Instantly Italy

Italian language, culture and travel tips

[Italian Books] Eva Dorme, A Book About a Long-Forgotten Cultural Issue in Italian Contemporary History

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Are you interested in Italian contemporary history? Do you think you know everything about it? Well, there might be something you still don’t know. 

It is an issue that has to do with Alto Adige, or South Tyrol, as it is known in English, and what is now the autonomous province of Bolzano. Alto Adige is part of Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy’s northernmost region, which is now famous for the amazing mountains, some of the highest in Europe, and the breathtaking views of the Dolomites.

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Are you Looking for Some Good Italian Movies? Here Are Ten of My Favorites

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I can’t say I am movie expert but watching a good movie is definitely one of my most favorite pastimes. 

When you are tired or feeling a bit down or simply in need of a boost of energy, sitting on the couch and watching a movie is just the perfect thing to do. Movies can change your mood, make you dream, make you want to go out and explore new places, and also make you discover new cultures.

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La domenica italiana: How Italians spend their Sunday in a little provincial town

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How’s daily life in Italy? What do Italians usually do? How Italians spend their Sunday, for example?

These are some of the questions I get asked quite frequently, by either students or newsletter readers. It’s always difficult for me to answer this kind of questions, as I have the feeling that each of us lives his or her own life and it is really difficult to generalize.

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Feel like watching a film? Here’s a list of some of the best recent Italian movies

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Autumn is just the perfect time to curl up on the sofa and watch a good movie. 

If during summer months I am barely at home, trying to be outside as much as I can, in autumn things change quite a bit. I usually have dinner quite early at night – most of the times at 7 pm, which is pretty early for Italian standards – and then I sit on the sofa with my dog and a comfy blanket, ready for a wild night either with a book or with Netflix.

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[Italian Phrases] Facciamo merenda?

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Sometimes phrases convey a meaning that goes beyond their literal one. 

No matter of well you know a language, there’ll always be hues of meaning that you might not immediately get until a native explains them to you or until you spend some time in the country where such language is spoken.

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[Italian books] A contemporary Italian writer I am sure you will fall in love with

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I have recently discovered a new Italian writer which you absolutely need to know! 

Her name is Donatella Di Pietrantonio and I am sure that – once you know her – you will love her work as much as I do. She has written three books so far: I have read two of them in the last couple of weeks and I loved them so much that I immediately wanted to share such love with you!

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Trying to understand Italy while traveling by train: Tim Parks’ Italian Ways

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What is the best way to know a foreign country?

Over the last 30 years or so, Tim Parks has tried to understand Italy in every possible way. As a matter of fact, as Parks says, “Italy is not a country for beginners” and it takes some time to go beyond the surface and dive deeper into Italian culture and lifestyle, in order to understand certain behaviors and attitudes.

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Hygge vs. La bella vita: How The Italian Lifestyle Can Help You Enjoy Life At Its Best

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The concept of hygge has been really popular, lately. 

If you have never heard about it though, let me explain you a little bit. Hygge  – according to the Cambridge dictionary – is “a Danish word for a quality of cosiness (= feeling warm, comfortable, and safe) that comes from doing simple things such as lighting candles, baking, or spending time at home with your family”.

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13 Classic Books Every Italian Has Read When in School

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Or, to say it better: 13 classic books every Italian SHOULD have read when in school. 

Let’s be honest: how many of you have read all the classics that have been assigned to you, when you were a student? Well, I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be a liar and I can easily tell you that I haven’t. I was a good student and have always loved reading, but some of the assigned reads stayed on my desk almost untouched.

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[Italian Phrases] Io porto le paste!

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There are very few things more Italian than a Sunday lunch. 

Even if habits are slowly changing nowadays, Sunday lunches are still a staple in the life on every Italian. It might not be that we have a Sunday lunch every single week, but it is still something which is quite common to do.

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