From spotting the signs of an inauthentic Italian restaurant to enjoying Rome’s ancient sites in a heatwave, our weekly newsletter La Bella Vita offers you an essential starting point for eating, talking, drinking and living like an Italian.
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.
If you’re travelling in Italy this August, you may or may not have been pleased to hear the news that a prolonged spell of scorching weather is on the way.
But high temperatures are always part and parcel of Italy’s summer months, especially August, which is usually the hottest time of year.
So if you’re planning on visiting Rome in the coming days or weeks and are daunted by the prospect of traipsing around from one attraction to the other in sweltering heat, don’t worry.
The Italian capital is well prepared for the heat, with no shortage of underground attractions where you can escape the caldo without sacrificing precious sightseeing time.
Five of the best underground sites to escape the heat in Rome
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Wherever you are in Italy this weekend, you’ll want to find a spot with a clear view of the skies for the Notte di San Lorenzo (‘Night of Saint Lawrence’) – a nationwide stargazing festival celebrated every year on August 10th.
August 10th to 15th tends to be the best time of year to catch the Perseid meteor shower – a spectacle known as le lacrime di San Lorenzo (‘Saint Lawrence’s tears’), as August 10th is the Catholic saint’s feast day.
In fact, this year, August 12th and 13th are tipped to be the best nights to spot shooting stars in the skies over Italy, though Sunday 10th is when you can take part in events around the country marking the occasion.
If you’re in a major Italian city, you can still take part. We’ve got a list of locations in the article below where you can join in the fun and take part in a little stargazing.
Notte di San Lorenzo: The best stargazing spots in Italy’s major cities
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One thing every traveller to Italy wants to know is where to find the best local cuisine. Whether it’s Neapolitan pizza or Roman cacio e pepe, you won’t want to visit these cities without sampling some of the local specialities.
But the quality of the restaurants serving these iconic dishes varies. Just as in all major tourist hotspots worldwide, it can be too easy to stumble upon places that aren’t as authentic as you’d hope.
So what are the dead giveaways that a place isn’t exactly serving up dishes just like nonna used to make?
Some say it’s plastic flowers and a checkered tablecloth, or laminated menus in multiple languages – but there are also some more subtle and particularly Italian signs that tell us a restaurant might not be the best choice.
We’d love to hear what you think about this and if you’ve spotted any other ‘tells’ you would add to the list.
How to spot the Italian restaurants to avoid
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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 news@thelocal.it.
Dining and Cooking