If you have visited the Puglian town of Lecce you might have come across the ancient art of ‘cartapesta’, find out more about this unique trade via our feature. In other news, did you know Tuscans (or rather, Etruscans) have been enjoying a sip or two of wine since the 8th century BC? Also Tuscany is this month’s feature at the Expo in Milan (until May 28th), book your hotel in the center of town today. The Roman Forum has gotten a little brighter this year with a brand-new lighting system by Oscar winner Vittorio Storaro and his daughter Francesca, check out our slideshow! Have 750 years flown by so fast? It feels like that for Florentine poet and inventor of the modern Italian language, the great Dante Alghieri. Speaking of languages, our latest ‘how to say’ includes tips on using Italian terms of endearment. Looking for some supreme olive oil? In our shop we have a wonderful extra-virgin option from a small producer in Abruzzo, get it here. This would go perfectly with our recipe of the week from blogger Amy Gulick, of The Bittersweet Gourmet, featuring Prugnoli mushrooms. Our featured properties for sale this week include a beautiful villa in the the 'certaldo' area of Tuscany and a lovely abode in the Northern area of Trentino Alto Adige.