ITALIA MIA, ITALY AND ITALIAN CULTURE

An English-language magazine about Italian culture, travel, people and products, written with an Italian perspective

Read our Latest Articles about Italy and Italian Culture

Biographies

Francesco Guccini: Songs, Stories and the Voice of a Generation

From “Auschwitz” and “La locomotiva” to his novels and memories of Pàvana, Francesco Guccini gave generations of Italians songs to sing, question and remember.

Italian Movies

The Leopard (Il Gattopardo): Visconti’s Sicilian Epic of Power and Change

Luchino Visconti’s The Leopard follows a Sicilian prince confronting a changing Italy. A guide to its story, cast, awards, locations, different versions and viewing options.

Unexpected Italy: Stories from My Recent Travels

The Deer That Met My Eyes Above Lake Garda

I went to a Lake Garda spa retreat with a friend for a relaxing break. In the mountains, an unexpected encounter with a deer gave me a peaceful sensation I had never felt before.

Gifts & Books

Children’s Books

Find an Italian children’s book for every stage of reading, from colorful picture books to imaginative stories and chapter-book adventures.

Gifts & Books

10 Essential Books for Understanding Italian History

A reading path through Italy’s past: ten books that explain its regions, rulers, national unification, and modern political life.

Italian Movies

Divorce Italian Style: Pietro Germi’s Brilliant Comedy of Marriage, Murder and Hypocrisy

Marcello Mastroianni turns a murderous Sicilian baron into an unforgettable comic character in Pietro Germi’s satire of marriage, honor and hypocrisy.

Italian Movies

8½ (Otto e mezzo): Fellini Turns a Creative Crisis into Cinema

A director cannot find his next film, and Fellini turns his crisis into one of cinema’s most inventive stories. Here is a guide to 8½, from its cast and awards to where you can watch or buy it.

Living in Italy

All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day in Italy: Traditions, Closures and What Travelers Should Know

November 1 is a national holiday in Italy; November 2 is a day of remembrance. Here is how both dates affect traditions, opening hours and travel plans.

Unexpected Italy: Stories from My Recent Travels

The Road Through the Maremma to Saturnia

Three friends leave the Tuscan coast after Follonica, cross the open landscape of the Maremma and stay at Agriturismo Il Torrione before experiencing the thermal pools of Saturnia.

Unexpected Italy: Stories from My Recent Travels

The Naples We Found Beyond the Grotta di Seiano

A long gallery through the Posillipo hillside led us to one of the most memorable places a local friend showed us in Naples: the ruins of a Roman villa overlooking the coast.

Italian Movies

Rome, Open City (Roma città aperta): The Film That Changed Italian Cinema

Roberto Rossellini filmed occupied Rome while the war was still fresh. Here is why Rome, Open City remains essential, and how to find it in the U.S. or Italy.

Unexpected Italy: Stories from My Recent Travels

From Viareggio to Fiumalbo: A Day Across the Apennines

A morning on the coast becomes an afternoon in a medieval mountain village on a day trip from Viareggio, through Bagni di Lucca and Abetone, to Fiumalbo.

Unexpected Italy: Stories from My Recent Travels

Portovenere: Where the Road Ends at the Gulf of Poets

At the end of Portovenere, the striped Church of San Pietro stands directly above the Ligurian Sea. This personal journey through the Gulf of Poets explores a less hurried alternative to the Cinque Terre, along with the real history and enduring legends of Byron, Shelley and the writers drawn to this coast.

Unexpected Italy: Stories from My Recent Travels

Two Days in Bolsena: Between Friends and the Lake

A two-day visit to friends becomes an introduction to Bolsena’s volcanic lake, medieval fortress, Basilica of Santa Cristina and the smaller lakeside towns of Marta and Capodimonte.

Gifts & Books

10 Italian Christmas Gifts for Men

A personal selection of ten Italian Christmas gifts for men, with ideas for coffee lovers, writers, hosts, food lovers and men who appreciate classic style.

Unexpected Italy: Stories from My Recent Travels

The Sketch That Followed Me Through Pietrasanta

A coastal bike ride becomes an afternoon in Pietrasanta, with aperitivo, a walk among the square’s artworks, and a fictionalized chance encounter that changes the view.

Gifts & Books

10 Italy Travel Books Worth Packing or Reading Before You Go

Choose an Italy guidebook that fits your route, then find a travel memoir or collection of essays to bring the journey to life.

Unexpected Italy: Stories from My Recent Travels

Getting Lost in Genoa Was the Best Part

After visiting the Genoa Aquarium with a friend, I followed the old streets toward San Lorenzo and took a wrong turn. What followed—a small shop, a plate of farinata and a local conversation—showed me a Genoa I would have missed on the direct route.

Unexpected Italy: Stories from My Recent Travels

What Happened After I Left the Leaning Tower

After visiting the Leaning Tower, I kept walking through Pisa’s university streets, market square and riverfront—and found the working city hidden in plain sight beyond Piazza dei Miracoli.

Hotels & Stays

30 Highly Rated Hotels for Short Stays in Italy: Three Choices in 10 Destinations

Three well reviewed hotel choices in each of ten Italian destinations, with location advice, useful features and clearly dated Expedia price examples.

Plan Your Trip

Why an eSIM Makes Traveling in Italy Easier: A Practical Guide to Staying Connected

A travel eSIM can put maps, tickets, messages, and bookings within reach as soon as you arrive in Italy. Here is how it works, when it makes financial sense, and what to check before buying.

Italian Movies

Cinema Paradiso: Sicily, Memory and a Lifelong Love of Movies

Giuseppe Tornatore’s Cinema Paradiso brings together Sicily, childhood, friendship and the love of movies. Read about its story, awards, filming locations, different versions and viewing options.

Italian Movies

Bicycle Thieves (1948): The Italian Film That Made a Stolen Bicycle Matter to the World

A stolen bicycle puts one family’s future at risk in Vittorio De Sica’s landmark of Italian neorealism. Here is why the film still matters and where to watch it.

Unexpected Italy: Stories from My Recent Travels

A Venetian Memory: Venice, Murano and the Magic of Glass

A nostalgic journey through Venice and Murano with a friend, staying on the Lido, getting lost in Venice, visiting the Cenedese glass foundry, and bringing home two beautiful pieces of Murano glass.

BOOK YOUR FLIGHT, HOTEL, CAR IN ITALY WITH EXPEDIA

Discover Italy with Italia Mia

Italia Mia is an online magazine about 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.