This isn’t your postcard version of Italy. No gondolas and gelato clichés here—unless we’re calling them out. The Anthony in Italy Podcast dives into the real stuff: conversations with expats, locals, travelers, and anyone who’s got something honest to say about life and travel in Italy. We get into culture shocks, small-town obsessions, regional quirks, unexpected lessons, and the occasional espresso-fueled rant about Italian food rules. Whether you’re planning a trip or just fascinated by the weird, wonderful mess that is Italy, you’re in the right place.
EP13: Living the American Dream: An Italian's Perspective
Andrea grew up in Perugia, Italy. He left for Madrid at 18, then New York in his 20s. Not for a job, not for money. He left because he couldn't be himself in Umbria.We talk about what it's actually like to build a life in New York as an Italian. The visa nightmare (makes Italian bureaucracy look easy). Gentrification and what NYC lost post-COVID. Why Italian Americans and Italians from Italy barely talk to each other. The fact that gay marriage still doesn't exist in Italy, and what that means for someone who wants to move home one day.This isn't a "moving to Italy" episode. It's the other direction. Might be more interesting.Chapters00:04 Journey to New York: A Dream Realized03:20 Cultural Identity and the Melting Pot05:45 Reasons for Leaving Italy, Homophobia08:45 Adapting to Life in New York City11:30 The Impact of COVID-19 on New York's Landscape15:20 Exploring Italian-American Connections30:54 Traveling to the U.S.: Insights for Italians40:37 Critique of American Culture41:24 Identity and Belonging42:20 Cultural Stereotypes and Communication Styles43:03 Friendship Dynamics in Different Cultures46:10 Future Plans and Aging in New York48:34 Differences in LGBTQ+ Culture50:48 Marriage Equality and Personal Aspirations54:41 Advice for Italians Moving to New York58:59 Navigating Bureaucracy and Immigration Challenges01:02:53 Reflections on Life Choices and Cultural ExposureFind Andrea at https://www.instagram.com/andreapriorelli/📍 More from me:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anthony_in_italy/Site: anthonyinitaly.comCitizenship by descent help: BecomeItaliani#ItalyPodcast #ItalianDiaspora #LivingAbroad #PerugiaItaly #NewYorkCity
3 Jun 2026
EP12: How to Actually Learn Italian, with Margherita Berti
Margherita Berti has a linguistics degree, runs an online Italian language school with thousands of students, and has been teaching Italian for over five years. In this episode, we get into what it actually takes to learn Italian — not the theory, but the real stuff.We talk about the B1 certificate (what it is, who needs it, and whether it matters for citizenship), how long it realistically takes to go from zero to conversational, and why most people are studying wrong. We also get into learning Italian without living in Italy, the Lei vs. tu debate, how Italians react when you try to speak their language, and the phrases that actually matter when you travel here.I've been learning Italian since 2022 and I still have plenty to work on — so I had questions too.🇮🇹 We cover:What the B1 certificate is and who actually needs itHow long it takes to get conversational (realistic answer)The biggest mistakes Italian learners makeHow to make progress without living in ItalyItalian for travelers — what to learn, what to skipThe formal vs. informal (Lei vs. tu) debate in 2026Learning Italian for ancestry and citizenshipBergamo dialect and what "alura" means📚 Find Margherita here: Website: https://italianmatters.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/italianmatters/ Podcast: https://podcast.italianmatters.com 🌟Book — Speak the World: Italian History and Culture Through Language: https://italianmatters.com/book/Chapters00:00 Introduction to Margherita and Italian Matters02:56 Understanding Italian Language Certificates07:12 The Reality of Learning Italian09:17 Anthony's Personal Italian Learning Experience10:54 Tips for Tourists Learning Italian15:36 Italian Pronunciation and Common Errors18:34 Immersion and Finding Italian-Speaking Friends27:50 Formal vs. Informal Italian (Lei vs. tu)30:57 Connecting with Italian Ancestry and Citizenship32:03 Family Vocabulary for Talking About Your Roots33:59 Geographic Language Nuances (cities, regions, prepositions)36:42 The Importance of Language in Cultural Connection39:55 Overcoming Age Barriers in Language Learning42:28 How to Immerse Yourself Without Living in Italy44:54 Practical Tips for Language Practice47:39 Exploring Bergamo Dialect49:27 Margherita's Book: Speak the WorldAbout me: I'm Anthony Calvanese — an American living in Italy since 2022. I've traveled across all 20 regions and share honest takes on Italian culture, travel, and language — without the fluff.Italian citizenship questions? Check out becomeitaliani.comItaly travel questions? Check out anthonyinitaly.com
29 Mar 2026
EP11: Matrimoni Italiani, Musica Napoletana, e la Vita di un Musicista
In questo episodio parlo con Kyrios, un sassofonista della provincia di Napoli che oggi vive e lavora a Perugia.
