Instantly Italy

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[Hidden Italy] San Pellegrino Terme, the City of Water and Much More

If you want to read this article in Italian, you can find a downloadable bilingual PDF file in
Your Italian Toolbox, the page where I upload all language-learning materials, under the section Miscellaneous (You can access the page by subscribing to my newsletter.)

San Pellegrino is a very famous Italian name, in Italy and abroad. 

If you go to an Italian restaurant and ask for some sparkling water, it is quite likely that you’ll end up with a bottle of San Pellegrino, whose green bottle with a red star on the label is quite iconic.

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[Hidden Italy] Crespi d’Adda, a UNESCO World Heritage Workers’ Village near Bergamo

If you want to read this article in Italian, you can find a downloadable bilingual PDF file in
Your Italian Toolbox, the page where I upload all language-learning materials, under the section Miscellaneous (You can access the page by subscribing to my newsletter.)

The first time I heard about Crespi d’Adda was in a book.

The name Crespi was not new to me because I had heard of the spectacular Villa Crespi, a world-renowned hotel with a Michelin-star restaurant on Lake Orta in Piedmont, and I also knew of Giulia Maria Crespi, the founder of FAI, the National Trust for Italy. But I have to admit that I didn’t know anything about the Crespi family.

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10 Reasons Why You Should Include Ferrara in Your Italy Itinerary

If you want to read this article in Italian, you can find a downloadable bilingual PDF file in
Your Italian Toolbox, the page where I upload all language-learning materials, under the section Miscellaneous (You can access the page by subscribing to my newsletter)

“Do you have a place to recommend in Italy?” is one of the most common questions I get.

Many people have already visited all the most popular places in Italy and are looking for something different. Others do not like crowds and long queues for museums and attractions. Others are interested in being among locals and experiencing a genuine, lesser-known location. Well, I think I have the perfect place to recommend for all those different needs!

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[Hidden Italy] Santuario di Vicoforte: Seeing a Church from a Different Point of View

If you want to read this article in Italian, you can find a downloadable bilingual PDF file in
Your Italian Toolbox, the page where I upload all language-learning materials, under the section Miscellaneous (You can access the page by subscribing to my newsletter.)

Piedmont offers a truly unique experience that I have been meaning to try for a very long time.

I live in Liguria, but my town is quite close to Cuneo and its province, so I know the area quite well. It’s a common destination for day trips because there is a lot to see there (and great restaurants to try!). There’s a place in particular that is quite popular: Vicoforte.

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What To Do in Ivrea, an Unsung Gem in the North of Italy

Subscribe to the Vespa rides and get full access to Your Italian Toolbox, a library of language learning materials that you can use to practice Italian.

“Can you recommend an off-the-beaten-path location in Italy?” is a question I get quite frequently.

TheHidden Italy section in this blog was born precisely as a way to answer that question and shine a light on lesser-known places that, in my opinion, deserve wider recognition. And this is absolutely the case with Ivrea, a quaint little town in northern Piedmont, which I recently visited.

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[Hidden Italy] A Castle Inhabited by the Same Family for 900 Years

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One of my favorite hobbies is visiting the precious historic buildings that make Italy so unique and special.

I love history and art, so every visit to one of these places is a chance to learn more about Italy’s past and life in the country. This is why I am a proud member of FAI, the Fondo Ambiente Italiano, a non-profit organization whose role is to protect and enhance Italy’s historical and artistic heritage.

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[Hidden Italy] A Tiny Bookshop in a Remote Village in Tuscany

Subscribe to the Vespa rides and get full access to Your Italian Toolbox, a library of language learning materials that you can use to practice Italian.

Opening a bookshop, these days, is an act of courage. And doing it in an unknown and remote village is definitely not for the faint of heart. 

But sometimes these acts of craziness are rewarded because they change people’s lives, and this is exactly what happened to Alba Donati and her Libreria sopra la penna.

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[Hidden Italy] A Castle in Piedmont That Takes You Back in Time

If you want to read this article in Italian, you can find a downloadable bilingual PDF file in
Your Italian Toolbox, the page where I upload all language-learning materials, under the section Miscellaneous (You can access the page by subscribing to my newsletter.)

There is a castle in Piedmont that makes you feel as if you are in a 19th-century novel. 

It is the Miradolo Castle near Pinerolo, a fascinating small town at the entrance to the Chisone Valley, at the foot of the Alps, southwest of Turin.

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[Hidden Italy] There Are Still Some Non-Touristy Areas in Tuscany

Subscribe to the Vespa rides and get full access to Your Italian Toolbox, a library of language learning materials that you can use to practice Italian.

As hard as it may seem, finding areas in Tuscany that are off the beaten path is still possible.

Even though Tuscany is a very popular tourist destination – which is perfectly understandable since it is so gorgeous! – and places are usually quite crowded in the region, there are still some lesser-known areas that are very beautiful and full of things to see and discover.

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[Italian Travels] Two Historic Villas At Lake Como That Will Take Your Breath Away

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If you have been reading this blog for a while, you know I love visiting villas.

Whenever I go somewhere, I always make a point of finding interesting historic villas – and possibly beautiful gardens – to visit. One of my favorite houses in Italy is Villa Necchi Campiglio in Milan while one of the quirkiest and most eclectic ones I visited recently is Villa Grock in Imperia, not far from where I live.

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