Any tips from Metafiltrati with latin/italian lady experience to make things calmer or more manageable? [more inside]
posted by letsgomendel on May 9, 2013 - 43 answers

I'm learning that many of the customs and traditions that I think of as Roman actually originated from the Etruscans instead. Can anyone recommend some good books, videos, or websites about ancient Etruscan culture and history?
posted by the man of twists and turns on Mar 13, 2013 - 12 answers

Any recommendations for a school for an adult woman over 50 in Italy this July? Language and or art and or music and or cooking. Florence? elsewhere? Michelangelo school in Florence?
posted by Yayita on Jun 7, 2011 - 5 answers

I'm looking for books about Italy, specifically Rome and Venice, and also books set in Rome and/or Venice. What would you recommend? [more inside]
posted by garlic on Aug 24, 2009 - 20 answers

There are two different stories about how bowler hats came to Bolivia and Peru. [more inside]
posted by tellurian on Mar 7, 2008 - 2 answers

What are your favorite nontraditional, nontouristy, alternative, culturally-insightful things to do in or near Venice, Florence, and Rome? I mean the deeper anthropological kind of culture, not museums, opera, etc. I'm not looking for the usual must-see tourist destinations or the things that epitomize a city. I want the fascinating little finds you accidentally stumbled on and loved, but which few or no tours would have found because they aren't "sights". If it can give me a glimpse of how contemporary Italians see the world, to appreciate a bit more what it's like to be them, that's a turbo bonus. No points off for plain old fun activities either. [more inside]
posted by Askr on Nov 6, 2007 - 12 answers