Alex Sakalis
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Alex Sakalis is a writer and journalist whose work has appeared in the BBC, The Economist and openDemocracy among others. He lives in Bologna. Follow him on Instagram at @sakalisalex.
Articles by Alex Sakalis
Kombucha — that acerbic, slightly bubbly drink — has, in recent years, transcended its obscure origins and niche market to become an increasingly fash…
Bologna is known for many things — food, porticoes, medieval towers — but the world’s first and only Gelato University, currently celebrating its 20-y…
The gloomy landscape of the Venetian lagoon has often surprised those who associate it with Venice and nothing else. “This damp expanse, speckled with…
When Venetian aristocrats of bygone eras needed an escape from the sweltering summer heat of the lagoon, they chose the Brenta. Between the 16th and 1…
When I first heard about a “Shoe Museum” in small-town Italy, I wasn’t exactly brimming with enthusiasm. “But it has a fascinating collection of…
Opened in Bologna in 2017, FICO Eataly World is an Italian food, gastronomy and agriculture theme park founded and operated by Eataly, the hugely succ…
Opened in 1864, the Ferrovia Porrettana was the first transapennine railway line in Italy, connecting Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany by train for the firs…
Grecia Salentina is the name given to a segment of Salento where Griko — a dialect of Greek — is still spoken. The area comprises nine villages — Cali…
Exploring Italy by train isn’t a hard sell. But moving away from the main intercity routes can make it even more appealing. Some surprisingly niche ro…
Though famous for its medieval city center filled with Renaissance buildings and porticoes, Bologna has always adapted to the tastes of each passing c…
The Ciclovia del Sole, a large, traffic-free, pan-European cycleway, has just inaugurated a new section in Emilia-Romagna. Stretching from Mirandola i…
The city of Bologna is quickly becoming a destination in its own right rather than just a curiosity stop on the Venice-Florence-Rome route. You could…
Poor Reggio Emilia. Though picturesque like all north Italian patrician towns, it lacks the showstopper sights of nearby Milan or Ferrara. It’s one of…
Known for its beautifully preserved centro storico, its role as the birthplace of the Italian flag and the namesake of one half of Parmigiano-Reggiano…
Bologna is often touted as the food capital of Italy and is home to some of the country’s most famous delicacies, such as tortellini, tagliatelle al r…
Giovanni “Gio” Ponti (1891-1979) is widely regarded as one of the most influential architects and designers of all time.
A modern-day renaissance man…
Bologna is a fascinating city. Large enough to never be boring, yet small enough to never feel overwhelming, it sits roughly at the tripoint between M…
Ed., March 21, 2023: We're re-sharing this article as it was originally published in 2020, since Gennaro Sangiuliano and Asta Vrečko, cultur…
Ed., March 23, 2024: We’re revisiting this article, originally published in 2019, as Italy prepares to mark the 150th anniversary of Guglielmo Marconi…
Udine , the historical capital and second largest city in the region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, is an overlooked gem.
With its Renaissance squares, Ven…