Published on Sunday, November 24, 2019 by Kathy McCabe To the delight of art lovers, Italy’s popular free museum Sundays are back. This popular program, which offers free entry on the first Sunday of the month for both Italian and foreign visitors at state-run museums around the country, was introduced in 2014 by Culture Minister Dario Franceschini. About 15 million visitors took advantage of the offering in total Ho...

Published on Sunday, June 16, 2019 by Kathy McCabe Modern technology gives us a closer look at 400 years of Bologna’s history held in the Sala Urbana of the Palazzo d’Accursio. Thanks to a new website, it is possible to discover the wonders of the intricately painted walls and ceilings from your own computer or from computers within the sala. The online portal gives particular insight to the time period in which B...

Published on Friday, April 19, 2019 by Kathy McCabe This summer, travelers seeking nonstop flights to off-the-beaten-path destinations in Italy have one more option. American Airlines will fly nonstop from Philadelphia Airport (PHL) to Bologna four times a week from June 6 to Sept. 29, 2019 on Boeing 767 planes. With the new route, Philadelphia is the only airport in North America to fly directly to Bologna, which m...

Published on Tuesday, February 5, 2019 by Kathy McCabe The city of Bologna is famous for its cuisine and its covered porticoes, but recently it is making headlines for other reasons. From April to September each year, the city’s initiative “Bella Mossa” kicks into full swing. “Bella Mossa” translates to “Good Job” or “Good Move” and it is a way to not only benefit the environment but to be rewarded at th...

Published on Saturday, November 15, 2014 by Kathy McCabe Excellent design features in every aspect of Italian life, from furniture to automobiles to eyeglass frames to grocery packaging. Of course bookstores in our favorite country are well designed—and often also extremely beautiful. This list is of the most visually arresting stores. They aren’t necessarily the ones in which you’ll find titles in English (but isn’...

Published on Wednesday, October 2, 2013 by Kathy McCabe Bologna at 6 a.m. This central Italian city is a dream destination for foodies and cultural enthusiasts.  Explore Bologna with a private walking tour or cooking class. Photo by rufo, flickr.com...

Published on Monday, December 26, 2011 by Kathy McCabe People get into endless debates about the "best" of all the Italian cities. Is Rome better than Florence or Venice better than Milan? It is impossible to pick the best city in Italy but it is definitely possible to categorize them a bit. Two Italian cities have won "best" labels this month - Bologna for livability and Turin for environmental sustainability. A surve...