Italian culture

If you love history, libraries and a good student buzz, Bologna is your happy place.

Italy’s most recent UNESCO inscriptions span prehistoric rock-cut tombs, blue‑ceilinged chapels, grand spa culture, ancient roads and delicate gypsum cave systems.

Italy’s UNESCO World Heritage cities in Italy serve up hill towns with frescoed basilicas, elegant medieval centres, grand merchant palaces on marble-lined streets and cave quarters cut into honey-coloured rock.Italy’s most beautiful UNESCO sitesAssisiVerona Ragusa Genoa SienaMateraIt

If you’re hunting for things to do in Lucca, picture a walled Tuscan city where the pace is gentle, the views are timeless, and surprises wait around each corner.

Italy moves on unspoken rules and long‑standing habits. The ten things not to do in Italy are mostly about small courtesies—how you order, how you greet, and how you handle day‑to‑day travel.

Italy does cheese the way nonna does Sunday lunch: with pride and deep regional roots. Across the Alpine pastures, the Po Valley dairies and the sunny farms of Sicily, each area champions its own cheese styles. These are shaped by milk type, ageing traditions and DOP/IGP rules.

Rome is the headline act, but Italy’s Roman ruins outside Rome deliver ancient drama with fewer crowds and gentler prices. Think evocative ports, theatres and mosaics, with straightforward trains and buses to keep things simple.

Fittingly, the birthplace of the Renaissance rewards slow wanderers. Head out on non‑touristy neighbourhood walks in Florence through Santo Spirito, Sant’Ambrogio and the quieter river lanes.

Slip beyond the blockbuster sights and you’ll find Rome’s unusual attractions tucked into cloisters, courtyards and catacombs. Think keyholes framing domes, layered churches and private palazzi with quietly dazzling art.

Hunting down the best gelato in Italy is one of those essential things you have to do when you're here, but it's good to know that gelato is so much more than just ice cream. It's a proper daily ritual, a treat that's taken very seriously and is seen as a true art form.

Strolling through a sunny Italian piazza, it’s easy to think that gelato is just the local word for ice cream. The debate of gelato vs ice cream, however, goes far beyond a simple translation.

While mainly known worldwide for its Grand Prix, the list of things to do in Monza goes far beyond the racetrack. Step away from the circuit and you’ll find one of Europe's largest parks, home to a grand neoclassical palace that gives a real sense of the region's aristocratic past.

Italy’s not exactly shy when it comes to UNESCO World Heritage sites – there are 60 of them dotted from top to toe.

Italy currently boasts an incredible 60 UNESCO World Heritage sites, which is more than any other country on the planet. They aren't all ancient ruins, either. The sites fall into a few categories. Most are 'cultural' sites, which makes sense for Italy, given its incredible history.

Italy isn’t just renowned for its exceptional food and great fashion sense—it's also a living museum, home to more UNESCO World Heritage Sites than any other country on the planet.

Imagine swapping your usual four walls for a whitewashed roundhouse with a quirky pointy hat, right in the heel of Italy’s boot.

Italy and pasta go hand in hand—it's not a cliché, it's just the simple truth.

Pasta dishes in Southern Italy are all about sun-soaked ingredients, sharp flavours and the kind of recipes that have been handed down in local dialects for generations.

Central Italy is where rustic countryside flavours collide with city flair, and the region’s pasta dishes are all about bold simplicity and proudly local ingredients.

Northern Italy’s pasta scene is all about comfort, richness and an eye for proper detail. The region’s love affair with creamy sauces, eggy fresh pastas, and plenty of cheese shines through in each dish, with local ingredients giving classics their unmistakable northern twist.

Tucked away in the rolling hills of northern Tuscany, Barga is one of those small Italian towns that quietly wins you over.

Southern Italy doesn’t make a big fuss—food’s woven into the day almost without thinking.

Italy provides an ideal setting for students to immerse themselves in both the Italian language and lifestyle. Each region offers a unique dialect and cultural flavour, making the experience of learning Italian richly diverse.

With the death of Pope Francis, the world turns its eyes once again to the Vatican: the conclave is about to begin. But how exactly is a new Pope chosen?

Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano has identified the next Capital of Culture 2025: Agrigento. This is an important title that will allow the beautiful Sicilian city to invest 1 million euros in the valorisation of the territory's riches, and gain international and national attention.