Arts and Culture
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The Legacy of Franca Viola
In 1965, in rural Sicily, a young woman, not yet 18, was kidnapped and raped by the man she had refused to marry. When she was found and freed by the police, he was confident she would follow what custom and Italian law expected: marry him, thereby restoring her so-called “honour” and exonerating him of…
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The Cacao King of the Philippines
Ten years ago, Philippine farmer Christopher Fadriga knew nothing about cacao. Then he discovered some old criollo cacao trees growing in people’s backyards. The heirloom variety, which had long vanished from Mexico, was brought over by the Galleon Trade hundreds of years ago. Now, Fadriga’s criollo cacao beans are the toast of chocolate lovers the…
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Ménage à trois, Ravenna style: Lord Byron, his lover and her husband.
When King Charles and Queen Camilla made a four day state visit to Italy last year, they went, of course, to Rome. But the only other city they visited – which came as a genuine surprise to most – was Ravenna. Located in the region of Emilia-Romagna, Ravenna is famous for its magnificent basilicas boasting…
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An Aromatic Adventure. Exploring Slow Food Travel’s Negros Island Trail
When you travel to the Philippines in the wet season, you have to be prepared for the possibility that your plans may be scuppered. We were lucky – each torrential downpour that punctuated our day trip conveniently occurred when we were under cover. Nevertheless, this tiny taste of extreme weather gave us a tangible awareness…
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Bologna’s English Restaurant
Which would you choose? This? I was recently telling a visitor that Bologna did once have an English restaurant. They couldn’t believe it. Nor could I when I first heard about it. The restaurateur who opened it back in 2009 was convinced it would be a huge success. The Bolognese were convinced it would be…
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The Future of Mediterranean Wool
Wool. Whether it’s socks, hats or jumpers, generations of Europeans have been kept warm throughout the winter thanks to the fleeces of this continent’s sheep. But with the rise and rise of synthetic materials in the fashion and textile industries, wool’s been losing its popularity in recent years. The knock-on effect has been that wool’s…
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Venice Noir
A trip to the first ever Venice Noir Festival… Originally broadcast on Inside Europe, Radio DW, on 20 November 2025 https://www.dw.com/en/ambitious-climate-targets-but-whats-the-plan/audio-74826079
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Pimpa – The Director’s Cut
The celebration of an Italian children’s classic. Link to the full programme on Inside Europe, broadcast on 16 October 2025 https://www.dw.com/en/inside-europe/program-19041931
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Say Cheese!
If you were in northern Italy last weekend, you might have smelt a pungent whiff in the air as Slow Food’s biennial festival Cheese took over the hill town of Bra.
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Quadrilatero food neighbourhood
This year, I made a feature for Monocle about Bologna’s Quadrilatero food neighbourhood. Here’s a version with extra moments from the tour. link to the edited version: https://monocle.com/radio/shows/the-menu/food-neighbourhoods-439-quadrilatero-bologna/
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Italian Easter
With Easter upon us, Inside Europe (on DW) asked correspondents to share their favourite local traditions… Published on Radio DW April 2025
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Happy Chooks!
If you’re keen to be green, how about getting yourself a couple of chickens? They give you fresh eggs, keep your garden fertilized and can actually be ideal allergy-free pets, thus ticking all boxes! Hundreds of Italians have already started embracing this virtuous circle as I found out on a farm near the town of…
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Bloody Football
Dany Mitzman tries to make the best of a dreaded family day out…at a football match. Broadcast on the BBC, From Our Own Correspondent, on 25/05/2019Link to the original episode here
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Italian ‘bamboccioni’
The lovely Outlook presenter, Matthew Bannister, struggled a bit with the word bamboccioni. This was one of the most amusing pieces I ever recorded: the hilarious dynamic between Giacomo and his mum, Maddalena, still makes me smile ten years later. You’ll be pleased to know that he did, eventually, move out! First broadcast on BBC Outlook 21/01/2010Link…
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Fascists and anti-fascists face off in Bologna
Ahead of elections in Italy, Dany Mitzman watches fascists and anti-fascists face off in Bologna – a city famed for its left-wing politics. First broadcast on the BBC, From Our Own Correspondent, 22 February 2018Link to original programme:https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/b09tn27q