Often described as “the other Italian national pastime” (in addition to il calcio, football) cycling is huge in Italy. In this final episode of this season of the Coffee Break Italian Magazine, we take a closer look at the sport which is one of the most practised and watched in the country. In response to

By the time you’ve listened to this episode you’ll have l’acquolina in bocca – your mouth will be watering! Francesca shares a recipe for the rice dish panissa which involves beans, onion, Italian sausage and Arborio rice, and there’s a question from listener Donna who is confused about the difference between the verbs potere and

In this episode of the Coffee Break Magazine we’re heading to the north of Italy to the town of Ivrea, known for its peculiar way of celebrating Carnevale. Our listener’s question in this episode comes from Zack and concerns the tricky word mica which seems to pepper the conversation of native speakers, but is difficult

… e tanta voglia di futuro. The city of Matera in the Basilicata region of Italy celebrates an incredibly rich heritage, with the word famous Sassi, cave dwellings carved into the mountainside, and looks to the future with the redevelopment of these caves into museums and hotels. In 2019, together with the Bulgarian city of

It’s time for a new episode of the Coffee Break Italian Magazine and in this episode Francesca and Mark talk about their summer breaks and where they travelled to. The text for this episode focuses on the traditional Italian dance, la Tarantella, and there’s an interesting question from listener Gianna on the difference between restare

We’re heading to the kitchen for this episode and learning about the popular pasta dish, le orecchiette. Mark and Francesca also discuss their recent trip to Milan and Stresa to film some content for the forthcoming Coffee Break Italian To Go video series. There’s also an explanation of how to translate “some” into Italian, based

In this episode Francesca and Mark discuss one of Italy’s most famous authors, Italo Calvino. Calvino’s work can be read on many levels, and as a result of the type of language used, his books are very accessible for learners of Italian. In our Q&A segment, Francesca explains the difference between stare and essere.

In episode 3 of the Coffee Break Italian Magazine we’re heading to the north of Italy to find out more about the Walser Community. In addition we’ll be looking at the best way to move from using Lei to using tu when you’re getting to know someone.

In this episode we’re heading south to the region of Puglia and, more specifically, to the area known as Il Gargano. Known for its crystalline waters and golden beaches, there is much to see and do in Il Gargano. Find out more in the episode. Francesca and Mark also have some advice on how to