The Italian state has acquired the celebrated François Tomb from Vulci for €15 million, with the deed of sale signed at the culture ministry in Rome on Friday. In a statement, culture minister Alessandro Giuli descibed the François Tomb as “one of the most important masterpieces of Etruscan and ancient painting”, which will soon be enjoyed by the public. The tomb will be placed on permanent display at the National Etruscan Museum at Villa Giulia in Rome from 25 June, when a major exhibition dedicated to the monument will open. The acquisition…
The Times of Italy
The Letterature Internazionale di Roma (Rome International Literature Festival) celebrates 25 years in 2026 and takes place from 19 to 21 June. Curated by Silvia Barbagallo and Anna Voltaggio, this year’s festival adopts the title Sconfinare, meaning “to cross boundaries” or “trespass”. The overarching theme explores the concept of transcending imposed limitations – whether physical, societal or linguistic – and positions literature as a powerful act of resistance against enforced silences and history written by the few. The festival will once again be staged in the ancient Stadio Palatino, on the…
Moira Egan will present the Rome launch of The Furies, her tenth poetry collection, at John Cabot University in the Trastevere district on Wednesday 24 June at 18.30. The event, part of John Cabot University’s Summer Institute of Creative Writing and Literary Translation, will take place on the Secchia Terrace. Egan is a prize-winning poet and translator whose work has been published in prestigious journals and anthologies on four continents. In The Furies, Egan offers fierce feminist reimaginings of familiar myths and narratives, from Arachne to Echo, from Medusa and Mary Magdalene to…
Italian transport ministry hails “common sense” as major trade unions suspend eight-hour strike, however independent grassroots unions plan to go ahead with their 23-hour walkout. Italy’s national eight-hour rail strike on Thursday 11 June has been suspended after several of the country’s major trade unions called off their planned action following last-minute talks with the government. However, independent grassroots unions vowed to press on with their 23-hour walkout, with effect from 03.00 on Thursday. Suspended strike The eight-hour strike, which had been scheduled from 09.00 to 17.00 on Thursday, was originally called…
A new bridge across the Arno is set to open in Florence this Saturday, creating a long-awaited connection between Bellariva and Parco dell’Anconella, while adding a significant new piece to the city’s expanding tram infrastructure. Before cars begin crossing the structure, however, Florentines themselves will inaugurate the bridge on foot. On Saturday, May 30 at 11.30am, residents are invited to join a public walk across the new span, entering from the via di Villamagna side and proceeding toward Bellariva for the official unveiling ceremony. The bridge will be named after…
Florencehas approved a major expansion of restrictions on new short-term tourist rentals, extending limits beyond the historic UNESCO centre in what city officials are describing as an unprecedented move in Italy. The measure, which was approved on May 26, dramatically enlarges the areas where new Airbnb-style rentals cannot be opened. The restrictions will now cover more than 100,000 residential properties across the Tuscan capital. Until now, the ban applied only to Florence’s UNESCO heritage centre, encompassing 35,593 homes. Under the new plan, an additional 67,780 properties located outside the old…
Palermo residents have taken to the streets in protest over the celebrity wedding celebrations of singer Dua Lipa and British actor Callum Turner, taking place in the Sicilian capital this weekend. Lipa, 30, and Fantastic Beasts star Turner, 36, married in a registry office in London earlier in the week and chose Palermo for their wedding reception. Winner of multiple Grammy Awards, Dua Lipa rose to global superstardom with a string of chart-topping pop hits including Don’t Start Now, Levitating and New Rules. The wedding celebrations in Palermo, estimated to cost around €1.5 million and being…
With 20 issues of Bellissimo on 20 Italian regions now in our rearview mirror — plus a bonus issue on the Vatican — we’re shifting the focus of the magazine to cities, and are kicking things off with perennial favorite, Florence. Our updated format is built around an anchor destination (in this case, Florence) and three day trips in the area that are either underrated (Arezzo, Prato) or misunderstood (Pisa). By omitting some of the “usual suspects” in a Florence special — guides to the Uffizi Gallery, say, or itineraries…
Our Italian Culinary, Cooking & Wine Vacations in Italy: While Tuscany and Umbria hold a special place in our hearts, you might be dreaming of a different Italian destination. We bring our signature family-style hospitality to Chianti, the Amalfi Coast, Bologna, Barolo (Piedmont), Sicily, and more. Each location offers the same intimate group size, hands-on cooking, deep sense of family, and local immersion that make our experiences unique. Explore Our Small-Group Cooking Vacations in Italy. Amalfi Coast: Tuscany & Umbria: Sicily: Northern Italy: Read more ……
“Now the real negotiations start.” The city council has ruled that the construction of the new stadium for AC Milan and Inter is a matter of public interest. The mayor Beppe Sala has however laid down two fundamental conditions that will influence negotiations between the two football teams and the council: the regeneration of San Siro and a reduction in size. “I’m happy with the decision, but the project is not acceptable as it stands. The requested stadium size is excessive and unrealistic, and efforts must be made to safeguard…