151 - Milan from Visconti to Sforza (144...

So, over the years perhaps my greatest pleasure in interacting with you, my dear listener, has been the times someone has been to Italy and stopped off to see me. Actually, my star actress Lucy believes they probably come to see her, but that's part of the family debate. Anyway, ... Show More

Episode SummaryForget the whip and the fedora — the real story of archaeology is a 500-year glow-up from rich-guy hobbyism to laser-equipped aircraft revealing lost cities. In this episode, we trace how archaeology (from the Greek for "study of the past") evolved from Renaissance ... Show More

We speak with Margherita Berti, founder of Italian Matters, an online Italian language school that helps adult learners build confidence and make consistent progress in Italian through a practical, structured approach.In this conversation, she shares effective learning strategies ... Show More

Following the death of Lorenzo the Magnificent, who was his Medici successor? Could he overcome the political turmoil and religious fervour in Florence, and rebuff the storm clouds of war gathering over his city with the approaching French army? How did this burgeoning catastroph ... Show More

<p>Vincenzo Gonzaga's first marriage ended in a humiliating divorce by non-consummation,. His next set of would-be in-laws wanted to make sure the same problem wouldn't happen twice, and so the Vatican was called in to help orchestrate a public trial for Gonzaga to undertake. Tur ... Show More

<p> A Sicilian tour guide lays out the essentials for exploring his distinctive sun-drenched island. Then a prominent Italian archaeologist discusses Venice's population decline, which continues even as crowds of tourists and cruise-ship passengers overwhelm Italy's most belove ... Show More

<p>When Kerstin Pilz discovered that her charming husband Gianni had been cheating on her while he was dying, she had to decide what to do next</p><p>When Kerstin Pilz was in her 40s, she fell madly in love with a charismatic Italian man named Gianni.</p><p>The two married and be ... Show More

A city as fabulous and sinister and romantic as Venice, Italy, deserves a fabulous, sinister, and romantic cat burglar. The ultra wealthy were honored to be his target, and he was happy to take their priceless works of art (and the occassional cashmere sweater). His crimes were a ... Show More

<p>Rita Boncompagni Ludovisi lived many lives—as political researcher, congressional wife, Playboy model, and actress. But it would be her role as wife of an Italian prince that would eventually lead her into the battle of her life: an inheritance fight for a $500 million villa. ... Show More

<p>The family is coming apart at the seams. Gianni’s spending habits are out of control — which drives his brother, Santo, crazy — and his fights with Donatella are nastier than ever. Gianni makes plans for a sibling-free Versace. But as he’s busy plotting the label’s future, a s ... Show More

Plague! Corpse dismemberment! Pretty costumes! Derpy greyhounds! Necrotic Herbs! This episode has a little bit of everything. It takes you on a journey through five centuries to discuss the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood’s obsession with Boccaccio’s story about a young woman named Li ... Show More

The besties are back for more, this time it’s all eyes on Italy, as Alexia and Marysol discuss Kanye getting caught with his pants down on a river taxi in Venice, and a clip that has gone viral of an Italian wedding where the groom exposes his “bride to be” for infidelity - in fr ... Show More

Why would a man embroil his own nephew in a sex scandal? What was it like for a Georgian man to have his affair with another man shared in the papers? And what options were available to them after this happened?Today Betwixt the Sheets, Kate is finding out about the lives of Will ... Show More