La Bella Vita: When Italy's beaches open and the best alcohol-free drinks
From the opening dates of private beaches in different Italian regions to the best virgin bitters you can order in Italy, our weekly newsletter La Bella Vita offers you an essential starting point for eating, talking, drinking and living like an Italian.
La Bella Vita is our regular look at the real culture of Italy – from language to cuisine, manners to art. This newsletter is published weekly and you can receive it directly to your inbox, by going to newsletter preferences in 'My Account' or following the instructions in the newsletter box below.
With mercury levels set to soar into the high 20s (Fahrenheit low 80s) in many parts of the country this weekend, some of Italy's more intrepid beachgoers are planning their first seaside excursion of the year.
You can visit Italy's public beaches at any time, but around half of the country's coastline is given over to privately managed beach clubs, and what dates these can open on is strictly controlled by regional - and sometimes local - authorities.
The region with the earliest start dates this year was Abruzzo, whose beach clubs opened their doors on March 6th; while northerneastern Veneto isn't planning to get going until May 15th.
If you're the kind of beach lover who prefers sunloungers and umbrellas to setting down your towel on a solitary patch of sand, you can find out which of Italy's beach clubs are already open for the spring here:
CALENDAR: When the beaches open in each Italian region in spring 2024
From Aperol and Campari Spritz to the Negroni and the Bellini, Italy's iconic aperitivo drinks and cocktails are known and appreciated around the world.
But if you're looking for an alcohol-free alternative for when aperitivo hour rolls around, there's no need to resort to sugary soft drinks: Italy has plenty of more adult-tasting options on offer.
One of the most popular is the crodino, said to have been created as a non-alcoholic alternative to the Aperol Spritz. With the same bright orange colour and herbal taste as its counterpart, it's typically served in a similar fashion: over ice cubes, with a slice of orange.
Find out about some of the other quintessentially Italian alcohol-free aperitivo drinks here:
Six of the most Italian non-alcoholic aperitivo drinks
And Roman history enthusiasts will be happy to learn of the discovery this week of an exceptionally well-preserved banquet hall in Pompeii's ancient ruins.
Archeologists' excavations have unearthed multiple intact frescoes featuring scenes including the god Apollo attempting to seduce Trojan priestess Cassandra, and Helen of Troy meeting Paris, an encounter which would lead to war.
This isn't the only exciting find to have been made in recent months: back in December excavators uncovered a luxurious Roman villa near the Colosseum that contained an "unparalleled" mosaic made of seashells, marble and precious glass.
Find out more about the latest discovery here:
'Treasure chest': New banquet hall frescoes unearthed in Pompeii excavation
Remember if you'd like to have this weekly newsletter sent straight to your inbox you can sign up for it via Newsletter preferences in "My Account".
Is there an aspect of the Italian way of life you'd like to see us write more about on The Local? Please email me at [email protected].
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La Bella Vita is our regular look at the real culture of Italy – from language to cuisine, manners to art. This newsletter is published weekly and you can receive it directly to your inbox, by going to newsletter preferences in 'My Account' or following the instructions in the newsletter box below.
With mercury levels set to soar into the high 20s (Fahrenheit low 80s) in many parts of the country this weekend, some of Italy's more intrepid beachgoers are planning their first seaside excursion of the year.
You can visit Italy's public beaches at any time, but around half of the country's coastline is given over to privately managed beach clubs, and what dates these can open on is strictly controlled by regional - and sometimes local - authorities.
The region with the earliest start dates this year was Abruzzo, whose beach clubs opened their doors on March 6th; while northerneastern Veneto isn't planning to get going until May 15th.
If you're the kind of beach lover who prefers sunloungers and umbrellas to setting down your towel on a solitary patch of sand, you can find out which of Italy's beach clubs are already open for the spring here:
CALENDAR: When the beaches open in each Italian region in spring 2024
From Aperol and Campari Spritz to the Negroni and the Bellini, Italy's iconic aperitivo drinks and cocktails are known and appreciated around the world.
But if you're looking for an alcohol-free alternative for when aperitivo hour rolls around, there's no need to resort to sugary soft drinks: Italy has plenty of more adult-tasting options on offer.
One of the most popular is the crodino, said to have been created as a non-alcoholic alternative to the Aperol Spritz. With the same bright orange colour and herbal taste as its counterpart, it's typically served in a similar fashion: over ice cubes, with a slice of orange.
Find out about some of the other quintessentially Italian alcohol-free aperitivo drinks here:
Six of the most Italian non-alcoholic aperitivo drinks
And Roman history enthusiasts will be happy to learn of the discovery this week of an exceptionally well-preserved banquet hall in Pompeii's ancient ruins.
Archeologists' excavations have unearthed multiple intact frescoes featuring scenes including the god Apollo attempting to seduce Trojan priestess Cassandra, and Helen of Troy meeting Paris, an encounter which would lead to war.
This isn't the only exciting find to have been made in recent months: back in December excavators uncovered a luxurious Roman villa near the Colosseum that contained an "unparalleled" mosaic made of seashells, marble and precious glass.
Find out more about the latest discovery here:
'Treasure chest': New banquet hall frescoes unearthed in Pompeii excavation
Remember if you'd like to have this weekly newsletter sent straight to your inbox you can sign up for it via Newsletter preferences in "My Account".
Is there an aspect of the Italian way of life you'd like to see us write more about on The Local? Please email me at [email protected].
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