Ciao a tutti! 

Spring is in the air and Italy is just days from the country’s first official steps towards easing Coronavirus restrictions that have been in place since last fall. The excitement is palpable as Italians look forward to once again being able to dine out, visit museums, play sports and—perhaps most significantly—move between “yellow” classified regions. All this hinges on the numbers game, of course, and could change again if cases spike. If things go well, by June the Bel Paese may be opening its borders to leisure travel and we can bid you all a warm “bentornati”!

While we wait for the world to return to us, here at Italy Magazine we continue to be dedicated to bringing the best of Italy to the world. In addition to Bellissimo (our new quarterly magazine) and our subscription packages (for unlimited access to all our expert Italy content and other perks), we launched "Buongiorno!" last week. This members-only monthly newsletter is loaded with intel you won’t find anywhere else, including editor’s picks, top events, special offers, and answers to your community questions. Each monthly issue is included in our Buongiorno, Bellissimo, and Primo subscriptions and the May issue is coming out soon, so be sure to become a member!

We may be looking forward to an aperitivo with friends soon, but in the meantime we are being cautious by keeping a safe distance from crowds. No better way to do this, of course, than by heading off to a deserted island. Here are three beautiful abandoned islands you can visit in Liguria, Tuscany, and Sardinia for a truly off-the-beaten-track adventure.

Everyone seems to have spent most of the past year in the kitchen rediscovering the joys of home cooking, a pleasure and passion that Italian nonnas have been keeping alive for decades. Learn how to gather your loved ones around the table like a true nonna with this peek into home kitchens across Italy. 

While you wait to make it back to Italy, brush up on your Italian language skills with this week's dual-language article that takes a deep dive into the magnificent Arena di Verona, one of the most important Roman amphitheaters in Italy. Don’t forget to listen to the audio clip to hone your pronunciation and comprehension!

Italy clocked a win this week with the naming of Italian journalist Alessandra Galloni as the first female editor-in-chief of the global news agency Reuters in 170 years. This Rome native, a graduate of Harvard and the London School of Economics, made her name with award-winning coverage of the Parmalat financial scandal and was a reporter for the Wall Street Journal for more than a decade.

Looking for an inventive pasta dish? This unique fig and prosciutto penne pairs the sweetness of figs with the saltiness of prosciutto for a classic yet contemporary “primo”, topped with crunchy pistachios and pink peppercorns. Though it sounds elaborate, this recipe is surprisingly easy for a special weeknight dinner.

Get ready for your next trip to Italy by exercising your language skills with our Italian Language eBook Bundle that includes three ebooks: “The Word of the Week”, “Everyday Italian”, and “Italy by Train”. Each one covers some vocabulary basics you need to navigate daily life and offers audio links for select phrases to perfect your pronunciation.

For sale: A lovely 5-bedroom detached villa with swimming pool and over 3.5 acres of land that sits in the shadow of the Castle of the Counts of Guidi and the historic center of Poppi. Within walking distance of anything you need and located between Arezzo and Florence, this Tuscan getaway is already divided into two separate apartments and is perfect for a holiday home for yourself and as a rental.

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