10 Favorite Reads on Italy this Week: May 16

Favorite Reads on Italy (FRI) is a weekly roundup published on Fridays featuring interesting articles, fascinating experiences, and handy resources that I’ve come across that week.

Postcard from Italy – View from Erice, Sicily

This week’s roundup includes reopening of rooms in the Uffizi,  traveling in Sicily by public transport, recipe using fresh, seasonal ingredients, and more.

Culture and Travel

Uffizi Gallery to reopen Renaissance art rooms after €600,000 gift by The Guardian – Thanks to donations from luxury goods company Salvatore Ferragamo, the Uffizi will “renovate and reopen eight rooms showing Renaissance art”. If you are planning a visit to the Uffizi, get more out of your visit with the Uffizi Art History app.

Getting around Sicily by public transport by Italy Beyond the Obvious – Extremely handy article especially if you don’t plan to drive while in Sicily. Oh yeah, don’t forget to bring along a lot of patience with you.

A Working Vacation on an Umbrian Farm by The New York Times – If you love farm stays and want just a bit more action, you might be interested in this organization where you can get your hands dirty.

Rome museum opens windows on grand masters during spring heatwave by The Guardian – It always breaks my heart to read about not having the budget for basic maintenance, in this case air conditioning, and in turn, puts masterpieces at risk. You’ve got to wonder where all the money goes from the sales of tickets.

Italian Voice Actors Show Their Faces by The New Yorker – A fabulous article that reveals the faces behind the voices of Italians who dubbed famous actors and actresses. They do a great job at it too.

One Italian Family’s Tradition of Handcrafted Tiles by The Wall Street Journal – We love handcrafted tiles and the evidence of that can be found in our bathroom and kitchen. While the article mentioned that the tiles are used to decorate luxury homes, it works well in simple homes too – like ours.

Food and Drinks

Eating Well Above the Plain in Nicola by A Path To Lunch – I was drooling just looking at the pictures and if you are traveling in the lower part of Lunigiana, this looks like a worthwhile stop.

Vignarola ovvero come cucino le verdure primaverili by Burro e Alici (in Italian) – Simple, fresh, seasonal ingredients used to make this delectable dish.

Life in Italy

Discovering Levanto – touring the old town by Girl in Florence – While most visitors head to Cinque Terre, Georgette went off-the-beaten path and also stopped to discover this charming town in the shadows of the renowned Cinque Terre.

Rome – Simmering with Sensuality for Centuries by Mozzarella Mamma – Talking about getting off-the-beaten path, Trisha shares incredible insights into a tour she recently went on called “Courtesans of Rome” that “delves into some of the most famous Roman love stories, visiting the villas of some of the city’s prominent courtesans, and learning about the women who seduced Cardinals and artists and whose faces can be found on the walls of the Louvre and the Vatican Museums”. Got your attention, didn’t it?

Have you come across any great reads or resources on Italy this week? Share them with us in the comments below.