoded form of entertainment, to a re-emergent symbol of Sicily’s culture and heritage. Throughout all of these changes, the 69-year-old has remained dedicated to his art, unable … More Sicily’s puppets and the precious role of the storyteller
During an English lesson in Rome, a student of mine from Palermo was the first to tell me about the patron saint of his town: Saint Rosalia. He explained the story of the “Santuzza” or “Little Saint”, who went to live as a hermit in a cave on Mount Pellegrino, near to the Sicilian capital. … More Palermo’s big night: the festival of Saint Rosalia
If you would like to spend some time in the Rome area while one of the local food festivals, or sagre, are on, one of the best periods to come is toward the end of May/beginning of June, when you can head down to Nemi in the Castelli Romani and take part in the town’s … More Nemi, wild strawberries, and the sacred grove of Diana
