Podcast #1 - Practical tips to travel in Italy with trains

We're happy to announce our first episode of the Italy From The Inside podcast series. In this show we cover:
- Introduction of this podcast series and your host (Paolo)
- A few practical tips to travel in Italy with trains
- Overview of a market research by the Italian Trade Commission
- A two-minute Italian lesson on purchasing a train ticket


Listen / Download this episode in MP3 format
(6Mb -12 mins)

We welcome your feedback and suggestions for future shows. Please write to paolo@tosolini.com.

Un panino al prosciutto, per favore

During the weekdays, chances are that many workers don't have the time to sit down at a restaurant and eat a traditional full course meal. The alternative is the panino (sandwich) with a choice of filling like prosciutto (ham) or mortadella.
Italy is well known for its dry-cured hams (prosciutto crudo) like the Parma and San Daniele denominations. But if you have a chance to visit a grocery early in the morning, you may be able to taste the flavor of the prosciutto cotto arrosto (oven roasted ham) while it's still warm. Have them make for you a panino al prosciutto while the bread is still warm too. And heaven is suddenly at your reach...

Microsoft Photosynth: turning photos into 3D spaces

Microsoft Live Labs has released today a preview of a new media technology called Photosynth. What it does is reconstructing 3D spaces from photo collections created by different people about the same subject. You can zoom in/out, pan, view scenes from different angles.
Two of the examples on the Photosynth site are about Piazza San Marco in Venice and Piazza San Pietro in Rome. The application is really impressive. I don't just say that because I work for Microsoft; this is really a must see technology preview if you are into travel and photography (requires a broadband connection).
If you leave your comments here, I'll make sure to pass them along to the Photosynth folks.

Announcing our new affiliate program

We've been receiving several inquires from Italian language schools about our eBook. The consistent feedback we get is that our eBook suits perfectly the needs of students who are studying Italian in preparation of an upcoming trip overseas. The combination of learning the language in class and getting to know the culture using the Internet and our eBook seem to work very well. Thus, the creation of this program.

Our new affiliate program rewards a generous commission to anybody interested in promoting our eBook through their Web sites. If you are an Italian language instructor, blogger or travel agency specializing on Italy, we invite you to learn more about the Italy From The Inside affiliate program.