Ciao a tutti,

January is set to slowly fade away next week and February’s carnival charms are almost upon us. We share more on the festivities below but did you know that Italy's carnival traditions are believed to have started in the Middle Ages? Part of what we love about this time of year are the delicious sweet treats that start to pop up at local bakeries, so if you have yet to try this, we highly recommend it. 

Speaking of "sweet" here is our dolce roundup of Italy articles that you might have missed from this past week! 

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Escape reality—both literally and figuratively—by visiting one of these six literary-inspired hotels in Italy. You'll have your nose buried in a book the entire time, but sightseeing is overrated anyway, right?

These are the days in which you want to wrap your hands around a bowl of pasta e fasoi, a unique Venetian-style pasta and bean soup, rich and nourishing, and our recipe of the week.

Hidden Gems of Italy: This week’s dual-language article explores the Malatesta Library in Cesena (Emilia-Romagna). This splendid Renaissance library retains its original furnishings and an important collection of illuminated manuscripts thanks to the joint custody of the friars and the city.

Is your Italian pretty good and you are looking to fine-tune your grammar with some advanced phrases? Here is just the lesson for you!

What Else You Don't Want to Miss

From Venice to Oristano, this is a special time of year, as the traditional carnival season kicks off! So, making a change from our usual pattern of rounding up general events, here are some carnival-themed festivities that are scheduled for this February.

You might have heard that the current president of Italy, Sergio Mattarella, ends his term on February 3. We know it can be confusing to know how it all works going forward so here is a concise guide on Italian presidential elections.

To mark the International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust on January 27, we take a stroll through Jewish Ferrara, a city with one of the longest existing Jewish communities in Italy.

The beauty of the Italian landscape is revealed not just in the most popular art cities, coastal getaways, and mountain peaks, but also in its gently rolling hills where life flows quietly, immersed in a dreamlike setting. Let’s discover five Italian hilly landscapes not to be missed, perfect for a road trip amid ancient villages and foodie finds.

This two-bedroom apartment for sale in Lake Como overlooks the Golfo di Venere and is 85m2 in size. It includes an open-plan living room featuring lovely views over the lake. The lucky owners can enjoy private boat mooring, a swimming pool, and parking —which is located on the shore of Lake Lenno.

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