MONTECASSINO ABBEY'S NEW PEACE PRIZE
The first beneficiary of the new International Peace Prize, the “Pax Nuntius” (Apostle of Peace) instituted by the Benedictine Abbey of Montecassino (Lazio), is the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, for his efforts to promote dialogue and understanding between the three monotheistic religions in the Holy Land. The Cardinal will receive the prize at an official ceremony on the 10th June 2026.
The Abbey, where Benedict perfected his celebrated Rule governing monastic life, personified in the “Ora et Labora” (Work and Pray) adage, has also restyled its Museum, with new display arrangements of its many treasures that include archaeological remains found on site, papal tiaras and vestments, jewelled chalices and a tondo of the Sacred Family attributed to Botticelli. An additional new room chronicles the disastrous bombing and destruction of the Abbey in 1944 during World War II.
In February, a special four-day tribute was paid to Benedict's sister, Santa Scolastica, focussing on the importance of her role and that of women in general in the history of the Christian Church.
Info: Tel. +39.0776311529 (for guided tours: museo@abbaziamontecassino.org )
WINNING CHEESE FROM AIR-RAID REFUGE
Italy scored in third place at the 2025 edition of World Cheese Awards, organized by the UK based Guild of Fine Food representing over 12,000 professional cheese-makers worldwide.
Top Italian winner was, as expected, the Parmigiano Reggiano PDO (Protected Designation of Origin certification) Consortium that scooped a tot al of 103 medals – 3 super Golds, 27 Golds, 34 Silvers and 40 Bronzes.
An outsider Gold Medal winner was the Latteria Vicentina for its Brenta Oro, a semi cooked cheese aged in a 500 sqm cave in Schio (Vicenza), a former air raid shelter during WWII.
Next World Cheese Award will be in held in Cordova, Spain in November 2026
TOWER OF THE STARS REOPENS
The Torre delle Stelle (Tower of the Stars) in the village of Aielli near L'Aquila, Abruzzo, has announced its eminent reopening, complete with its updated planetarium, inaugurated at the beginning of this year on January 3rd, 2026 and with a new 4K projector to enhance visitor experience.
The Tower of the Stars observatory, created inside a 10m high cylindrical medieval watch tower built in 1356, crowns the hill overlooking Aielli. It is the brainchild of astronomer Paolo Maria Ruscitti, who created this landmark attraction with the help of a team of experts in the astronomical field. The Observatory also hopes to welcome many visitors this summer to observe the eclipse of the sun on the 12th August.
The small town of Aielli is also known for its murals – brightly decorated walls created by numerous Italian and foreign artists.
NEW TRENDS IN MOVING TO ITALY
According to a recent report, published by the estate agency Gate-Away.com, more and more British citizens are interested in moving to live in Italy. The agency claims that enquiries regarding property purchase have increased steadily, year on year, by 23.27% over the past five years.
“The British buyer of 2025” the report says, “is an experienced traveller who has moved beyond the 'classic postcard' phase to seek a closer connection with the territory” and “they are no longer searching solely for a 'holiday home' in a well-known destination, but for a life project: where they can live for extended periods, work remotely, integrate into the local community and benefit from a more sustainable cost of living compared with the UK.”
British buyers, continues the report, are looking for “an authentic life style made of local markets, the silence of the afternoon contr'ora and the ritual of the aperitif in the square.”
Clients favour houses with gardens, rather than apartments in cities and are showing steadily increasing interest in the quieter and less famous locations in areas like Salento and the Valle d'Itria, the Langhe hills, Monferrato and certain Alpine and Dolomite zones.
However, locations in Italy's deep south are also arousing interest, with properties in Sicily and Puglia high on the enquiries list, followed by Abruzzo and Calabria.
Info: gate-away.com
FOOD FOR THOUGHT AT UMBRIA'S ANCIENT FESTIVAL
This year's edition of the Umbria Ancient Festival has the alluring theme of “The Taste of History”.
The three-day yearly Festival at Todi continues to acquire prestige and popularity with its captivating themes and the prestige of its speakers and lecturers and the coming edition, programmed for the 27th- 29th March 2026 promises to keep its public happy.
Held in the Council Hall of the historic Palazzo del Capitano (Captain's Palace) , themes covered include culinary traditions of Pompeii and ancient Roman markets, food as a vehicle of power and control, the history of olive oil and spices, traditional food preservation processes, the origin and development of wines, food traditions in religions and various other themes.
As always, the Festival includes theatrical and musical performances as well as a Book Fair.
L'ANNURCA, ITALY'S ANCIENT “QUEEN OF APPLES”
Italy is on the way to becoming one of Europe's most important apple growers, with over 2.317 million tons harvested in 2025, and coming second to Poland, the EU's biggest apple exporter (between 3 to 4 million tons).
The greatest part of apple production in Italy is concentrated in the northern Trentino-Alto Adige regions which alone harvest 2 million tons of the popular world-wide known brands like Golden and Red Delicious, Granny Smiths, Fuji , Melinda and so on, cultivated by family cooperatives.