Parliamo della sua storia con la musica, di come ha iniziato a suonare il sax da bambino e del percorso che lo ha portato a studiare al conservatorio e a lavorare come musicista professionista tra matrimoni, eventi e DJ set.
Durante la conversazione tocchiamo molti temi diversi. La scena musicale in Italia, le differenze tra studiare musica al sud e al nord, la cultura musicale napoletana e l’influenza di artisti come Pino Daniele.
Parliamo anche delle differenze tra matrimoni italiani e stranieri, di come gli eventi funzionano in Italia e di cosa significa davvero lavorare come musicista oggi.
Una conversazione su musica, cultura italiana e la vita quotidiana di un musicista.
5 Mar 2026
EP10: Living Between Cultures — Britain, Greece & Italy
Note: there were some audio issues during this recording - for best experience, watch it in YouTube with subtitles.
In this episode, I sit down with Harry to talk about life between cultures — growing up British, spending time in Greece, and living in Italy.
We get into some of the small cultural differences that people don’t always notice until they live here: coffee culture, breakfast habits, drinking culture, food traditions, and the pressure many Italians feel to live up to expectations.
We also talk about work, risk-taking, and why some jobs in Italy struggle to attract workers. It’s not that people don’t want the jobs — often it’s that the pay doesn’t match the cost of living.Food naturally comes up a lot in this conversation. We compare Greek and Italian food culture, why Greek meals tend to revolve around sharing plates while Italian meals are more structured, and why Italian cuisine has such an incredible amount of regional variety.
We also talk about the Mediterranean diet — why it can be incredibly healthy, and how it can quickly stop being healthy if you’re doing aperitivo, taglieri, pizza, and two bottles of wine every night.
19 Dec 2025
EP9: The Real History of Italian Food: Class, Culture, and Carbonara
In this episode, I sit down with food historian Zach Nowak (PhD) to dig into the real history behind iconic Italian dishes — and why so much of what we think we know is wrong. This is a conversation about culture, migration, nationalism, and the stories we tell ourselves about food.
We get into the salt wars in Umbria and why Umbrians still eat unsalted bread, the cultural symbolism of torta al testo, and how pizza evolved from street food to a national icon. We talk about the real story behind pizza Margherita, the messy (and possibly American) origins of carbonara, and the birth of Italian-American cuisine. Zach breaks down why “authentic” Italian food is mostly a myth, how bad wine used to be, and why culinary traditions — like food itself — are always evolving. It’s funny, surprising, and full of stories you probably haven’t heard before.
🍕 We cover:
Why Umbrians eat unsalted bread (and fought a salt war)
How torta al testo fits into local identity
Pizza’s evolution from poor people’s food to global symbol
The myth of pizza Margherita
Carbonara’s possibly American roots
How Italian-American food became its own thing
Why “authentic” Italian food doesn’t really exist
The surprisingly bad history of Italian wine
Food myths, nostalgia, and what’s actually worth preserving
📚 Books mentioned in the episode:
Hungering for America – https://amzn.to/4oYOsLT (https://amzn.to/4oYOsLT)
The History of Pizza (translated by Zach) – https://amzn.to/4pHmwxn (https://amzn.to/4pHmwxn)
On Food and Cooking – https://amzn.to/48GiXl5 (https://amzn.to/48GiXl5)
Truffle: A Global History by Zach Nowak – https://amzn.to/3KYPARE (https://amzn.to/3KYPARE)
About me: I'm Anthony Calvanese — an American living in Italy since 2022. I’ve traveled across all 20 regions and share honest insights about Italian culture, travel, and food — without the fluff.
1 Nov 2025
EP8: Living in Italy, Playing Country Music, and Figuring it All Out
Nate and I sat down for one of those meandering, no-rush conversations about what it’s actually like to live in Italy—not the Instagram version, but the messy, funny, frustrating, sometimes absurd day-to-day stuff. We talked about learning Italian (and butchering it along the way), the oddities of dining out, what it means to be a musician here, and how different the cultural wiring is compared to the U.S. There’s beer. There’s music. There are stories about language mishaps, the real cost of living abroad, and the weird, wonderful way Italy gets under your skin. If you’ve ever thought about moving here—or just want to know what it’s like beyond the vacation glow—this one’s for you.
