How a Lagoon City Became a Crossroads of Cultures

Venice is often celebrated for its shimmering canals, magnificent architecture, and enduring romance. But during the Renaissance, this improbable city built in a lagoon was more than just a beautiful backdrop—it was one of Europe’s most important hubs for commerce, culture, and, above all, migration.
And this extended to Venetian cuisine, a direct product of migration....

Design Your Italy is a highly personalized one-woman travel consultation company that helps travelers discover Italy in a way that is intimate, unique, and authentically local. On this episode we chatted about some of Sicily's most evocative destinations—from the hilltop town of Erice to the windswept volcanic islands of Pantelleria and the Aeolian archipelago. If you're looking for the ultimate Italy travel planner to help you explore Sicily, Vanya is a name you should know. Tune in to learn more and explore Italian islands with us - think Sicily, Pantelleria, the Aeolian islands....

More chocolate stories in this delicious Part 2 Episode!

A Deep Dive into Italian Chocolate, From Modica to Nutella and Beyond Italy might be most famous for pasta, pizza, and wine, but there’s another delicious element of Italian culture that’s often overlooked: Italian chocolate. And right now, it’s having a major moment in the global spotlight. Why? Because the legendary Italian chocolate and confectionery empire Ferrero—the family-owned company behind Nutella, Ferrero Rocher, and Kinder—has just acquired Kellogg’s in a $31 billion deal. This acquisition isn’t just a business story—it’s the latest chapter in the rich, complex, and utterly delicious story of Italian chocolate.

A Deep Dive into Italian Chocolate, From Modica to Nutella and Beyond

Italy might be most famous for pasta, pizza, and wine, but there’s another delicious element of Italian culture that’s often overlooked: Italian chocolate. And right now, it’s having a major moment in the global spotlight. Why? Because the legendary Italian chocolate and confectionery empire Ferrero—the family-owned company behind Nutella, Ferrero Rocher, and Kinder—has just acquired Kellogg’s in a $31 billion deal.
This acquisition isn’t just a business story—it’s the latest chapter in the rich, complex, and utterly delicious story of Italian chocolate.

Best Italian Wines for Summer: a glorious lineup of crisp, zesty, and often under-the-radar Italian wines that are perfect for warm-weather sipping.

When the Italian sun is blazing and lunch stretches lazily into the afternoon, you need a wine that refreshes—not one that weighs you down. On the latest episode of the Flavor of Italy podcast, I chatted once again with Italian wine expert Cynthia Chaplin to talk about the best wines for summer—and as always, Cynthia delivered a glorious lineup of crisp, zesty, and often under-the-radar Italian wines that are perfect for warm-weather sipping.

Photos and links included!

The genius of Leonardo da Vinci remains unparalleled and his works of art and scientific knowledge are world renowned. One thing you might not know about him is that he also cultivated a small piece of land – about 8000 m² (a little under two acres) - as a courtyard vineyard.
In 1498 the Duke of Milan, Ludovico Il Moro, gave this piece of land to da Vinci in part as a form of payment for The Last Supper painting, but above all it was a way to grant Milan citizenship to da Vinci. In some of his writings Leonardo da Vinci talks about his vineyard.
And!...
If you haven't yet read Leonardo da Vinci by Walter Isaacson then it's time you get your hands on the book! It's his life story and shares every fascinating detail about the genius: his art and creativity that encompasses every aspect of life. It's a must-read: “A powerful story of an exhilarating mind and life...a study in creativity: how to define it, how to achieve it.” —The New Yorker.

If you’re in search of short story collections to dive into this summer, The Perfect Fig by S.M. Walker should top your list. In this week's episode of the Flavor of Italy podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Sharon Walker, the English-born, Italy-based author behind this charming and thoughtful work. With a cover featuring luscious figs—my favorite fruit and one I grow myself—this book caught my attention before I read a single page. It turns out that the stories inside are just as irresistible.

How Fungus-Resistant Vines Are Shaping the Future of Italian Wine

A few decades ago, “PIWI wines” sounded like something out of a laboratory experiment. Today they are front-and-center in sustainable viticulture conversations from Alto Adige to Lake Garda—and for good reason. PIWI is an acronym drawn from the German Pilzwiderstandsfähige, meaning “fungus-resistant” vines. These precision-bred crossings can fend off downy and powdery mildew with far fewer chemical treatments than classic Vitis vinifera varieties, offering a timely solution as climate change makes summers ever hotter and more humid in key wine regions.
Listen to this episode to understand what's going on in this sector, see some photos and links to explore even further!