Are you ready to embark on an extraordinary Italian cultural adventure?
Follow the two protagonists of "Let's do IT," a special podcast produced by the talented authors of the Holden School, the Turin-based creative writing academy founded by world-renowned author Alessandro Baricco.
Tune in to immerse yourself in a magnificent experience through the history, people and culture of an amazing, timeless place: Italy!
A special podcast produced by the talented authors of the Holden School, the Turin-based creative writing academy founded by world-renowned author Alessandro Baricco.
Tune in to immerse yourself in a magnificent experience through the history, people and culture
of an amazing, timeless place: Italy!
In the final episode of ‘Let’s do IT’, Erik starts to adjust to Italian culture and is living like a true local. Meanwhile, Anna’s nerves are kicking in as she approaches the end of her thesis. They brainstorm about some of Italy’s most innovative inventions and discoveries, but the big question is: will Anna manage to connect everything together to make her thesis a unique piece of work? Listen to find out.
What makes Italy so romantic? Is it the fact that "Roma" spelt backwards is "amor", which means “love''? Some believe it's because Italy was Saint Valentine's birthplace, while others claim it's because many romantic icons – from Sophia Loren to Ruldolf Valentino – are Italian. What are your thoughts? Tune in to discover more as Erik and Anna enjoy their final day in Italy's most romantic city.
Italy boasts a wealth of skills in many areas, including film and theatre. Join Anna and Erik as they explore the Italian cinema industry and its creative and captivating works of art. A number of well-known figures have contributed to its excellence and left a lasting impression on many people all around the world. Interested in learning more? Tune in to discover some of Italy’s most influential pieces of art.
Anna and Erik are in the hills of Bologna, on their way to the Basilica of San Luca, a walk along the world's longest portico. In the meantime, we learn about the Italian town of Fabriano, which is famed for manufacturing high-quality handmade paper — an industry that originated in the 13th century and has lasted for eight centuries. How did the industry establish itself in this Italian town, and how did it last so long? Listen to find out.
Italians are well-known for their creativity, not just in the arts but also in science, finance, and technology. They have been quite inventive in all of these areas. Anna names a few, the typewriter, the first computer produced in Italy, and the invention of the espresso coffee. Curious to know more about some of Italy's discoveries? Catch the train with Anna and Erik to find out.
While Anna and Erik wait for their delicious Italian pizza, they talk about the different symbols of Italy and whether they are capable of representing the entire country. One of the most well-known symbols they discuss is food, which still unites us today. Can you think of any other representations of Italy? Tune in to find out.
Come along on Anna and Erik’s visit to one of Italy’s largest squares. As usual, Anna is enthusiastic and begins talking about the differences and history of the traditional Italian Christmas cakes, Panettone and Pandoro. Before we know it, she has forgotten why she brought Erik to Naples in the first place. Can you figure out why? Listen to find out why.
Anna is driving Erik to a secret destination. She teases Erik with only a couple of clues: the place is a city and they’re heading to the South of Italy. To quench Erik’s curiosity, Anna takes the chance offered by the trip to talk about microchips, Boccaccio and tailoring. Want to discover to which location Anna is driving to? Listen to the episode to find out!
Anna is certain: Italy is the land of dreamers. Only their imagination could bring to life the movies now known as cinema classics, as well as the incredible robotic breakthroughs created by Italian imaginative engineers and biologists. And Anna's list continues in this episode. Want to know more? Tune in to find out.
After an eventful day of learning intriguing facts about Italy, Anna and Erik look back at the photos they took. In this episode, we get a glimpse of some of Italy's conservation projects, such as Treedom, an Italian reforestation project, and “3Bee”, a programme aimed at saving and protecting bees. Curious to learn more? Listen to this episode to hear about Italy’s various initiatives.
Join Anna and Erik on their drive to a pastry store to pick their Italian merenda, a delicious tiramisù. In this second episode, we learn some fascinating stories about Italian talent, creativity, inventions, and history. Interested in learning more? Anna's stories will teach you all you need to know.
Meet Anna and Erik, the protagonists of "Let’s do IT!" podcast. In the first episode we catch up with Anna, a 23-year-old half-Italian, half-English student, studying Cultural Management in Italy. During her year abroad, she receives a special visit from Erik, her Swedish boyfriend. What will happen during his visit? Tune in to discover more.
