An archaeology graduate student at Venice’s University Ca’ Foscari found a rare 5,000-year-old sword made of copper and tin, common materials used prior to the Bronze Age. The PhD student, Vittoria Dall’Armellina, found the sword in a monastery on San Lazzaro degli Armeni, an island ...

A researcher at Scotland’s University of St. Andrews has found the oldest known city drawing of Venice, a sketch from the 14th century. The scholar, Dr. Sandra Toffolo, specializes in Venetian Renaissance history and was conducting research at the National Central Library of Florence whe...

To the delight of art lovers, Italy’s popular free museum Sundays are back. This popular program, which offers free entry on the first Sunday of the month for both Italian and foreign visitors at state-run museums around the country, was introduced in 2014 by Culture Minister Dario Franc...

On December 1, Venetians will vote on a referendum to split the historic city center from its residential suburbs. If approved by a majority of voters, the floating island center of Venice – where the tourist attractions are – will become a separate city from most of Mestre, the area e...

If you haven’t gone to a film festival, you’re missing out. Some of the best movies aren’t seen at commercial theaters, but instead are independent films competing at film festivals around the world. If you’re in Italy, consider snagging tickets to The 76th Venice Film Festival, wh...

If you’re planning on visiting Italy’s Saonara any time soon, you may want to practice curbing your language before you get there and take time to learn what other new laws have been passed. One slip of the tongue and you might find yourself, well...fined. Saonara is a municipality ...

The Venitian beach resort of Bibione  will ban cigarettes beginning at the end of May, in time for the summer crowds. The beach is the first to ban smoking in Italy, and intends to eliminate cigarette butt pollution and the exposure of visitors to secondhand smoke. Italy banned smoking in...

The latest in a series of bans aimed at tourists comes from Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro, who has proposed a fine of up to €500 for sitting down in undesignated spots throughout the city. According to CNN Travel, the Venice city council is currently discussing the text of the proposed ban...

As of August 1, small recreational watercrafts such as kayaks, canoes, paddleboards and pedal boats are no longer allowed on the main waterways of Venice. The ban does not apply to Venetian residents who own these boats, gondolas or tour companies that are regulated by local authorities. ...

From now until May 1, Venice is prohibiting tourist access into the main parts of the city. The restrictions are intended to ease crowds during the Festa del Lavoro holiday, Italy’s Labor Day and a popular traveling time for Italians. Tourists traveling to popular places such as Rialt...