ITALY Magazine Top Stories in 2014

[Top Travel Story] Strolling the small alleys of Certaldo, it’s easy to feel transported back to the time when none other than the author of the Decameron, Giovanni Boccaccio, walked the streets of this little medieval village in the heart of the Valdelsa, between Florence and Siena.

[Top Life & Style Story] Only in Italy could an ugly U.S. military motorcycle be the catalyst that led to the creation of a style icon. With over 16 million scooters sold, the Vespa has become synonymous with style, freedom and all things Italian. 

And if you cannot have a Vespa, you can still own a piece of it: browse these Vespa-inspired gadgets and buy your favorite!

[Top Culture Story] It is a little-known fact that Charles Dickens spent the best part of a year in Italy (1844-5), and that he picked Genoa in Liguria as his home for that year. This feature explores how he became enamored with the city.

[Top Food & Wine Story] How the Antica Dolceria Bonajuto in Modica recreated a jasmine infused chocolate following an ancient recipe by doctor Francesco Redi, who prepared it in Florence for Cosimo III de' Medici in the 17th century.

[Top Interview] ITALY Magazine interviews the director of "The Mafia Only Kills in Summer", the acclaimed debut film by Pierfrancesco Pif Diliberto about growing up in Sicily during the 1970s and 80s, two decades marked by a bloody war for Mafia supremacy, with regular killings of rival mobsters and anti-Mafia crusaders.

[Top Italians Abroad Story] ITALY Magazine meets Piero Selvaggio, the man who revolutionized the concept of Italian dining in the U.S., in his celebrated restaurant - Valentino - in Santa Monica, California.

[Top Guide] Follow these tips when planning your trip to "il bel paese" and you can be sure to enjoy the best Italy has to offer regardless of the amount of money you can spend.

[Top Recipe] A classic we never get tired of: risotto with "the celebrities of Italian cuisine", porcini mushrooms.

[Top Quiz] How Italian you are may very well be determined by how well you know Italian pizzas! If you haven't yet, take our quiz to test your knowledge. 

[Top Property Story] If you are looking to buy yourself a nice property in the bel Paese, here are six things to consider before you start your search, from location to house type to local communities.

[Top ITALY Community Story] When living in another country, cultural differences can be strong and the itch to constantly ‘compare’ countries can make for an unhappy expat, which is why we wanted to write an article about how to stay positive. We decided to ask our trusted community of expats and got quite an interesting response. A must-read for any Italy newbie!

[Editor's Choice] Just recently, we celebrated the first Italian woman to travel to space, the brilliant and talented astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti. In honor of all brilliant women out there, ITALY Magazine editor Katia Amore has picked the story of Elena Corner Piscopia, the first woman in the world to graduate - from the University of Padua - whom we featured in March to coincide with International Women's Day.