Ciao a tutti! 

Grazie Azzurri! Congratulations to Italy’s beloved national football (soccer) team for Italy’s first win at the European Championships in more than 50 years. The streets and squares went wild last Sunday and we joined in the celebrations with this short overview of the game and key players. A second hearty congratulations goes out to Matteo Berrettini, who also made sports history on Sunday by being the first Italian tennis champ to reach the Wimbledon finals.  

Now that the excitement of the UEFA 2020  is ebbing, Italians are turning to the next hottest topic of the summer: where to head for the hallowed beach break. We compiled a list of the top beaches by category so you can choose the perfect seaside getaway, whether you're a snorkeling enthusiast, avid hiker, or sun worshipper.

The northern provincial capital of Turin is noted for its excellent cuisine and sophisticated architecture, and is home to important historic sights, automobile museums, and Renaissance architecture. Explore its unique juxtaposition of traditional grandeur and industrial prowess with the help of these tips for exploring Turin.

Summer means setting aside those bottles of bold reds and instead popping the cork on lighter rosés. The world has long looked to France for its pink tipple, but upstart Italian rosato is giving storied French rosé a run for its money. We looked at the history of this approachable wine and suggested a number of excellent Italian rosé wines to try this summer here.

Are you considering obtaining Italian citizenship? The requirements and steps needed to apply through the female line are a little tricky. We discussed how it works with the help of My Italian Family in this week’s deep dive into applying for Italian dual citizenship through female ancestors.

A new chapter in the endless saga of cruise ships sailing through the delicate Venetian lagoon began (or did it?) this week as the Italian government officially announced a ban on vessels weighing more than 25,000 tons from August 1st. Learn more about why the government was finally spurred to action and how this might affect the Floating City. 

Hidden in the gorgeous Dolomites, Braies Lake was formed after a landslide blocked the river Braies and is surrounded by majestic peaks reflected in its turquoise waters.  The lake sits high in the Fanes Senes Braies Natural Park and is ideal as a hiking or biking destination. Learn more about one of Italy's most picturesque wonders in English and Italian in this week’s dual language article.

If you’ve decided to finally buy that dream home in Italy, there are some words and phrases that you should know to make the process of finding and purchasing the perfect property just a bit easier. Our language article this week focuses on real estate vocabulary in Italian, from language used in property listings to financing and signing contracts.

Our recipe this week was nothing fancy, just a delightfully moist chocolate-almond filling wrapped in honey-rich dough and cut in rustic bars for a summer potluck barbecue or picnic. These chocolate almond honey bars, or mostaccioli di cioccolato, are a traditional sweet from Calabria have no added sugar (aside from luscious, dark honey), are virtually fat-free and simple to make, and stay fresh for weeks.

Do you have a wedding to attend this summer and are stumped for a gift? Take a look at this gorgeous linen table runner, embroidered by hand and with a rich yet neutral color and timeless motif that make it the perfect home accessory for both traditional and contemporary décor. 

For sale: The Borgo di Vagli fractional ownership property was fully restored for those who dream of owning a country home in Tuscany, but are struggle to justify the cost and time-consuming maintenance and upkeep responsibilities typically associated with owning a home abroad.

Buon weekend from Rebecca, your acting editor, and the Italy Magazine team!