Travelers Can Now Buy a Can of ‘100 Percent Authentic Air’ From Italy’s Lake Como
It’s not the first time savvy entrepreneurs have marketed canned air to tourists. Similar products have been sold at vacation destinations for decades
A Prominent Italian Dealer Has Been Charged With Trafficking Thousands of Looted Artifacts
The Manhattan district attorney’s office has obtained an arrest warrant for Edoardo Almagià, who has been accused of working with looters and dealing stolen artifacts for years
See the Breathtaking 14th-Century Sienese Artworks That Helped Set the Italian Renaissance in Motion
This brief chapter of art history is often overlooked. Now, an exhibition in New York City makes a strong argument for the integral role played by four artists in the city of Siena
Discover the Mysteries of Italy’s Park of Monsters, a 16th-Century Garden Filled With Strange, Colossal Stone Creatures
The Sacro Bosco’s meaning is the subject of debate, with scholars alternatively describing the sprawling complex as a memorial, an allegorical site or a tribute to ancient civilizations
An Ice Age Infant’s 17,000-Year-Old DNA Reveals He Had Dark Skin and Blue Eyes
The baby boy’s recovered genome suggests he’s related to a famous Ice Age population
Meet the Italian ‘Fruit Detective’ Who Investigates Centuries-Old Paintings for Clues About Produce That Has Disappeared From the Kitchen Table
Renaissance paintings, medieval archives, cloistered orchards—how one Italian scientist is uncovering secrets that could help combat a growing agricultural crisis
See the Vatican’s Magnificent Marble Statue of the Greek God Apollo Restored to Its Former Glory
Experts added a carbon fiber pole to help anchor the “Apollo Belvedere,” which had developed cracks along the legs and knees. Now, the looming Roman sculpture is finally back on display
Rome’s Trevi Fountain Will Get a Much-Needed Cleaning—and a Controversial New Entry Fee
During the restorations, visitors will be able to see the famous site via a temporary walkway, which officials will use to study the flow of foot traffic
A Junk Dealer Discovered a ‘Horrible’ Painting in a Cellar 60 Years Ago. It Might Be a $6.6 Million Picasso
For years, the owner’s son had wondered about the artwork, which features the Spanish painter’s signature. Now, some experts think it’s the real deal
The World’s Best Pizza Is in New York City, According to Italy-Based Rankings
Una Pizza Napoletana on the Lower East Side has claimed the top spot in an annual ranking of pizzerias around the globe
Smithsonian Photo Contest Galleries
See 15 Remarkable Photos That Will Make You Fall in Love With Italy
These shots from the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest show why it’s one of the most-visited nations on earth
Europeans Were Using Cocaine in the 17th Century—Hundreds of Years Earlier Than Historians Thought
Scientists identified traces of the drug in the brain tissue of two individuals buried in the crypt of a hospital in Milan
An 11-Year-Old Boy Rescued a Mysterious Artwork From the Dump. It Turned Out to Be a 500-Year-Old Renaissance Print
Experts have confirmed that the image of “Knight, Death and the Devil” is a real master engraving by the renowned German artist Albrecht Dürer
A Thief Replaced This Iconic Churchill Portrait With a Fake. Two Years Later, the Original Has Been Recovered
Investigators discovered that the original print of “The Roaring Lion” had been sold to a buyer in Italy
Archaeologists Unearth Rare Trove of Silver Coins on Mediterranean Island
The 27 Roman denarii found on the island of Pantelleria date back more than 2,000 years
Rome’s Ancient Arch of Constantine Has Been Struck by Lightning
A fierce thunderstorm dislodged marble fragments of the 1,700-year-old monument
Eight Movie Museums Cinephiles Need to Visit
From Chaplin’s World in Switzerland to Popeye Village in Malta, these spots celebrate much-loved films and filmmakers
Archaeologists Uncover Ancient Warship’s Bronze Battering Ram, Sunk During an Epic Battle Between Rome and Carthage
Found near the Aegadian Islands, just west of Sicily, the bronze rostrum played a role in the last battle of the First Punic War, which ended in 241 B.C.E.
Leonardo da Vinci Studied the Science of Smell
The artist experimented with perfumes and created his own fragrances from flowers and fruit
A ‘Tornadic Waterspout’ Likely Sank a Billionaire’s Yacht Near Sicily. Here’s What That Means
Scientists say the extreme weather phenomenon could grow more common as climate change brings warmer water temperatures and more intense storms to the Mediterranean
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