Adverbs davanti and di fronte have to do with a position in relation to something or someone. In contrast, avanti [forward], discussed in part 1, is primarily about motion.

One way for Le Cinque Terre to accommodate refugees landing in Lampedusa has been to teach them how to build dry-stone walls. This is a much-needed skill in the area and therefore the project is an advantage all around.

People who want a spiritual but active way to see Italy often choose la via francigena (the road from France), the Italian pilgrimage route from France to Rome that corresponds to the perhaps more famous "Camino de Santiago" from Paris to Santiago de Compostela in Spain.

While providing us with some Christmas vocabulary, Marika explains a bit about how Christmas works in Italy.

There are different reasons one chooses to walk a path. The important thing is to feel the need to undertake it. It's not like a stroll in the park, but rather a challenge to one's body, mind, and spirit.

How to exchange greetings at Christmastime? What is the Italian equivalent of Christmas cookies? Marika helps us out with some good words and expressions to know.

This year's holiday greetings from the Yabla Italian team include a short poem by Gianni Rodari. He asks a soothsayer to see into the future. Let's see what the soothsayer says! Heartfelt thanks to all who are honing their Italian skills with Yabla.

The next stop is Novara, a city near Milan, with an interesting history related to when it was under Spanish rule. See map. The video mentions a special sesini tax, and to learn more, check out this lesson.

You never know when you will be celebrating the new year with Italian friends. Here is some vocabulary that will be useful to you.

The dome of the San Gaudenzio basilica is for sure the most important symbol of Novara. Now, visitors (who are not afraid of heights) can go up there for a magnificent view, but precautionary measures are taken for safety.

Many of us have worried about our weight at some point or we have friends or family members in that situation. Marika gives us some essential vocabulary for navigating the world of diet and nutrition.

Did you know there are two different words for "snack" in Italian? Find out about this and more in this second and final video about diet vocabulary with Marika.

Italy is known for fashion, and that includes shirts. Angelo Inglese, a shirtmaker from Ginosa, in Apulia, talks about how his shirts stand out for being inspired by local traditions, notably embroidery and crocheting.

Angelo Inglese talks about how the company got its start, back in the fifties. His widowed grandmother and a next-door neighbor began sewing. Now, the company strives to be an enhancement to the old city of Ginosa.

When someone dies, it's not always easy to find the words to express sympathy, especially in a language not your own. Marika has some tips.