Because they are difficult to reach--lying off the main sea routes--the islands of Filicudi and Alicudi have maintained their natural beauty.

Antonio introduces us to the authentic Neapolitan pizza. He's right there in a famous pizzeria called Escopocodisera [Esco poco di sera] (I rarely go out at night), where Peppe, the pizzaiolo (pizza maker), demonstrates his art, step by step. Buon appetito!

Francesca is showing Daniela how to play Briscola. Fulvio joins in to describe the atmosphere of a real game of Briscola between two experts. Who do you think will win? Daniela or Francesca?

In this segment, cooking is seen as an art form, starting with a white plate as the artist's canvas...

While sitting in the park, Francesca teaches Daniela how to play Briscola one of the most famous and popular Italian card games. You can learn, too!

When does an artist become an artist? Join Gualtiero Marchesi in his musings on art and the art of cooking in this new chapter.

Whether you want to explore the edges of the volcanic craters, visit the marine caves, or even get a mud bath for your aches and pains, the Aeolian island of Vulcano has plenty to offer!

As its name Vulcano implies, this Aeolian island boasts three volcanic centers. Because of its natural beauty and geological interest, it has become an important tourist destination. In ancient times it was held as an important place, figuring in both Greek and Roman mythology.

Filmmaker Lina Wertmüller, in this interview, explains that when she was a young girl, one little incident at school had a great impact on the course of her life and career.

Antonio explains that the Italian tradition of constructing a nativity scene during the Christmas season had it origins in the thirteenth century, when Saint Francis of Assisi organized the first live re-enactment of the birth of Jesus. It soon spread to all of Italy, but above all to the Kingdom of Naples, where everyone got involved, from the poorest family to the King himself.

For many Italians, putting up a presepe (manger scene or crèche) at Christmas time is as, if not more important than putting up a Christmas tree. Antonio talks about the traditions concerning its origins, two thousand and eleven years ago.

The island of Lipari is famous for having one of Italy's most important archaeological museums. This is largely because of the numerous shipwrecks that have been excavated. A particularly evocative aspect of Lipari is the presence of sea stacks that emerge from the water in a variety of shapes.

Marika and Anna take you to a shop where they make and sell fresh pasta. Have fun!

Musician Carlo Ipata talks about the Rossi Theater in Pisa, his hometown. Amazingly, this eighteenth-century theater managed to escape modern renovations, allowing us a glimpse of what theatergoing would have been like in earlier times.

Il pane (bread) is an important staple at the Italian table, no question about it. There is a great variety of kinds of bread, and in fact, every region has its own. Anna and Marika take you to discover some of their favorites.