About ITALIAN, FOR SURE | Italian Culture Guide via Conversations with Italians in Italy
Your ultimate (and accurate) guide to Italian culture! ITALIAN, FOR SURE goes beyond the cliches and stereotypes to reveal the true Italian way of living.
Catrin Skaperdas, an American living in Italy, hosts lively interviews with locals in an effort to give Italians the (befitting) stage to passionately share their wisdom, stories and insights about Italy.
* Join the ITALIAN, FOR SURE Trip to Italy! https://italianforsurepodcast.beehiiv.com (https://italianforsurepodcast.beehiiv.com/) *
ITALIAN, FOR SURE is perfect for listeners who desire to learn more about Italian culture, dream of moving to Italy, plan on visiting or studying abroad in Italy, or have Italian roots or heritage. It covers topics that help develop your cultural awareness, making it easier to navigate Italy, and equip you with fun facts to share.
Listen and embark on a culturally rich journey every other Wednesday at 6:00am CEST that will transport you to different corners of Italy through the voices of locals who make this country truly special. Italians will set the record straight, allowing you to know what’s truly Italian and what’s not by unveiling hidden gems about the Italian customs.
(ITALIAN, FOR SURE is created and hosted by Catrin Skaperdas (https://www.linkedin.com/in/catrinskaperdas/).)
An Italian Expert Explains What Grappa Actually Is - Francesca Nonino on its History, Making Process, and the Biggest Drinking Mistakes
Francesca Nonino, sixth-generation grappa expert, shares the history, production, and cultural significance of grappa with host Catrin Skaperdas in this insightful interview.
3 Jun 2026TRANSCRIPT
Cultural Confessions of an Italian - Middle Names, Religion, Dating and Sex, Fashion, Egg Freezing and Surrogacy in Italy
Host Catrin Austin Skaperdas and Milanese local Giulia Lavinia Futura Baroni explore Italian cultural nuances including middle names, religion, dating, fashion, and reproductive rights in this interview.
20 May 2026
Buying Property in Italy - 1 Euro Homes, Mortgages from Italian Banks, First-Time Buyer Perks, and the One Costly Mistake to Avoid
The essential steps to navigating the Italian real estate market are mapped out in this episode of ITALIAN, FOR SURE. Want to buy property in Italy without the stress of landing on financial landmines, or simply curious to learn what it would take to live in the land of the No.1 cuisine in the world, according to TasteAtlas rankings (2025/2026)?
* Join the ITALIAN, FOR SURE Trip to Italy! https://italianforsurepodcast.beehiiv.com *
Specializing in helping foreign buyers buy, invest in, and manage property in Italy, Jacopo Tartaglia (an Italian real estate agent and the founder of Valente Italian Properties) and host Catrin Skaperdas (an American who has bought property in Italy) help make the property buying process in Italy understandable. Jacopo walks you through the process of buying property in Italy, step by step, making it very easy to understand so you’re prepared for your property buying journey - even if you want to buy a castle.
Jacopo and Catrin have an entertaining and useful conversation about Italian culture inclusive of:If foreigners can buy a property in Italy, without being a residentIf Italy’s 1 euro homes are worth itOne very helpful tip to avoid spending thousands of dollars unnecessarily and having a major headache to deal withWhat budgets you should consider when looking to buy in ItalyIf foreigners can get a loan from an Italian bank if they’re not a resident in ItalyPerks for 1st time home buyers What costs you should consider when buying property in ItalyPlaces where you can find Italian property listings onlineWhy you shouldn’t overlook a property listing with bad photosIf buying property in Italy is really worth it
The top websites for Italian property listings:Immobiliare.itIdealista.it
This episode is perfect for people who:Want to buy property in Italy while still living in the USAre moving to Italy and looking for propertyForeigners already living in Italy that want to buy propertyWould be interested in investing in rental property in ItalyWant to understand what it would be like to buy property in Italy
Chapters (Apple Podcasts, Spotify):
2:02 Intro
2:33 The most researched city by foreign buyers of property in Italy
6:02 Jacopo explains why he’s the right person to speak about the topic of real estate in Italy
8:22 Where foreign buyers are looking for property in Italy
11:44 If it's worth it to buy 1 euro homes in Italy
13:34 Revealing budgets someone should consider when looking to buy in Italy
15:39 If foreigners can get a loan from an Italian bank if they’re not a resident in Italy
17:26 What costs you should consider when buying property in Italy
17:51 Perks for 1st time home buyers
20:04 One very helpful tip to avoid spending thousands of dollars and having a major headache in the future
23:15 Why you can’t trust Italian real estate agents
25:22 Jacopo walks you through the process of buying property in Italy, step by step, making it very easy to understand so you’re prepared for your property buying journey - even if you want to buy a castle
29:12 Where you can find Italian property listings online
34:43 Why you shouldn’t overlook a property listing with "bad” photos
37:57 Is buying property in Italy worth it
38:30 Property tax benefits in Italy
40:18 Outro
Jacopo Tartaglia is a real estate agent and the founder of Valente Italian Properties. Through his work and social channels, he shares practical insights on buying, investing, and living in Italy, helping international clients navigate the Italian real estate market.
https://valenteit.com/
This interview is available to watch on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube, and available to listen-only everywhere else you can get podcasts.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Inside a recent episode
An Italian Expert Explains What Grappa Actually Is - Francesca Nonino on its History, Making Process, and the Biggest Drinking Mistakes
Published 17 Jun 2026 · Transcript excerpt
[…] So if you distill the best quality, the higher the quality of the raw material, the higher the spirit. And so in our case, my grandfather, that was the first generation of distiller in our family, he did something considered completely crazy for the grappa industry. Consider that in Italy, artisanal distilleries has maximum 12 pot still, normally 6, 6 to 12 pot still. My grandfather built a distillery with 66 artisanal pot still, but the reason for this structure is just that my grandfather wanted to distill the freshest palm as possible because In Italy, sadly, Italian laws allowed the distillery to storage the grape pomace up to eight months before distilling it. […]
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
