Buongiorno Italy readers! 

This month's events collection is a notably different proposition to previous February ones with many events cancelled due to the pandemic. Much has merged online so here's how to enjoy digital carnival festivities, a Dante lecture, or join a cooking class teaching you how to make traditional carnival sweets. 

The protagonist of our monthly series about traveling to Italy to research one’s roots and visit ancestral towns is Megan Kunze, who shares a story of commitment and perseverance to discovering more about her Italian ancestors.

After 88 days of closure due to Covid restrictions, the Vatican Museums in Rome reopened on February 1. If you are in the area and plan to visit, here are some tips on how to dress in order not to get turned away. 

With dozens of political alliances that endlessly ebb and flow, and major players who stick around for decades and often change their affiliation various times over the course of their long careers, it can be a challenge to make sense of Italy’s political landscape. Here are a few of the terms and phrases you need to know to follow “la politica italiana”!

Sesame cookies with a hint of lemon, these classic Sicilian cookies are simple and delicious to make! 

Looking for the perfect weekend book suggestion? Our own Laura Morelli’s novel “The Night Portrait” just hit the USA Today bestseller list this week! 

Santa Fiora, a village in Tuscany, is promoting itself as the first Italian village to welcome and encourage remote working, through its ‘Santa Fiora Smart Village’ project. 

As part of our #duallanguage series, we explore the wonders of Italy. This week we look at Florence's incredible cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, the world’s third-largest church, after St. Peter’s in Rome and St. Paul’s in London. 

Our property of the week is this prestigious villa for sale in Umbria. “La Vela” has a 230 sqm surface, divided into two floors and is composed by 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms, including a further bedroom and a further bathroom in the guest house.

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