Buongiorno Italy readers! 

Few foreigners have heard of Gorizia, a city of around 35,000 inhabitants that straddles the Italian-Slovenian border. A beguiling mix of Italian, Austrian and Balkan influences, it seems to exist in its own whimsical snowglobe, cut off from the rest of the country. But Gorizia’s brand is its very uniqueness, let’s explore. 

You may be familiar with the photo of a submerged church steeple arising in the middle of a blue alpine lake in Italy. It looks very picturesque, but the story behind it is a story of displacement. 

In the latest edition of our dual-language series we explore the UNESCO-recognized cathedral of Palermo and the churches of Cefalu and Monreale. The nine civil and religious structures bear testimony to the fruitful coexistence of people of different origins and religions. 

A Sicilian classic! The outer sesame seed crunch of these cookies goes oh-so-well with the satisfying moist lemony center. A fool-proof recipe that produces pastry-shop perfect cookies every time. 

A recently inaugurated itinerary that lets you experience Lake Como in an original way is the Lake Como Poetry Way, a 16-km walking route starting in Roggiana, continuing across the towns of Cernobbio and Como and ending in Brunate, following in the footsteps of 16 writers and historical figures who have either lived or depicted Lake Como in their works.

After two months of lockdown, Italians seem more eager than ever to spend time outside, preferably in nature. Here are eight Italian gardens that have recently reopened where to take a relaxing walk, and where social distancing is easy to maintain. 

How to say "you" in Italian. Here are a few tips to avoid mistakes when talking to an Italian, including how to pronounce the most common regular and irregular verbs. 

For those of you who have admired Puglia’s iconic trulli cone-shaped structures from afar but were unsure about the restoration process, we recommend reading the experience of some of the locals.

Your enthusiastic response to our Word of the Week language eBook has inspired us to create an Italian language bundle of three eBooks: The Word of the Week, Everyday Italian and Italy by Train! 

Our property of the week is a dream villa based in Sardinia. The prestigious property develops around a beautiful patio and then overlooks the garden from which you can enjoy breath-taking sea views. The villa, unique in its kind, recalls the colonial style of Caribbean villas, with extensive use of white and wood in fixtures, floors and furniture.

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend from Georgette, your editor, and the Italy Magazine team.