Nate on Instagram: @bozemanate (https://www.instagram.com/bozemanate/?hl=en)Nate’s band: Kantner Brothers (https://www.instagram.com/kantnerbrothers/)
📍 Mentioned in the episode:
Snack Bar Anna:https://share.google/N7VtUPbHbjDn8Vx02 (https://share.google/N7VtUPbHbjDn8Vx02)
Books that helped with Italian:Italian for Dummies: https://amzn.to/3LgyMWi (https://amzn.to/3LgyMWi)
501 Italian Verbs: https://amzn.to/3JqV7Qq (https://amzn.to/3JqV7Qq)
25 Jun 2025
EP7: Italian Taxes, Residency, and All the details You Can’t Ignore
Host Anthony interviews Giovanni Cervini about Italian taxes, residency rules, property ownership, and remote work implications for foreigners navigating the Italian system.
19 Jun 2025
EP6: From America to Italy: Moving Abroad with Kids, Citizenship, and Cultural Adventures
Erica of TravelingMuggles.com discusses the realities of relocating from America to Italy with children, including citizenship processes and cultural adaptation, in an interview with host Anthony, offering insights for those considering a similar move.
3 May 2025
EP5: Belonging, Bureaucracy, and Booze: Building a Life in Italy
In this episode, I sit down with my friend Andreas to talk about what it’s actually like building a life—and a business—in Italy. We get into everything from cultural identity and language learning to the weird realities of Italian bureaucracy and what it takes to thrive here as a foreigner. We also dive into the cocktail scene, community-building, and how Italy’s approach to food, service, and even music (yes, metalheads exist here too) reveals a lot about the culture. It’s part travel story, part entrepreneurial therapy session—perfect if you’ve ever dreamed of doing something bold abroad.
And hey—if you’re in Perugia, check out Andreas’ bars: Dempsey’s and Marla. They’re worth your time.
3 May 2025
EP4: From Afghanistan to Italy: Travel, Dual Citizenship, and Smart Tips for Aspiring Italian Citizens
In this episode, I talk with my friend and business partner, attorney Christina Prejean, about what it really takes to get Italian citizenship. Christina shares how her background—including time in the military and a serious travel bug—led her to dive into dual citizenship. We get into the nuts and bolts of the process, why an Italian passport is worth chasing, and how getting help from someone who actually knows what they’re doing can save you a ton of time and headaches. If you’re curious about claiming your Italian roots or just want a no-BS look at the legal side of living abroad, you’ll want to listen in.
If you’ve got questions about Italian citizenship, reach out to Christina at contact@becomeitaliani.com and follow @becomeitaliani (https://www.instagram.com/becomeitaliani/) on Instagram.
Disclaimer: The content in this episode is for general informational purposes only and is not intended to provide specific legal advice regarding immigration, citizenship, visas, or any related matters. For advice tailored to your situation, speak directly with a qualified professional.
3 May 2025
EP2: From Italy to Beijing: An Italian Teacher’s Unexpected Path
In this episode, I talk with Giulia Speziali—an Italian language teacher from Perugia—about everything from her time teaching in China to what makes Italian such a weirdly emotional language to learn and teach. We get into how people actually learn languages (hint: it’s not from grammar books), how TikTok is changing education, and why pronunciation trips people up more than anything. We also unpack Italian culture from both inside and outside—how Italians act abroad, what coffee means here, and why regional pride runs so deep. If you’ve ever tried learning Italian, taught a language, or just wondered what makes Italians tick, this one’s for you.
And if you’re looking to learn Italian with Giulia, check her out on Instagram at @italianocongiulia (https://www.instagram.com/italianocongiulia/).
3 May 2025
EP3: From Russia to Perugia: The Love of the Italian Language and Culture
In this episode, I talk with Sonya about what it’s really like to move from Russia to Italy. We cover everything from language struggles to cultural curveballs—plus what surprised her most about Italians. We also dig into what it feels like to be an expat, the weird differences between life in the US and Italy, and how travel restrictions have shaped our lives in unexpected ways. Sonya shares some solid advice for Russians thinking about traveling or moving to Italy, and we both reflect on the weird privilege of being English speakers in a world that caters to us way more than most people realize.
3 May 2025
EP1: Growing Up in Umbria, Getting Out, and Being Queer in Italy
In this episode, I sit down with my friend Cosimo Serpolla to talk honestly about life in Italy—what works, what doesn’t, and what people don’t tell you before moving here. We dig into cultural expectations, job market frustrations, how the experience differs if you’re LGBTQ+ or an expat, and why cities like Brussels keep pulling people away. If you’ve ever dreamed of living in Italy, this one’s for you—just don’t expect a sugar-coated fantasy. We’re talking about the real deal.
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