However, there are so many great podcasts about Italy travel and culture, that it is probably best to decide which aspect of Italian living that attracts you the most and start there. My original podcast is very general, covering every topic. My latest Italian food podcast focuses only on Italian cuisine and the Mediterranean Diet. Whatever your tastes, there is an entire history of Italy podcasts to choose from.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ok, cominciamo\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Fatal Charm of Italy Podcast with Rick Zullo (yours truly). <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Fatal Charm of Italy<\/em> is a podcast about Italy that explores the deeper layers of the Italian experience, whether you’re a would-be expat, heart-sick traveler, or armchair Italy daydreamer. It’s a sincere look at all of the aspects of Italian life that enchant us… but also those things that frustrate us. <\/p>\n\n\n\n With my guests, we explore everything from intercultural relationships, to regional Italian cuisine, to language challenges, to finding off-beat locations to visit. NO holds barred! (And please don\u2019t be offended if we break the \u201cperfect\u201d images of Italy that the world has invented.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is currently ranked as one of the best Italian podcasts on Spotify, so if you\u2019re on that platform check it out here: Fatal Charm of Italy on Spotify<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n By the way, I LOVE talking to people about Italy on my podcasts! So if you have an interesting angle, story, or pitch related to Italy, travel, or a specific aspect of Italian culture, get in touch with me! rick@rickzullo.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Based on the total number of downloads taken from my SoundCloud dashboard, these are the most popular episodes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Join me over on my food blog as we discuss the many benefits of a Mediterranean Diet. We will talk about not only the “What” and “How,” but we will also dive into the “Why” and the scientific research behind it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Mediterranean Lifestyle offers cuisine that is both delicious and healthy. Let’s attempt to incorporate the wisdom of generations past into our modern routines in order to live our best lives. Buon appetito!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n And again, here are the most popular episodes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n OK, now onto the higher quality podcasts! Many of these are my friends, and a few times we have been guests on each other\u2019s shows. Others are merely ones that have caught my attention because the subject matter is close to my heart. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Not surprising, many of my favorite Italy podcasts are focused on food, and Paolo\u2019s is one of the best. He and I have chatted at length, and it\u2019s always interesting because we come from opposite perspectives. He\u2019s an Italian who emigrated to North America, and I\u2019m from the U.S. and I went the other direction back to Italy. But somehow, our paths merge to the same point when discussing \u201cItalian\u201d food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In his own words\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n As (over)stated in the tag line: Fixing Italian food around the world, this explains the difference between what is known as \u201cItalian food,\u201d and the food of Italy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It began out of frustration. I have never had chicken on pasta when I was in Italy \u2013 and, yet, chicken pasta is a popular \u201cItalian classic\u201d in North America. It\u2019s bad enough to have \u201cItalian\u201d dishes that don\u2019t actually exist in Italy (try ordering Linguini Alfredo in an Italian restaurant!), but what is even more upsetting is when the basic pillars of Italian cuisine are completely ignored, when its simplicity and balance are lost in the attempt to cram in as many flavors as possible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Real Italian food celebrates quality ingredients, expertly paired so that they play off each other. I don\u2019t see that in a tomato sauce made with 10 different spices, a tablespoon of sugar and a head of garlic!<\/p>\n\n\n\n After my initial rant, however, I shifted my focus on researching why certain ingredients in North America are treated so differently from their Italian counterparts. Why are tomatoes nothing more than a garnish for hamburgers? Why when I lived in Italy hadn\u2019t I heard of Canola? Why does fresh milk last 3 weeks instead of 3 days? The blog became more \u201cscientific,\u201d and started to require far more research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Have a listen for yourself!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Random Episode: What makes a dish Italian? With Eva from Electric Blue Food<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s another great one about food, \u201cThe Flavor of Italy Podcast,\u201d impressively publishing a new episode once a week on a regular basis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n From the website description:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAlways out and about meeting local farmers & purveyors, restaurateurs & winery owners, authors and designers, artists, musicians, cultural icons, and exploring unique travel destinations. I visit small towns and villages, the less traveled areas of the Eternal City, the Lazio region and throughout Italy. Each and every person I encounter has a unique and fascinating story to tell.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Random Episode: Sicilian Food & The Mons\u00f9 Cuisine<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n This one caught my attention because I studied Italian Literature when I went back to University as a 40-something to get a second Bachelor’s Degree (for some reason). The classes were all taught in Italian, and I had some amazing professors that made the pages come to life with their passion and knowledge. