Culture
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Latest page update: 19 November 2024
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By Dion Protani
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Italian culture has evolved through thousands of years and some of the most important eras of human development. To explain it all in one go is impossible but we can take time to explore different aspects of the Italian way of life among the pages in this section.
My personal journey through Italy has opened my eyes to many sides of the country that I hadn't previously thought about and it's absolutely the case that the more you delve, the more your curiosity is piqued with new areas of interest. Day to day life in the country can frustrate and amaze in equal measure so let's start to discover this fascinating country. |
Statue of David, Galleria dell'Accademia, Florence
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Related links
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Even if you have no more than a passing interest in architecture, you can't help but sit up and take notice of the buildings that surround you in Italy. They are the most obvious legacy of the country's history and were typically designed to make an impact.
The fact that that impact is still felt in such a big way to the modern visitor is testament to the awe-inspiring buildings that were first seen in the Roman world before developing through history. The guide to Italian architectural styles is designed to help identify which buildings belong to which eras, right through from the earliest Roman structures to the architecture of the 20th century. |
Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana, Rome
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A series of articles looking at a wide variety of subjects concerning the Italian lifestyle from Campanilismo to Italian coffee culture and the north south political divide.
The first in the series of articles looked at the Anglicisation of Italian Place Names and why it's still happening, followed by What is Campanilismo? In a nutshell it's the Italian version of pride in one's home town but explored in greater depth in the article. The Italian North South Divide discusses the differences between the two halves of the country while Italian Coffee Culture provides tips on enjoying your favourite morning tipple while on holiday. |
Campanile di Santa Sofia, Benevento
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The subject of Italian History is the amazing story of three thousand years of civilisation on the peninsula.
That story incorporates the Romans and the huge imprint they left on the world which is still tangible today, particularly in Italy where there are so many archaeological sites and other buildings. Even before we get to the Romans, we need to tell the story of the Etruscans and the Greeks that came before them, and as time goes on, the history becomes much more detailed. Every period of Italian history is explained from the first Etruscan civilisations to the Coronavirus pandemic of 2020. |
Ostia Antica, Lazio
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It's unlikely that anyone would plan a trip to Italy without first having a slight inkling as to what people eat here. Italian food is renowned throughout the world and provides some of the most famous dishes that we now take for granted such as pizza and pasta, to give two of the most obvious examples.
However, what may not be as obvious to the first time visitor is how different the food is in different parts of the country. Within the Italian Cuisine by Region section we look at the traditional dishes for each area in Italy. Every one of the official twenty regions has its own special, delicious dishes to discover. |
Traditional food in Mantua, Lombardy
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The Italy Review Blog is written periodically, either to inform of the latest travel information, particularly important since the beginning of the pandemic, or a wide range of other topics.
One of the main features of the blog is to focus on a particular place in Italy and explain what you might find there such as in the recently written guide to the town of Gubbio in Umbria. It also provides an opportunity to look at the latest goings on in the country, be they at a political or cultural level, new museum openings or gallery exhibitions, traditional events or anything else that might be of interest at the time of writing. |
Gubbio, Umbria
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An important part of a visit to Italy is to understand some of the cultural differences that exist around daily life.
Italian opening times quite often differ from those in other countries which can be a source of confusion or even frustration for the unprepared. In many western countries shops and other businesses stay open all day and in some cases, every day of the week. The situation in Italy is a little bit more nuanced and takes a little while to get used to; the biggest difference being the lunch-time closure in retail and the varied opening times of places to eat. Click the green link above to see how it all works in Italy. |
Quadrilatero della Moda, Milan
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An exciting new feature on the website in 2024 is the launch of our new quarterly magazine.
From Spring 2024 you'll be able to subscribe to and download the magazine which will be available as a pdf at the beginning of each new season. The Italy Review Magazine as it's called will focus on everything to do with Italian life, tourism and travel. We'll be talking about everything from where to find the best pizzas to simply showcasing something beautiful. There'll also be no end to the quirky side of Italian life such as the mural town of Dozza in Emilia Romagna. |
Dozza, Emilia Romagna
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