Just beginning to make a debut abroad is the native Italian apple: the ancient Annurca Campania, which has been cultivated in southern Italy for over 3000 years and is mentioned in Pliny the Elder's Naturalis Historia as well as featuring in a fresco at the earthquake-destroyed town of Herculaneum. The Ancients believed it originated at the “Gates of the Underworld” at Lake Avernus near Naples.
The Annurca has many virtues. It is water-resistant and can be stored for long periods.
Picked from the trees while still green and turned regularly towards the sunlight, it ripens slowly and naturally over the autumn months in cool surroundings. Smaller than modern cultivated brands, it is sweet and crunchy and can lower cholesterol levels. It is also believed to help hair grow!
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STENHOUSE
CATS' SPECIAL STATUS IN ROME
Recently, on the 17th February, Italy celebrated the annual Day of the Cat, complete with the animal's special patron saint, the medieval mystic, Saint Gertrude de Nivelles, who recognized the importance of the presence of cats in her convent in controlling the spread of the plague. Cats have always had special protected status in Italy, especially in Rome where an estimated 300,000 feline “friends” have made their home – 170,000 registered as domestic pets and another 130,000 or so living in cat colonies, where they are looked after and fed by local volunteers. The cat, in fact, enjoys protected citizen status in Rome where the city council has declared it part of the “city's bio-cultural heritage”.An incalculable number of cats, however, prefer a free and footloose existence hidden among the ancient ruins and gardens scattered round the historic centre.
Italy's annual International Super Cat Show was held in November, with some 600 cats of various breeds competing for the title of Super Cat and won by Mila, a young British shorthair blue tabby. An important part of the event is the Adoption Corner, where stray cats chosen from the 600 cat sanctuaries dotted round the city centre and suburbs are available for adoption, complete with vaccination certificates and health checks.
The typical Italian cat is the European Shorthair, which comes in variations of white, black, grey and ginger, with the all ginger colouring predominant in males.
M.STENHOUSE
Info: https://supercatshow.com
FLAMINGO WATCH IN TUSCANY
According to the Italian branch of WWF (World Wildlife Fund for Nature), the end of winter is the best time to see flamingos at Lake Burano in Tuscany. Lake Burano (Grosseto) was the first WWF natural oasis to be established in Italy in 1967. Extending over 2 ½ acres plus a further 1,500 acres of no-hunting land, and flanking a 12 km stretch of protected coast, the shallow lake and surrounding wetlands provide refuge each year to thousands of migrating birds as well as wild animals like badgers, foxes, rabbits, weasels, wild boar, the occasional wolf and other once common species of European fauna.
The first flamingos were spotted on the lake in 1994 and ever since their noisy presence and bright pink plumage has dominated the waterways of the park during the winter months. Numbers have steadily increased with around 4000 birds registered at the last count (end 2024-beginning 2025) (Green Report.it)
Access to the protected area is reserved exclusively for tours accompanied by park guides.
Info: Tel. +39.3834231098 (for guided tours) lagodiburano@wwf.it
IN THE FOOTSYEPS OF THE BRIGANDS
The success of the resurrection of the ancient Via Francigena, the medieval pilgrimage route from France to Rome, has in recent years inspired the creation of other “Cammini”, or designated hiking tracks through the Italian mountains and countryside. Modelled on the celebrated Camino di Santiago, these walking tours envisage overnights in camp sites, monasteries or farmhouses and are signposted along the route.
A relatively recent edition is the “Brigand's Way” (Cammino Dei Briganti) which covers a total 108 kms of ancient mountainous tracks between the regions of Abruzzo and Lazio once used by shepherds and lawless outlaw bands.
Launched a few years ago by local writer and guide Luca Gianotti, this little publicized track is gaining rapidly in popularity. An estimated 7 days to complete, it starts near Tagliacozza in Abruzzo, and winds over the foothills of Mt. Velino, passing through small medieval villages and scenic beauty spots. The symbol of the trek will be a sculpture by the artist Cesare Pergola, featuring “La Carovana sul Cammino”, a procession of the typical wildlife animals of the area, led by a brigand.
Recently, the Italian government has granted official recognition of the network of hiking tracks that amble across the country, allowing grants to finance maintenance, signposting, visitor maps and the establishment of overnight accommodation.
M.STENHOUSE
“LAST JUDGEMENT” RETURNED TO ORIGINAL GLORY
Soon after Easter 2026, visitors to te Sistine Chapel in the Vatican Museum will be able to enjoy a fresh renewed vision of Michaelangelo's masterpiece, “The Last Judement”.
A team of skiled restorers are already on the scaffolding at work cleaning off the deposits of salification caused by the breath, sweat and body heat of the thousands of visitors who crowd into the chapel every day.
The last major restoration of the Chapel paintings took place some thirty years ago. This time, according to Vatican Museum director Barbara Jatta, the restoration will be lighter, involving careful removal of the strata of patchy white efflorescence that has formed over the intervening years, using distilled water and soft tissue paper.
In compensation for the scaffolding erected over 180 sqm of mural and the subsequent restricted view of the painting, visitors will be able to enjoy the rare and fascinating experience of watching the restorers at work.
Info: www.vaticannews.va.it
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