BellItalia

BellItalia is a program produced by TGR (part of Rai) that explores the culture of Italy by going to cities, town and museums across the country (the episode above is from 2010 and is a portion of the episode which discusses the town of Vigevano).  Each episode discusses a different city or museum, and there are often discussions of festivals, culture and other cultural happenings around the country.

I like this program because the segments are short (between 8 to 10 minutes each), and this is an optimal amount of time to practice your listening skills while learning about new places in Italy that you might not see on your normal trip to the country!

Divertiti! (Enjoy!)

Finestre Sull'Arte -- The First Italian Podcast For Art History

One of the things that has made Italy famous over the centuries has been its art, and it would be difficult to find a person who does not know about Michelangelo or the Sistine Chapel or even the Renaissance.

The art of Italy spans centuries: from the Etruscans, Greeks, Ancient Romans, Middle Ages, Renaissance, Baroque...the list goes on and on.  Now you can learn about the various artists and their production from this podcast, Finestre Sull'Arte: il primo podcast per la storia dell'arte.

Currently, there are currently about thirty-nine podcasts, and each podcasts talks about a different Italian artist, some of their most important works as well as other historical information about them.  These podcasts are very informative, entertaining and thought-provoking.  If you're a student of art history, these podcasts can certainly help you improve your art related vocabulary.  Accompanying many of the podcasts are shorts essays/notes (le note) which discuss the artists in greater detail. Reading the nota before you listen can also aid in your understanding in the podcast, especially if listening is still difficult for you.

If you click on the podcast, there are often links to images of the works discussed in the podcasts, and this can be helpful to view as you listen along with the commentary.  There are also links to books on the artists profiled as well as information on exhibitions or places where these works can be seen (NB: a lot of  Italian art resides not in museums but in situ, such as churches, basilicas, cathedrals, chapels, palazzi, or even outdoors in piazzas).

There is also a newsletter, too, which you can subscribe to on their web site.

In 2009, their site/podcasts received second place in the category of "eCulture and Heritage" at the 2009 eContent Award Italy.

Passaggio a nord-ovest

While many programs take a break in the summer in Italy, there are some that continue, and these programs are generally quite good and are useful in helping to improve your listening Italian skills. One of my favorite shows is Passaggio a Nord-Ovest -- you can watch the episodes through the PC through Rai's web site or, if you're lucky enough to be in Italy, it's on TV on Saturdays at 5:45 PM.

The host of the program is Alberto Angela, a well-known journalist and television personality who often hosts television programs on archaeology and culture (along with his father -- Alberto also holds a degree in Natural Science from La Sapienza). In this program, Alberto Angela crosses the globe visiting cultural sites as well as visiting some unique sites in Italy. There's also a very informative show on the giant squid, its history and research into this unique and amazing creature. The programs aren't always about history and archaeology but a true exploration of our planet into areas and sites that often don't receive a lot of attention.

I've watched about a dozen episodes - they last between 5 minutes to as long as 15 minutes. Alberto Angela is easy to understand, speaks well, and brings a passion and love for what he does -- not only can you listen and improve your Italian, but you can also learn something, too!