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LA BELLA VITA

La Bella Vita: Italian pastries and the best events to enjoy in June

From finding the best cultural events this month to enjoying the classic Italian breakfast, our weekly newsletter La Bella Vita offers you an essential starting point for eating, talking, drinking and living like an Italian.

La Bella Vita: Italian pastries and the best events to enjoy in June
Cornetti for sale in Naples. Photo by Nicole Arango Lang on Unsplash

As the days lengthen and the weather warms, life moves outdoors and Italy’s cultural calendar becomes filled with open-air events and festivities. 

In fact, there were so many interesting events listed this month that we had trouble choosing between them, but here are eight of the most unmissable shows, festivals, regattas and more happening up and down the country this June.

Eight events to look forward to in Italy this June

Italy is well known for being a great beach holiday destination, with something for every holidaymaker, though it pays to be aware that many areas get very crowded in peak season and, unfortunately, not all beaches are kept in pristine condition.

To help you plan a beach trip taking in the very best – and cleanest – beaches in the country this summer, here’s our map and guide based on the latest Blue Flag listings, which show that the number of high quality beaches in Italy has grown once again this year.

MAP: Which regions of Italy have the most Blue Flag beaches in 2023?

If you prefer to spend your summer soaking up Italy’s cultural heritage, now is the best time to visit the museums and galleries – not just because the seasonal crowds are yet to fully descend, but because this is the cheapest tickets are going to be. (In fact, if you go this weekend you may be able to get in completely for free.)

Florence’s Uffizi galleries, where the price of a single ticket went up from 20 to 25 euros in March. Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP

Ticket prices at all of Italy’s most famous cultural attractions have risen over the past year, and they’re only set to rise further – not just because of inflation making everything more expensive, but because of a temporary government measure plus a push by the culture ministry to get more of Italy’s attractions to raise their ticket prices.

Find out more in the below article:

REVEALED: How much more will Italian museums cost this summer?

This week on The Local we also looked at one of the daily food-related dilemmas you might run into if you often travel to different parts of Italy.

There are plenty of differences between Italy’s northern and southern regions, and one you might have noticed is that the daily breakfast pastry served (and quickly devoured) along with a frothy cappuccino at the local bar-pasticceria might have a different name depending on where you go.

In most parts of the country people will call this pastry a cornetto, but if you have friends from northern Italy they’re more likely to enjoy a brioche. Still others might order a croissant.

But why is that and are we always talking about the same thing?

Here’s what’s behind the different names and how you can tell these pastries apart:

Italian pastries: Is it a cornetto, croissant or brioche?

Remember if you’d like to have this weekly newsletter sent straight to your inbox you can sign up for it via Newsletter preferences in “My Account”.

Is there an aspect of the Italian way of life you’d like to see us write more about? Please email me at [email protected].

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LA BELLA VITA

La Bella Vita: Must-try Roman foods and alternative places to visit in Veneto

From enjoying typical Roman culinary delicacies to exploring the region of Veneto beyond Venice, our weekly newsletter La Bella Vita offers you an essential starting point for eating, talking, drinking and living like an Italian.

La Bella Vita: Must-try Roman foods and alternative places to visit in Veneto

La Bella Vita is our regular look at the real culture of Italy – from language to cuisine, manners to art. This newsletter is published weekly and you can receive it directly to your inbox, by going to newsletter preferences in ‘My Account’ or following the instructions in the newsletter box below.

Italian cuisine is incredibly diverse, with culinary traditions, recipes and delicacies varying greatly from region to region, or even from city to city in some cases.

Rome and the surrounding Lazio are no exception as the region boasts a 2,000-year-old food scene that truly has something for all tastes and preferences. 

From typical pasta dishes such as cacio e pepe, amatriciana, and carbonara to deep-fried artichokes and finger-licking street food, we’ve put together a list of the Roman specialities you should try at least once.

15 typical Roman foods you need to try at least once

Gnocchi are a Roman favourite, particularly on one day of the week. Photo by Neilson Barnard / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP.

With prestigious attractions such as the Doge’s Palace and Saint Mark’s Basilica, and its timeless aura as the world’s most romantic city, Venice is one of the most popular Italian destinations among international visitors.

This, however, means that many of its sites and central areas often get hopelessly crowded during peak tourist season, with visitors frequently facing long queues and disheartening waiting times.

Whether you’ve already visited Venice multiple times or you just want to escape the chaos of the summer months, you may be happy to know that the Veneto region is home to many wonders beyond the ‘floating city’, with plenty of small hilltop towns and lesser-known natural parks and beaches just waiting to be explored.

25 alternative places to see in Veneto other than Venice

After a spell of changeable weather and unusually cool temperatures, particularly in the north of the country, mercury levels have risen all around Italy this week, with heat alerts in place for multiple major cities from Wednesday to Friday. 

But as the peninsula experiences the first heatwave of the summer, with highs of around 41°C expected in parts of Puglia, Sicily and Sardinia this weekend, there is further proof that estate is well and truly here. 

From bars and beach clubs everywhere blasting tormentoni tunes of questionable taste to the return of bulky cooler bags stuffed with anything from pasta fredda (pasta salad) to prosciutto e melone (ham and melon), here are nine unmistakable signs that summer has arrived in Italy. 

Nine unmistakable signs that summer has arrived in Italy

Remember if you’d like to have this weekly newsletter sent straight to your inbox you can sign up for it via Newsletter preferences in “My Account”.

Is there an aspect of the Italian way of life you’d like to see us write more about on The Local? Please email me at [email protected].

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