Upper Floors of the Colosseum Open to Visitors
You can now explore the fourth and fifth floors of the Colosseum.
Destinations
Learn more about travel destinations in Italy, its top cities and regions. Trip planning resources include itineraries, tours, and day trips.
Rome’s Newest Rooftop View
Rooftop views from Rome’s Rinascente
![Paris Through the Eyes of a Roman [Video]](https://www.italofile.com/wp-content/uploads/paris-through-the-eyes-of-a-roma.jpg)
Paris Through the Eyes of a Roman [Video]
The video from Ritals does a humorous job of explaining what makes Rome great even in the face of Paris’s beauty and comparative orderliness.
Finally Ferrara: Postcard From a City That Called Me Back
Ferrara is a gorgeous little city in Emilia-Romagna known for its Renaissance walls and palaces, the Castello Estense, and its rich Jewish heritage.
Five Favorite Flavors From Ferrara and Modena
To ring in the New Year, my family and I rented a farmhouse for a few days on the outskirts of Ferrara. Thinking back to the trip, the timing wasn’t ideal. Ferrara was freezing and on New Year’s Eve, the fog was so thick on our drive into town to watch the fireworks over Castello…
Who Was Saint Valentine?
Saint Valentine, a Christian bishop from Umbria, was martyred in Rome in the 3rd century AD. Learn more about his life, death, and legend.
Ancient Ruins, Virtual Reality: Archaeological Sites Embrace VR For Enhanced Experiences
The Domus Aurea, also known as Nero’s Golden Palace, is the latest attraction to offer visitors the chance to wear virtual reality headsets while touring the site.
More Than A Mocha: Turin’s Sweet, Rich Bicerin
The bicerin is an important part of the coffee culture in Torino (Turin). Learn more about the bicerin.
Best Places to Kiss in Rome
Before I tell you about the best places to kiss in Rome, you’ve got to really want to kiss and be kissed.
Palermo, Sicily: 2018 Italian Capital of Culture
Congratulations to the city of Palermo, which has been awarded the distinction of Italian Capital of Culture for 2018. The Italian Culture Ministry (Ministero di Beni Culturali) awards the prize each year in an effort to promote tourism. Along with the distinction, the winning city receives 1 million euro which is to be used to…
Rome’s Museums On A Metro Map
Rome is often called an outdoor museum. But the capital also has dozens of museums to explore, not only in the Centro Storico but beyond the walls. Helping us locate all of these museums and galleries is a new map showing Rome’s museums as they relate to metro stops.
For the First Time in More Than 20 Years, the Facade of St. Mark’s Basilica is Scaffold-Free
With so many ancient structures in need of constant upkeep, Italy is no stranger to scaffolding. Venice’s St. Mark’s Basilica, in particular, is known for constantly being under repair.
Rome’s Ancient Pantheon to Begin Charging Admission — Wait, No It Won’t
Update, December 2018: Local authorities changed tack and decided NOT to impose an entry fee to the Pantheon. For now.
![Palazzo Colonna: A Hidden Palace in the Heart of Rome [Review]](https://www.italofile.com/wp-content/uploads/fullsizeoutput_6d16-scaled-768x512.jpeg)
Palazzo Colonna: A Hidden Palace in the Heart of Rome [Review]
This palace in the heart of Rome, where a scene from Roman Holiday was filmed, is worth a detour
Italy’s First Wine Fountain Opens in Abruzzo — and the Wine is Free
Wine lovers have a fun new reason to make a trip to Abruzzo.
Ai Weiwei’s ‘Libero’ at Palazzo Strozzi in Florence
Ai Weiwei is one of the best and most provocative artists working in the world today. Now Italians and visitors to Italy will have a chance to see the Chinese artists’s works up close in an exhibition at the Palazzo Strozzi in Florence.
You Now Have to Pay to See Rome’s “Mouth of Truth”
Truth is, it was bound to happen. Church officials at Santa Maria in Cosmedin, site of Rome’s “Mouth of Truth” (Bocca della Verita), have decided to charge visitors €2 for the pleasure of taking one (just one!) photo with the ancient sewer cover.
Ancient Greek Temples and Mozzarella di Bufala in Paestum
If you tell a Roman that you are going Paestum for the weekend, invariably he or she will tell you: “Make sure you pick up some mozzarella di bufala.” Paestum and Its Greek Roots and Ruins Paestum is a sight to see without the culinary pit stop. A city known as “Poseidonia” when it was part…