The Daumier of La Dolce Vita
Ava Gardner kicked him in the groin, Peter O’Toole socked him in the ear, and this month Gérard Depardieu pounded him to a pulp. But 79-year-old Rino Barillari isn’t slowing down
While Rome Burns
A brutal heat wave is shutting down daily life in Italy—and giving one clever weather forecaster the chance to flex his Dante knowledge
Roman Malady
Italians love a touch of hypochondria. The problem is, it’s highly contagious
Saving Sambuca
Three years ago, a hilltop town in Sicily auctioned off abandoned houses starting at one euro. How’s it going?
The “Gomorrah” Effect
Italy’s most respected Mafia-buster has embarked on the trial of the century
Boundless as the Sea
The Italian couple who fell in love across their balconies during the height of the coronavirus are finally united—and engaged
Gondoliers’ Row
In Venice, a rule favoring the offspring of gondoliers sparked fury. Its defenders point to the importance of passing the tradition from father to son
Elena Ferrante Does Not Take a Summer Holiday
Filming part three of the brilliant friendship between Lila and Elena gets underway in a few months
Romeo Meets Juliet, with a Happy Ending
In Italy, two lovers start a romance across balconies
Villa Envy
Foreigners can buy a village town house in Sicily for the price of an espresso. And get a tax cut
Flood Zone
Venice, its masterpieces, and its gondolas are underwater and floundering
Renaissance Fare
A 1518 receipt supports the claim that La Campana in Rome, favored by Caravaggio and Keith Richards, is the world’s oldest restaurant
Ferry Tale
At 120 m.p.h., the AirFish 8 flies like an engine-powered albatross
