Alex Sakalis

Europe and its eccentricities | Former Europe Editor @openDemocracy, now freelancer with words in BBC, The New York Times, The Guardian etc

Articles

The Peculiar Charm of San Marino, a Small Sovereign Nation Big on Local Pride

1 week ago | wetheitalians.com | Alex Sakalis

BY: Alex SakalisIs San Marino a heroic ode to liberty or just a glorified souvenir shop that declared independence? My skepticism toward the world's oldest republic - a small enclave bordered by Italy (but mostly the province of Rimini) on all sides - had put me off visiting, despite living a short train and bus ride away. The Italians I know harbor generally bad opinions of San Marino, dismissing it as a gimmick or a money laundering racket for dirty Italian money.
The Peculiar Charm of San Marino, a Small Sovereign Nation Big on Local Pride

1 month ago | italymagazine.com | Alex Sakalis

Is San Marino a heroic ode to liberty or just a glorified souvenir shop that declared independence? My skepticism toward the world’s oldest republic — a small enclave bordered by Italy (but mostly the province of Rimini) on all sides — had put me off visiting, despite living a short train and bus ride away. The Italians I know harbor generally bad opinions of San Marino, dismissing it as a gimmick or a money laundering racket for dirty Italian money. Think Switzerland without the substance.
These Exhibitions in Rome Should be on Your Radar for Summer 2025

1 month ago | italymagazine.com | Alex Sakalis

Rome in high season can be a whirlwind of crowds, long lines and packed piazzas — but away from the well-worn paths of the Colosseum and Vatican Museums is a city brimming with unique cultural events. Though the city itself is “eternal,” certain things on the calendar run for a limited time only. Add these exhibitions in Rome to your list if you’re looking for something special to do on your next visit.
Everything You Need to Know About Ladin, the Secret Language of the Dolomites

Feb 21, 2025 | italymagazine.com | Alex Sakalis

“Willkommen. Benvenuti. Welcome.” These are the three familiar greetings written on the sign at Parco Cervi, deep and high in Italy’s Dolomite region. Yet towering above them all in bold, capital letters is an enigmatic fourth phrase:“BËGNODÜS!” it practically screams. “TL PARCH DI CERF TL ALTA BADIA!” Keen linguists might recognize it as a Romance language, and those familiar with Italian can likely infer its meaning.
Inside Palazzo Citterio, the Modern Art Gallery Freshening Up Milan’s Brera

Feb 2, 2025 | italymagazine.com | Alex Sakalis

Milan’s Pinacoteca di Brera — one of the world’s most venerable art museums — is expanding. Under director Angelo Crespi, the preeminent home of Italian Old Masters aims to become a flagship of modern and contemporary art. And with the recent inauguration of its new modern collection at Palazzo Citterio, it’s at least partially succeeded. It’s been a long time coming.
In Bolzano, Check Everything You Think You Know About Italy at the Door

Nov 26, 2024 | italymagazine.com | Alex Sakalis

The Dolomites are written about frequently, but you’ll rarely see any mention of their only real city, Bolzano; if you do, it’s usually in relation to the famous annual Christmas market, which kicks into gear later this week. But the city is much more than a mere backdrop for merry holiday vendors.
These Patterns in Italian Street Names are the Path to Understanding the Country

Nov 7, 2024 | italymagazine.com | Alex Sakalis

Spend enough time in Italy and you’ll start to notice something about the names of city streets: They’re predictable. When I go to a new city, I can reasonably imagine the toponymical layout before beginning to explore. The central square and surrounding streets will likely bear the names of the five “founding fathers” of the Italian state.
You’ve Probably Overlooked the Bologna Apennines. Here’s Where to Go.

Oct 18, 2024 | italymagazine.com | Alex Sakalis

The wild and densely forested Bologna Apennines begin roughly at the southern walls of Bologna and extend all the way to the Tuscan border. Historically a place of exchange and transit, the area was hit particularly hard during World War II when the Nazis chose it as the site of the Gothic Line, a series of defenses intended to stop the Allied advance north.
When Pablo Picasso Found Himself in Italy

Sep 2, 2024 | italymagazine.com | Alex Sakalis

Practically every aspect of Pablo Picasso’s life and art has already been picked apart. But his brief sojourn in Italy in 1917, when the artist was 35, remains comparatively unexamined.
In Bologna, Canals are Cool Again

Aug 2, 2024 | italymagazine.com | Alex Sakalis

As a Bologna resident, I’ve become accustomed to the throngs of people lining up on Via Piella just to peek through the Finestrella (the “little window”) that opens onto a section of the old Reno canal. Much to the bemusement of the bolognesi, it continues to grow in popularity. Often dry, weirdly grotty and extremely underwhelming, it’s become a kind of meta-attraction, where the disappointment of actually seeing it is part of the draw.