Well, actually it’s more and more common to see piazza places that caters to celiacs with gluten free products and freshly backed pizzas. One of our favourite pizzeria around us recently renovated and created a dedicated gluten free pizza oven with fully separated workflow. Also, in the bigger town nearby there is a “pasticceria” dedicated to gluten-free sweets (like cakes and such), and the main “focacceria” (place where you buy focaccia, a kind of different pizza but to-go only) has a dedicated gluten free shop next door.

So i would say that Italy has evolved quite a lot and support celiacs pretty well.

I don’t know about pasta, but given that in every supermarket the gluten free aisle for pasta is usually well stocked, i guess that should be also available in at least some restaurants…

Did they have white stars on them? Maybe the Bucaneve from Doria? https://www.doria.it/prodotti-dolci/bucaneve

Well, for what is worth i voted to have the citizenship timeline reduced in the last referendum on the matter.

Currently, you need to be born from italian parents (at least one) to become italian, there is no ius soli (however you write that, i might be italian, but my studies of Latin dates back long ago), but you can marry or civil-marry somebody and get citizenship after some 10 years (IIRC). That referendum was trying to lower that time to 5 years. Which means that you pay taxes, but cannot vote or get a passport for that time. Actually, in some cases you can vote for local elections i think (not 100% sure which ones) but not political, european or state wide elections.

I believe that if you contribute to the country, live here with plans to stay forever (or for a reasonably long time) and elect Italy as your country, you should be allowed citizenship.

Nothing really changes from this perspective. I can tell you that in small places people are not very keen to give cirizenship easily, while in big cities people are more open, like mostly every where i guess.

Anyway, without citizenship you need a “permesso di soggiorno” (permit to stay) which is kind convoluted, annoying and short lived to get. It expires often (yearly?) and it takes months to renew, so you cannot leave the country for big chunks of the year a time, and you get accomunated to “illegals” because well, you are one of them until you get your permesso renewed. I have friends who needs one, and it’s kind of annoying. Longer work contracts of study could help with some 3 years long “permesso” but it’s hit and miss i am told.

Whoa, one reply at a time.

Italy, like many places in the world, is beautiful. As a first trip ever, i would visit history and culture, as it’s indeed what set Italy apart. So visit one or two famous cities (Rome, Venice, Florence…) if you only have one week… For prolonged stays, don’t miss smaller places like anywhere in Tuscany, Lazio, Campania, Marche, Abruzzo… rent a car and get lost in the smaller villages and town, discover churches, castles, medieval towns…

There is lots of nature as well, like snow and skying in the alps in winter, lakes everywhere in the northern Italy (Lombardia specially), as well and amazing coastline in Apulia and Calabria.

Don’t forget Sicily too for architecture, culture, landscapes…

Well, as for MY favorite places, Rome is a unique city but you need time and get out of the tourist traps. Visit Villa Borghese, the roman villas outside the city center for example. Also Torino is a often ignored city that feels totally different, since it has a late 1700+ vibe that it’s uncommon in Italy where medieval or ancient vibes are more common. I would avoid all over famous and touristic places and visit anywhere else, it’s so much better and even more original and worthwhile. Any specific are in your mind?

I find people very welcoming and also conservative, at least since i moved to this small town. I have been welcomed a lot, and become friend with the major and other prominent people. I am white and italian, so that helps. But still i am not one of the locals, after ten years. Actually they have two different words for people who have grandparents born in this very town, and anybody who just live here even since 20 years… It’s kind of funny, but sad.

But in general, everybody is helping and very open to chat and exchange opinions, if you are willing to put yourself in the game, you are welcome to play. Actually, it can be difficult to pull out after you volunteered for any kind of work or help for local events ans such… :)

In general, they try to “fit you in” with parents, where you are from and who you are friend with. Political color, race or ideals don’t really count, “belonging” is more important. After all, on a pizza and a good wine, we are all the same… But you need to like the local wine or it’s not good starting point…

Bigger topic has been the constitutional referendum on which the government (right-wing thugs with love for populism and veterofascism) tried to change 7 articles of the constitution to bring the judicial system under the control of the government. They failed, but the most important point is that the vote proved that the government lost popular support and the current chief of the government (often translated to prime minister, but not literally the same) Giorgia Meloni is struggling to keep the government in power until next year general elections.

I believe i never seen that Family Guy episode, which one is it? i could watch it out of curiosity.

As for the mafia… We lost the war long ago. Mafia (camorra, andrangheta, whatever there are many, you call them) is everywhere specially in the north. The more money, the more mafia. Mafia is also in the government (remember Berlusconi? also our current government is full of mafia related people) but do not think of the mafia from the movies. This mafia is a business organization, they care for stealth and profit, not for public executions and bombings. That was a broken strategy from decades ago, mafia evolved…

Actually, fun fact on mafia, the allies where able to land in Sicily in 1943 because they supported mafia giving money and weapons to overthrown the fascist government, which alway tried to destroy mafia. So we actually have mafia today thanks to the US meddling and winning the war.

Actually, mafia would have come back anyway also under fascism i guess,its more a way of thinking and a way of life, like helping your friends and thrusting your kinfolks. But i am no expert, and this would be a different post anyway.

He said Northern Italy ;-)