Italy Answered: Your Guide to Authentic Italian Experiences

Live in Italy Magazine
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Places & Travel
  • Updated Monthly

Welcome to "Italy Answered," the official podcast of Live in Italy Magazine. Hosted by Lisa Morales, we explore Italy's culture, art, food, wine, and travel tips. Each episode features "Chat with an Expat," where Lisa interviews those who’ve made Italy their home and native Italians building bridges between Italy and the English-speaking world. Whether you're planning a trip or dreaming of living in Italy, tune in for inspiration and insights to connect with Italy like a local. Subscribe now and immerse yourself in the Italian lifestyle!

  1. Sep 27

    Why We Return to Our Roots: Marco Toscano of We Are Paesani

    What draws us back to a place our ancestors left generations ago? In this episode of Italy Answered, Lisa Morales speaks with Marco Toscano, co-founder of We Are Paesani, about migration, genealogy, and the powerful connection between family history and place. Born and raised in Cosenza, Calabria, Marco traces the inspiration for We Are Paesani to his own family. One branch left Calabria for Argentina in the early 1900s, while another established new roots in the United States. Decades later, descendants of the Rizzo family returned to Calabria searching for the places their ancestors had left behind—an encounter that helped inspire Marco and his brother’s work reconnecting descendants of Italian emigrants with their origins. Their free digital archive is only part of that journey. For Marco, genealogical research can lead to something more personal: walking the streets where an ancestor once lived, entering the church where they were baptized or married, hearing a familiar dialect, or visiting a family cemetery. These experiences create what he describes as a true “sense of place.” In this conversation, we explore: How Marco’s own family migration stories inspired We Are Paesani Calabria’s long history of emigration Searching for Southern Italian ancestors through genealogy Why returning to an ancestral village can complete the research journey The connection between dialect, community, memory, and identity How churches, cemeteries, and everyday places bring family history to life Why Marco believes the desire to return to our roots is innate The parallels between historic Italian emigration and young Italians leaving today Why interest in family history often deepens later in life How understanding the past can give us a stronger foundation for the future Read the full article and follow along with the edited English transcript: [ARTICLE LINK] We’d love to hear your feedback. Email us at lisa@liveinitalymag.com

    Why We Return to Our Roots: Marco Toscano of We Are Paesani

  2. Sep 26

    Why Italy Feels Like Home: Angela Isherwood on Heritage & Travel

    What makes Italy feel like home—even when you weren't born there? In this episode of Italy Answered, Lisa Morales speaks with Angela Isherwood, founder of Olive & Atlas Travel Design, about Italian American heritage, family traditions, and how a lifelong connection to Italy eventually shaped her approach to travel. Raised in Milwaukee in an Italian American family with roots in Sicily, Naples, and Calabria, Angela grew up with traditions centered on food, family, and time spent together. When she first visited Italy as a teenager, traveling south toward Sorrento stirred an unexpected feeling: she had arrived home. Today, that connection influences the bespoke journeys she creates through Olive & Atlas. For Angela, meaningful travel isn't about checking destinations off a list. It's about slowing down, understanding Italy's distinct regions, connecting with local people, and having the freedom to be fully present. In this conversation, we explore: • Growing up Italian American and carrying traditions forward • Why Southern Italy immediately felt like home• What “bespoke” and “luxury” really mean in travel • Experiencing famous destinations without sacrificing authenticity• The reality behind la dolce vita • Why Italy's regional identities matter• What travelers can bring home from Italy beyond souvenirs • Passing Italian heritage on to the next generation• Angela's vision for Olive & Atlas and traveling deeper in Italy Read the full article and follow along with the edited transcript: www.liveinitalymag.com We'd love to hear your feedback. Email us at lisa@liveinitalymag.com

