Il Bel Paese visto da fuori

“It’s a common complaint that Rome’s churches are overwhelming: There are too many, they look too much alike, their gilt and marble often speak more to the eye than the soul. During the Jubilee year of 2025, when some 30 million Catholic pilgrims are expected to flock to the Eternal City in search of spiritual […]

“On a hill overlooking the city of Palermo, in Sicily, sits a lesser-known gem of Italian art: the cathedral of Monreale. Built in the 12th century under Norman rule, it boasts Italy’s largest Byzantine-style mosaics, second in the world only to those of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. Now, this Unesco World Heritage site has undergone […]

“Inside a souvenir shop in Assisi, the face of a boy with thick black curly hair smiles out from wall tapestries, fridge magnets and key rings, outshining the flying cherubim, snow globes and other religious trinkets that cram the shelves”. Fonte: The Guardian Autore: Angela Giuffrida Link: Assisi braces for visitor influx as Jubilee year […]

“A sequence of takeover bids by UniCredit, Italy’s second-largest bank, has unleashed a financial war in the north of Italy, dividing Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni’s coalition and prompting it to consider the controversial use of executive powers to get its way”. Fonte: Politico Autore: Ben Munster, Carlo Martuscelli and Francesca Micheletti Link: Why an Italian […]

“Italian crime bosses and the far-right are tapping into the muscle and money-spinning activities of hardline ‘ultra’ soccer fans in several Italian cities, with mobsters even seeking to take control of some smaller clubs, according to Italy’s leading anti-mafia prosecutor”. Fonte: Reuters Autore: Emilio Parodi e Elvira Pollina Link: Mafia infiltration of soccer ‘ultras’ spreads […]

“Italy’s growth rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic is petering out much faster than expected as structural weaknesses resurface, raising risks for the fragile public finances of the euro zone’s third largest economy”. Fonte: Reuters Autore: Gavin Jones Link: Italy’s growth bubble bursts to reveal fragile outlook

“Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government is racing to push through a budget that fulfils tax-cutting pledges while trimming its deficit, as Rome seeks to maintain the market’s confidence in Italy’s fiscal rectitude”. Fonte: Financial Times Autore: Amy Kazmin Link: Giorgia Meloni races to finalise budget to affirm markets’ faith in Italy

“A few years ago, it would have been unimaginable that Italy would be home to one of the most stable governments in Europe. Italian coalition administrations tended to last just over a year before collapsing, making Italy predictably unpredictable”. Fonte: CNN Autore: Barbie Latza Nadeau Link: How Italy’s PM Meloni could bridge the gap between […]

“Italy’s Bardonecchia was named Europe’s best-value skiing resort for a second year running according to a new report, as British skiers benefited from a stronger pound”. Fonte: Financial Times Autore: Jamie John Link: Italy’s Bardonecchia ski resort ‘best value’ in Europe