ITALIA MIA, ITALY AND ITALIAN CULTURE

Latest Articles about Italy

Where to Stay in Every Italian Region: The Best Bases for Exploring Italy

Travel

A region-by-region guide to choosing where to stay in Italy, with practical bases for city breaks, beaches, mountain holidays and countryside itineraries.

10 Best Hotels in Sorrento: Where to Stay for Sea Views and Italian Style

Travel

My selection of the ten best hotels in Sorrento includes historic luxury landmarks, romantic boutique hotels, waterfront properties and convenient places to stay near Piazza Tasso.

Luciano Pavarotti: Life, Voice, Operas and Enduring Legacy

Biographies

Luciano Pavarotti rose from modest beginnings in Modena to become the world’s most recognizable opera singer. This comprehensive biography examines his training, greatest roles, celebrated high notes, recordings, Three Tenors concerts, humanitarian work, private life and lasting influence on Italian opera.

Dante Alighieri: Life, Exile, Works and the Divine Comedy

Biographies

Dante Alighieri turned love, political conflict and exile into the Divine Comedy, one of the greatest achievements in world literature. This complete biography examines his life in medieval Florence, his relationship with Beatrice, his political downfall, his major writings, the structure and meaning of his masterpiece, and the Italian places where his memory remains alive.

Top 10 Hotels in Verona: Best Places to Stay from Trip.com

Travel

My selection of the ten best hotels in Verona from Trip.com includes historic five-star properties, romantic boutique hotels, spa accommodation and practical options near the Arena and Porta Nuova station.

10 Best Hotels in Sicily: Luxury Resorts, Historic Palaces and Island Retreats

Travel

My selection of ten outstanding Sicily hotels on Trip.com includes historic palaces, beachfront resorts, Mount Etna retreats and unforgettable properties in Taormina, Palermo, Syracuse and the Aeolian Islands.

The Best Italian Towns Within 90 Minutes of Rome, Florence or Milan

Travel

Escape Italy’s biggest cities for a day. This practical guide compares 15 rewarding towns near Rome, Florence and Milan, including approximate travel times, essential sights and booking resources.

Enrico Fermi: The Italian Physicist Who Ushered In the Nuclear Age

Biographies

Enrico Fermi was an Italian physicist whose work transformed quantum mechanics and nuclear science. From the Via Panisperna laboratory in Rome to the first controlled nuclear chain reaction in Chicago, his discoveries permanently changed science—and the world.

Niccolò Machiavelli: Biography, Books and Political Ideas

Biographies

Niccolò Machiavelli was a Florentine diplomat, historian, playwright and political thinker whose direct examination of power transformed political writing. His biography reveals a committed servant of the Florentine Republic, an insightful observer of Renaissance rulers and a far more complex figure than the familiar meaning of “Machiavellian” suggests.

Best Italian Products on Amazon.com

Italian Shopping

Discover 34 outstanding Italian products available on Amazon, including traditional foods, espresso makers, cookware, designer accessories, beauty essentials and gift ideas.

Taxes in Italy for Expats and Foreign Residents

Living in Italy

A practical guide to Italian taxes for expats and foreign residents, covering tax residence, worldwide income, IRPEF, overseas assets, pensions, property and available incentives.

How to Book Museum and Attraction Tickets in Italy: A City-by-City Guide

Travel

Plan your Italian cultural journey with advance-ticket options for 30 museums, monuments and attractions across ten popular destinations.

The Mosaics of Italy: Ravenna, Rome, Sicily and Beyond

Art

Italy’s mosaics tell more than two thousand years of artistic history. Explore Roman villas, Ravenna’s Early Christian monuments, the golden churches of Rome and Venice, and Sicily’s extraordinary Norman-Byzantine masterpieces.

The Italian Movida: Nightlife, Youth Culture and the Best Places to Experience It

Lifestyle

The Italian movida brings young people, bars, music and street life together after dark. Learn where it originated, why it remains popular, the problems it creates and the best places to experience it across Italy.

Registering Your Residence in Italy: The Complete Residenza Guide

Living in Italy

A practical guide to registering residenza in Italy, from housing and immigration documents to the municipal police check, application deadlines and common mistakes.

Tu or Lei? How Formal and Informal Italian Really Work

Language

Tu and Lei both mean “you,” but the choice expresses familiarity, respect, distance and social context. This practical guide explains how Italians select between them in conversations, workplaces, shops, restaurants and formal correspondence.

Winter Sports in Italy: Best Destinations for Skiing, Snowboarding and Ice Skating

Travel

Explore Italy’s leading winter-sports destinations, including the Dolomites, Cervinia, Livigno, Bormio, Madonna di Campiglio and Roccaraso, with practical advice for skiing, snowboarding and ice skating.

Venice’s 10 Best Hotels: Luxury Palaces, Canal Views and Romantic Stays

Travel

Compare ten outstanding Venice hotels, including historic palaces, romantic canal-side properties, boutique retreats and luxury resorts listed on Trip.com.

An English-language guide to Italian culture, travel, people and products, written with an Italian perspective

Discover Italy with Italia Mia

Italia Mia is an online guide to Italy, Italian culture and everyday Italian life. Whether you are planning a journey, researching your Italian heritage, considering a move or simply fascinated by the country, you will find practical information and original articles written for an international audience.

Plan Your Journey Through Italy

Explore our Italy travel guides for inspiring destinations, suggested itineraries, transportation advice, hotels, museums and practical planning tips. Our Italian regions section travels across all 20 regions—from celebrated destinations such as Tuscany, Sicily, Puglia and Veneto to less familiar corners of Abruzzo, Molise, Basilicata and Friuli-Venezia Giulia.

We look beyond the famous landmarks to introduce historic towns, beaches, mountain landscapes, archaeological sites and local traditions. Whether you want to travel through Italy by train, plan a road trip or choose the best base for a longer stay, Italia Mia can help you experience the country more confidently.

Experience Italian Culture, Food and Creativity

Italy’s identity has been shaped by centuries of art, architecture, cinema, music, literature and craftsmanship. Our Italian culture articles explore these subjects through accessible guides, detailed biographies and stories about the people and ideas that influenced Italy and the wider world.

Discover the masters of Italian art, the directors and actors of Italian cinema, the traditions of Italian music and the regional dishes featured in our Italian food and cuisine section.

Living in Italy

Italy is not only a destination—it is also home. Our practical guides to living in Italy cover visas, residency, employment, healthcare, housing, taxes, retirement, bureaucracy and the real cost of everyday life. They are designed for expats, retirees, dual citizens, digital nomads and anyone considering a permanent or temporary move.

You can also meet the artists, filmmakers, musicians, writers and public figures who have shaped the country in our collection of Italian biographies.

Italy Today and the Best of Made in Italy

Follow Italian news in English for selected headlines, useful context and links to authoritative sources. For Italian design, fashion and craftsmanship, browse our Italian shopping guides featuring established brands and distinctive products made or designed in Italy.

From ancient Rome to contemporary Italian life, Italia Mia brings together the destinations, traditions, people and ideas that make Italy endlessly fascinating. Benvenuti—welcome to Italia Mia.