    Why Italy Feels Like Home: Angela Isherwood on Heritage & Travel

  3. Jul 15

    Trading Burnout for Balance: Dustin & Luigi's Move from Canada to Italy

    What happens when you trade the fast pace of city life for a slower rhythm by the Adriatic Sea? In this episode of Italy Answered, Lisa Morales speaks with Dustin Cox and Luigi Albanese, a creative couple who left Toronto in 2024 to begin a new chapter in Abruzzo, one of Italy's most up-and-coming regions for those seeking a different quality of life. After years of balancing demanding careers in Canada, they found themselves longing for something more meaningful: time, creativity, community, and a closer connection to family. Today, they're navigating the realities of everyday life in Italy while building careers, learning the language, and dreaming of opening an artistic B&B that celebrates the culture and beauty of Abruzzo. With their move still fresh, Dustin and Luigi offer an honest perspective on the excitement—and challenges—of relocating to Italy, from bureaucracy and learning Italian to discovering why slowing down has become one of life's greatest rewards. In this conversation, we explore: • Why they decided to move from Canada to Italy • Choosing Abruzzo over Italy's more well-known regions • Learning Italian and navigating Italian bureaucracy • Finding community in a small town near Pescara • How a slower lifestyle has transformed their creativity • Their vision for an artistic B&B showcasing authentic Abruzzo • Why Dustin prefers the term "immigrant" over "expat" Read the full article and follow along with the edited transcript: https://liveinitalymag.com/trading-burnout-for-balance-why-two-creatives-chose-life-in-abruzzo/  We'd love to hear your feedback. Email us at lisa@liveinitalymag.com

    Trading Burnout for Balance: Dustin & Luigi's Move from Canada to Italy

  4. Jul 11

    Chat with Federico Bricolo | Vinitaly, Wine Tourism & Italy's Global Vision

    In this special on-location episode of Italy Answered, the podcast edition of Live in Italy Magazine, we speak with Federico Bricolo, President of Veronafiere, during the Vinitaly.USA Miami Preview ahead of Vinitaly.USA, taking place October 26–27, 2026, in New York City. From Verona to Miami, our conversation explores how Vinitaly has evolved beyond its annual exhibition into a year-round international platform promoting Italian wine, education and trade. We also discuss one of the industry's fastest-growing opportunities: wine tourism, and its ability to connect travelers with Italy's remarkable wine regions. In this bilingual conversation, Bricolo discusses: • how Vinitaly has evolved into the global home of Italian wine • the organization's international strategy through Vinitaly Around the World • why wine tourism is becoming an essential part of Italy's wine story • how wineries are transforming into authentic travel destinations • Miami's role in strengthening Italy's presence in the American market The interview is presented in Italian with English questions and English subtitles available in the video version. Read the accompanying article: https://liveinitalymag.com/beyond-verona-how-vinitaly-is-expanding-italys-wine-story-through-tourism-and-global-connections/ Special thanks to Federico Bricolo, Veronafiere, Vinitaly, the Italian Trade Agency (ITA), Coldiretti, and Jacqueline Pirolo and the team at Macchialina for their hospitality.

    Chat with Federico Bricolo | Vinitaly, Wine Tourism & Italy's Global Vision

  5. Jun 4

    Italian Heritage in Canada | Daniela Sfara on Identity, Tradition & Slow Food

    What does Italian heritage mean to newer generations growing up outside of Italy? In this episode of Italy Answered, Lisa Morales speaks with Daniela Sfara, founder of Italus, about preserving Italian culture, regional identity, artisanal traditions, and intergenerational storytelling in Canada. Raised between Toronto and Calabria, Daniela grew up immersed in both Italian and multicultural Canadian life. Today, through culinary experiences, digital storytelling, and cultural education, she helps younger generations reconnect with Italy beyond stereotypes and surface-level tourism. Released during Italian Heritage Month in Canada, this conversation explores the evolving relationship between Italy and the Italian diaspora while reflecting on the traditions, dialects, recipes, and values that continue to shape generations of Canadians with Italian roots. In this conversation, we explore: • Growing up between Toronto and Calabria • The importance of dialect and regional identity • Why younger generations are reconnecting with Italy • Slow Food philosophy and cultural preservation • Food as memory, identity, and community • The evolution of Italian heritage in Canada • Building Italus through storytelling and culinary experiences Daniela also reflects on how traditions continue evolving across generations while remaining deeply connected to family, place, and community. Read the full article and transcript: https://liveinitalymag.com/category/italy-answered/ Follow Daniela Sfara and Italus: Instagram: @danielasfara Instagram: @italus.patrimonio Website: danielasfara.com Follow Daniela Sfara and Italus: Instagram: @danielasfara Instagram: @italus.patrimonio Website: danielasfara.com

