Buongiorno Italy readers!

We've compiled some of the best December events and festivals around Italy, and besides Christmas markets, there are also environmentally-aware events connected to both the holiday season and food, plus a trip back in time to the days of the 'Dolce Vita.'

Getting into the holiday spirit is easy when you visit such charming Alpine towns as Bressanone and Vipiteno in the north of Italy, here are some Christmas markets we love.

We’re very excited to kick off our 2018 Italy Blog Awards this December and we ask you to nominate your favorite bloggers (and new this year – prizes for those who nominate and vote!).

An annual study showcases the Italian cities with the best quality of life, we share the results.

"Owning a B&B is not a holiday, it’s a life of quality that comes with a lot of hard work. It can be risky & scary at times, and not for everyone." Enjoy a little truth-telling in our interview with Seattleite-turned-Marche native Ashley Bartner.

Don’t miss this new exhibition in Padua that aims to shed light on a multifaceted historical figure, Galileo, who everybody has heard of, yet few really know.

One small mountain village in the northern region of Trentino, Ossana, is celebrating a record 890 representations of the nativity scene (presepe in Italian) scattered around its streets, more than the number of its residents, 852!

Turin and the surrounding region's bakeries in Piedmont are home to a dizzying variety of high-quality, handmade grissini (hand-pulled breadsticks that are quite frankly, addictive). Here's a recipe to make them at home.

If you haven’t already decided that in 2018 you’ll learn to speak Italian, then here are ten reasons why you should consider it!

For sale: La Boscaiola is a lovely villa with pool, located in a peaceful valley close to the Tuscan hillside town of #Cortona. The two-hundred-year old house has been restored retaining original features whilst incorporating all modern appliances