Economy – This week, the international press is covering two sides of the Italian economy: a cutting-edge, internationalized group like Brembo on the one hand, a small outfit banking on a long tradition on the other: Reuters explains that the brakes multinational is expecting a 6-7% growth in sales in 2016 (March 3 – Italy’s Brembo sees sales growing 6-7 pct in 2016), while The New York Times reports how the Roman boutique Sciuscià Chic has reinvented the art of shoe-shining (March 6 – Women Try to Make Italy’s Shoe-Shining as Chic as Its Shoes*).
The business world is also covered, with Financial Times reporting the appointment of Carlo Calabria as Barclays chairman of M&A in Europe (March 7 – Barclays hires veteran Italian M&A banker and team*).
Tourism & culture – There is no shortage of news on tourism and culture. Financial Times begins with Conegliano, reviewing the exhibition recounting the Venetian Renaissance through the paintings of the Vivarini, a family of fifteenth-century artists (March 8 – The Vivarini, Palazzo Sarcinelli, Conegliano, Italy — review*); the British daily then visits Venice, “a rising market for homebuyers” for tourists with lots of cash (March 3 – Venice: is the sinking city a rising market for homebuyers?*). Staying in Veneto, The Times tours Shakespeare’s Italy, which of course must include Verona (March 4 – Travel tips: See Shakespeare’s Italy*).
And while Les Echos recommends a luxury weekend in the Tuscan hills (March 5 – Partir ce week-end : la Villa Il Poggiale en Toscane*), The New York Times travels to Ponza, publishing an article in which the author discovers the island through family memories (March 8 – On an Italian Island, How He Met My Mother*).
Wine & Food – The foreign press’s journey to Italy doesn’t miss an opportunity to discover the country’s excellent wine and food offerings. Wine takes centre stage with The New York Times reporting on Chianti winegrowers’ struggle to defend the vineyards from boars (March 5 – Italy’s Famed Wine Region a War Zone, Invaded by Boars and Others*); the American newspaper also reviews Etna Rosso, “a delicious tension between sweet and bitter” (March 3 – In Etna Rosso, a Delicious Tension Between Sweet and Bitter*).
In cuisine, Reuters and the German dailies die Welt and Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung report how Italy is seeking World Heritage status for pizza (March 4 and 5 – Italy seeks UNESCO recognition for Neapolitan pizza making; Italien will Pizza um Weltkulturerbe machen; Italien will Pizza als Weltkulturerbe anerkennen lassen). Lastly, The New York Times goes all the way to Bollate, in the province of Milan, to savour the cooking at InGalera, a “successful” restaurant staffed by convicts from the local prison (March 5 – Italian Cuisine Worth Going to Prison For*).
*Article available for pay / at registration