    Italian Heritage in Canada | Daniela Sfara on Identity, Tradition & Slow Food

  6. May 28

    Raising a Family in Italy | Charlotte Fortier-Mutzl’s Life in Sardegna

    What does it really look like to leave North America behind and raise a family in Italy? In this episode of Italy Answered, Lisa Morales speaks with Charlotte Fortier-Mutzl, the Canadian creator behind American Mom in the Med, about her journey from Quebec and Florida to a new life in Sardegna (Sardinia). What began as a solo backpacking trip through Europe eventually led Charlotte to Rome, where she met her husband before later relocating to Sardegna to build a slower and more intentional family life surrounded by nature, community, and the sea. Today, Charlotte shares her experiences raising bilingual children in Italy, navigating entrepreneurship abroad, embracing Sardinian culture, and documenting daily life through social media and her new podcast, Passport to Pasta. In this conversation, we explore: • Moving from Canada to Italy • Raising bilingual children in Sardegna (Sardinia) • Why Charlotte left Rome for island life • The realities of building businesses abroad • Blue Zone living and slower family rhythms • What makes Sardegna different from the rest of Italy • Creating a sense of home abroad For anyone dreaming about raising a family in Italy or starting over in a new country, Charlotte’s story is both inspiring and refreshingly honest. Read the full article and transcript: https://liveinitalymag.com/category/chat-with-an-expat/ Follow Charlotte Fortier-Mutzl: Instagram: @americanmominthemed Podcast: @passporttopasta We’d love to hear your feedback. Email us at lisa @ liveinitalymag.com

    Raising a Family in Italy | Charlotte Fortier-Mutzl’s Life in Sardegna

  7. May 16

    Chat with Nicolangelo Gelormini | La Gioia & Italian Cinema

    In this special on-location episode of “Italy Answered,” the podcast edition of Live in Italy Magazine, we speak with Italian director Nicolangelo Gelormini at the Miami Film Festival about his film “La Gioia.” Blending architecture, emotional storytelling, and contemporary Italian cinema, “La Gioia” explores themes of love, illusion, manipulation, and the human desire to feel seen. In this bilingual conversation, Gelormini discusses: • his transition from architecture to filmmaking • the emotional concept of “diseducazione sentimentale” • the meaning behind Gioia’s character • contemporary Italian society and relationships • and presenting the film to an international audience in Miami The interview is presented in Italian with English questions and subtitles available in the video version. Read the accompanying article:https://liveinitalymag.com/cinema-as-encounter-la-gioia-and-the-emotional-architecture-of-italian-film/ Thank you to Nicolangelo Gelormini, the Miami Film Festival, and the Istituto Italiano di Cultura Miami. Photos & B-roll Courtesy of The Miami Film Festival (film stills by the La Gioia production team.)

  8. Mar 11

    Moving to Italy Solo: Stefanie Reilly’s Leap at 40

    What does it really take to move to Italy on your own later in life? In this episode of Italy Answered, Lisa Morales speaks with Stefanie Reilly, an Italian-Australian communications professional who made the bold decision to move to Italy solo shortly after turning 40. What began as a personal journey to reconnect with her Italian heritage eventually led Stefanie to build a new life in Lecce, in the region of Puglia, and launch To Italy and Back, a relocation service helping others navigate Italian citizenship, visas, and the realities of starting over in another country. Stefanie shares what it was like to leave a successful career in Australia, face the complexities of Italian bureaucracy, and arrive in southern Italy without knowing anyone. In this conversation, we explore: • Moving to Italy as a single woman • Navigating the citizenship process • Why Lecce in Puglia became home • Building friendships and community abroad • The emotional and practical realities of relocating later in life For women considering a new chapter in Italy, Stefanie’s story is both inspiring and refreshingly honest. Read the full article and transcript: https://liveinitalymag.com/moving-to-italy-solo-at-40-chat-with-stefanie-reilly/ We’d love to hear your feedback. Email us at lisa @ liveinitalymag.com

    Moving to Italy Solo: Stefanie Reilly’s Leap at 40
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Welcome to "Italy Answered," the official podcast of Live in Italy Magazine. Hosted by Lisa Morales, we explore Italy's culture, art, food, wine, and travel tips. Each episode features "Chat with an Expat," where Lisa interviews those who’ve made Italy their home and native Italians building bridges between Italy and the English-speaking world. Whether you're planning a trip or dreaming of living in Italy, tune in for inspiration and insights to connect with Italy like a local. Subscribe now and immerse yourself in the Italian lifestyle!

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