First of all, congratulations on trying to learn Italian on your own. Apps like Duolingo seem like the perfect solution for busy adults. You can use them anytime and they are fun. But can Duolingo make you fluent in Italian? There are a lot of great things about language apps, but unfortunately Duolingo, or any…
Imagine my shock when I discovered my great-grandmother had two children in Italy, but left one of them there. This is my nonna’s Italian immigration story. This changes everything about the story that I had created about her. After her husband died leaving her with a young son, I thought that she, her son, and…
I was eighteen years old the first time I set foot on Italian soil. And the second — I mean the literal second — I stepped off that plane, I fell in love with the Italian language. Not with Italy exactly, though that came too. With the language itself. The sound of it. The way…
Trying to decide where to stay in Bergamo is more confusing than it sounds. The city is split into two completely different areas — Città Alta (Upper Town) and Città Bassa (Lower Town) — and where you stay genuinely changes your experience. As a first-time visitor, I knew I wanted Città Alta. That’s where all…
I booked a food tour in Bergamo because my mom and my southern Italian friend told me that the food would be too heavy and that I wouldn’t like it. So I wanted to cut to the chase and learn where to go and what to eat. Another reason is that I love food tours….
Bergamo ended up being the perfect home base for our month-long Italy trip exploring our roots. Before we arrived, my daughter thought we were heading to a tiny village with one café and a grocery store. She was relieved to find a vibrant city with great restaurants, shops, and things to do—but small enough that…