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The episode from this podcast that I\u2019ve highlighted is about Manzoni\u2019s I promessi sposi<\/em>, arguably the most important work of Italian literature when you consider not only its literary contribution, but its role in steering the direction of the language itself. I also have talked about this at some length, such as in my discussion of the many dialects in Italy<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Anne and Jim host Literary Italy, \u201ca joyous romp through the books and the landscape of the bel paese. Join us as we share our love of the literature, the people, the land, and the experience that is Italy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Have a listen for yourself\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n Random Episode: Ep. 37: I Promessi Sposi \/ Lake Como<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Admittedly, what first grabbed my attention about this podcast was the artwork they borrowed from a few of the Caravaggio P<\/a>a<\/a>intings in Rome<\/a>. I\u2019m obsessed with Caravaggio, so naturally I had to check it out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n And I must say, I love it. They make a great team, each adding their own flavor to the conversation. I enjoyed a recent episode where they discussed the cons (and yes, pros) of visiting Italy during the pandemic, and how the Covid crisis might just change the very nature of Italy\u2019s tourism industry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s what they say about their own show\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat began as a podcast about what it means to live abroad has become a dynamic examination of what it means to live. NPR veteran Katy Sewall and long-time expat in Italy Tiffany Parks guide you on a vulnerable, entertaining, and irreverent journey to discover a more wondrous and adventurous life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOur topic-based conversations, famous guests, and visits to Rome will tweak how you see the world, keep you company, and challenge you to step out of your comfort zone. Whether you live abroad, dream of living abroad, or just want to live life more fully wherever you are, join us for lively conversation every week.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Random Episode(s): https:\/\/thebittersweetlife.net\/rome\/<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n OK, if we\u2019re going to Italy, eating Italian food, exploring all the art and culture\u2026 we should speak at least some <\/em>of the language, no?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cher Hale and I have been virtually connected through our shared love of the language for several years. We\u2019ve been guests on each other\u2019s shows, and I\u2019ve always admired her approach to learning la bella lingua<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cher started \u201cItalian with Cher<\/em>\u201d (formerly The Iceberg Project<\/em>) in 2012 driven by a completely irrational passion for the Italian language and culture. She believes that every home needs a constant supply of pecorino cheese and wine, and at the end of her life, wants to be known for spreading smiles like wildfire. <\/p>\n\n\n\n And don\u2019t be intimidated, it\u2019s one of the best Italian podcasts for beginners. So jump right in! How about starting with this one?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Random(?) Episode: Sexy Phrases to Seduce Your Italian Lover<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Join the hosts on a virtual trip to the land of stunning landscapes, ancient sites, and a whole lot of pasta!<\/p>\n\n\n\n They want to help you dream of Italy and help you plan, so that all your dreams of sauntering in the sun with your daily gelato come true.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re dreaming of those cobbled streets, ancient sites, picturesque towns, and sipping chianti then join them on their podcast and escape to Italy for a few moments each week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Random Episode: Beyond The Cinque Terre: Exploring Liguria<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Well, these should keep you busy for a while. Certainly this list is not exhaustive, and there are some great Italian podcasts that I just didn\u2019t have time to review. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you have a favorite that I didn\u2019t mention, please let me know and I\u2019ll add it to this list. And again, if you\u2019d like to be a guest, please don\u2019t hesitate to reach out. rick@rickzullo.com<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Arrivederci!<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" If you\u2019re looking for a great Italy podcast, you\u2019ve come to the right place! In fact, I have two podcasts about Italy of my own, but I can also suggest a few other Italy travel podcasts hosted by friends of mine who offer diverse perspectives on Italian food, culture, language and history. In my opinion, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10493,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rickzullo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4440"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rickzullo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rickzullo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rickzullo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rickzullo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4440"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/rickzullo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4440\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12452,"href":"https:\/\/rickzullo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4440\/revisions\/12452"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rickzullo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10493"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rickzullo.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4440"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n
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Other (Better?) Podcasts About Italy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Disgraces on the Menu<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Flavor of Italy Podcast<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Literary Italy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Bittersweet Life<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The 30-Minute Italian<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Untold Italy Podcast<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Italy Podcasts\u2026 Until You Return in Person<\/h3>\n\n\n\n