Do you ever feel like Italy is just showing off just a bit? It’s literally got the best of both worlds, surrounded by the sea and graced with mountains (hello, Italian Alps, Dolomites, and Apennines), woodlands, and hills, including the famous seven of Rome.
The climate is ideal for growing lovely things like figs, almonds, olives, grapes, and… romance. What’s more romantic than sweethearts riding a Vespa under the moonlight? Or a spritz sipped under a beach umbrella on the Italian Riviera? A dip in the Adriatic, a stroll in the Tuscan sunshine, a run down a slope in the Italian Alps — these are the things of which dreams are made.
Which leads us to this fact: Italy has the third highest life expectancy in Europe: 83.5 years of living la dolce vita, the sweet life. The food, the wine, the weather, the language, the history; it’s an embarrassment of riches, and we’re all the better for it.
In this episode, we discuss everything that makes Italy one of the most enchanting places on Earth. We get curious about the world’s largest rock band and a possibly cursed village, daydream about eating pasta carbonara in Rome, and cross the sea to Sicily. Then we recommend great books that took us there on the page, including a love letter to Trieste, a history of Venice through food, a fresh look at Galileo’s life, a novel infused with sunshine and Gothic vibes, and a beautiful story of found family set in Florence.
Read the full transcript of Italy: A Bottle of Red, the Tuscan Sun, and Il Dolce Far Niente.
Perhaps you’d like to listen to some Italian folk music while you dig into these links.
And some photos to set the scene…
If you’re ready to plan your trip to Italy, Lonely Planet, Culture Trip, and Rick Steves are a good place to get oriented.
Statement 1: High on a hill in the southern province of Matera, there is a cursed village. The locals will not speak its name. Colobraro, Italy: so beautiful, so misunderstood. Here are articles from Atlas Obscura, The New York Post, and Stuff.
Statement 2: The richest man in Italy is a pasta baron. They call him Mr. Bolognese. Mental Floss gives us 25 delicious facts about Nutella, and the BBC explains how the world went nuts for Nutella. Loving reminder: Do not forget to stir a generous spoonful of Nutella into a cup of hot coffee sometime soon.
Statement 3: The biggest rock band on earth is from a small city in Italy. MTV has the original story — and Billboard covers a special Foo Fighters concert in Italy. Watch the videos below and listen to the Rockin’ 1000 on Spotify. Visit the Rockin’ 1000 website for tour info!
Congratulations! You made it to the end. Here are your rewards:
Do you enjoy our show and website? Do you love bonus content? Please consider supporting our work on Patreon! You’ll get access to bonus goodies and input on which destinations we cover each season. Every little bit of financial helps us keep the show going and makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside. Get all the info you need right here.
Subscribe to our podcast so you never miss a must-read book or thrilling destination!
If we're not available on your favorite podcast-listening platform, send us an email!
Top image courtesy of iacomino FRiMAGES/Shutterstock.
Want to keep up with our book-related adventures? Sign up for our newsletter!
Can you help us? If you like this article, share it your friends!
Strong Sense of Place is a website and podcast dedicated to literary travel and books we love. Reading good books increases empathy. Empathy is good for all of us and the amazing world we inhabit.
Strong Sense of Place is a listener-supported podcast. If you like the work we do, you can help make it happen by joining our Patreon! That'll unlock bonus content for you, too — including Mel's secret book reviews and Dave's behind-the-scenes notes for the latest Two Truths and a Lie.
Join our Substack to get our FREE newsletter with podcast updates and behind-the-scenes info — and join in fun chats about books and travel with other lovely readers.
We'll share enough detail to help you decide if a book is for you, but we'll never ruin plot twists or give away the ending.
This 30-page Reading Atlas takes you around the world with dozens of excellent books and gorgeous travel photos. Get your free copy when you subscribe to our newsletter.
