Italian for Kids: Christmas (Natale)

My daughter Silvia Tosolini, 8 and son Alessio, 5 share a few language tips about some traditional Italian Christmas sweets and food.

To all readers of our blog and customers of our eBook, we wish Buon Natale!

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- iPod version (MP4 - 13Mb)
- More Italian videos by Silvia

Italian for Kids: The School (video)

We received a pleasant note from a school in Rochester, NY that my daughter's videos are being used in classroom to teach Italian to 4th and 5th graders.
They kindly asked us if we could focus a new episode to life at school. So we did... Enjoy!

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- iPod version (MP4 - 12Mb)
- More Italian videos by Silvia

Italian for Kids: Cars (video)

How do you name the different parts of a car in Italian?
My daughter Silvia Tosolini, 7 is happy to help you finding that out. Enjoy!

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- iPod version (MP4 - 7.6Mb)
- More Italian videos by Silvia

Pasta-Fest (video)

Like every Italian, I love pasta.
Every time I go back to my home town, I make a point to visit a large grocery store to enjoy the unmatched variety of food on display. In this video I capture the experience of walking down the pasta aisle.

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- iPod version (MP4 - 6.7Mb)

Italian for Kids: Astronomy (video)

My daughter Silvia, 7 has found a simple way to explain the basics of the Solar system. Here is a new episode of her video podcast series 'Italian for Kids', for the first time also starring my son Alessio, 4. Enjoy!

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- iPod version (MP4 - 4.7Mb)

Trentino: Traditional Flavors (video)

Enjoy this video about traditional food flavors of Trentino region. I previously covered this area in a podcast with the Trentino Tourism Office, which kindly granted me permission to post this video and a few more to come.

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- iPod version (MP4 - 12Mb)

Winter in Friuli Venezia Giulia (video)

If you listened to my podcast about Friuli Venezia Giulia, you may already know that this region offers a variety of opportunities to travelers who are ready to discover new itineraries beyond the classic Italy destinations.

This video, courtesy of the Agenzia Turismo Friuli Venezia Giulia, shows some of the activities that Friuli offers to its guests who prefer to visit this area in Winter time.

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- iPod version (MP4 - 24Mb)
- Zune version (WMV - 18Mb)

Parmigiano Reggiano (video)

Parmesan cheese (Parmigiano Reggiano) is a hard, granular cheese that is made in a particular area of Italy.
This video offers an overview of the process perfected over the years by skillful Italian cheesemakers to make 'The King of Cheese'.

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- iPod version (MP4 - 6.8Mb)
- Zune version (WMV - 5.7Mb)

What other Italian cheese do you like?

Happy Birthday in Italian (video)

My daughter Silvia has turned 7 and we decided to give her a nice present: a trip to Yosemite National Park to celebrate her birthday with her friend Amanda Maruzzi.
Amanda lives in Milan and was visiting California with the family. For the past 6 consecutive years, the two little girls managed to celebrate this special day together. We decided the tradition should live on.
In this video you'll learn how to sing Happy Birthday (Buon Compleanno) in Italian. Enjoy!

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- iPod version (MP4 - 5.3Mb)
- Zune version (WMV - 2.5Mb)

P.S. If you like this video, please leave her a comment here or on YouTube. She loves feedback!

Italian for Kids: The Playground (video)

Here is a new episode of the podcast series 'Italian for Kids' hosted by my daughter Silvia, 6. In this show, you'll learn how the different parts of a playground are called in Italian. Enjoy!

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- iPod version (MP4 - 8.2Mb)
- Zune version (WMV - 6.7Mb)

P.S. If you like this video, please leave her a comment here or on YouTube. She loves feedback!

Italian for kids: Numbers (video)

My daughter Silvia, 6 has just completed a new episode of her podcast series 'Italian for Kids'. In this video, you'll learn how to count from 1 to 10 in Italian.
Thanks to our faithful reader Courtney R. for suggesting this new topic. Enjoy!

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- iPod version (MP4 - 5Mb)
- Zune version (WMV - 4Mb)

P.S. If you like this video, please leave her a comment here or on YouTube. She loves feedback!

Pizzeria 'Da Mario' (video)

My friend and co-worker Mario Esposito comes from Salerno, a city nearby Naples, in the heart of Southern Italy. Mario is a unique individual with a high-tech vision, yet deep Italian roots and traditions.

This weekend, I had the pleasure to join one of his Pizza-parties at his house. Mario built a wood burning oven with imported bricks from Italy. In essence, he re-created the experience of a real Italian pizzeria in his backyard.
As one of the twenty lucky invitees, I was asked to sign up on his private pizza-party social network site, where every person could check off the ingredients that they volunteered to buy. Then the video (in Italian) explains the rest. Enjoy!

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- iPod version (MP4 - 23Mb)
- Zune version (WMV - 20Mb)

Italian for kids: Colors (video)

My daughter Silvia, 6 has released a new episode of her podcast series 'Italian for Kids'. This video is about naming the colors in Italian. Don't miss her previous show Italy safety tips for kids. Enjoy!

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- iPod version (MP4 - 5Mb)
- Zune version (WMV - 4Mb)

P.S. If you like this video, please leave her a comment here or on YouTube. She loves feedback!

Goodbye in Italian (video)

Every day, more than a hundred people visit our site to read this short post on How to say Goodbye in Italian. We decided it was time to take this information to the next level and we created this short video about how to greet somebody in Italy. Enjoy!

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- iPod version (MP4 - 3Mb)
- Zune version (WMV - 2Mb)

P.S. If you like this video, please leave us a comment here or on YouTube. We love feedback!

How to make an Italian coffee (video)

Our podcast fan Roberta D. asked us if we could cover the topic of making coffee at home. So my wife Francesca and I decided to create this short fun 1 min video that explains how you can use a Moka pot to make a real Italian espresso on your own. Enjoy!

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- iPod version (MP4 - 5Mb)
- Zune version (WMV - 4Mb)

P.S. If you like this video, please leave us a comment here or on YouTube. We love feedback!

Italy Safety Tips for Kids (video)

A family trip to Italy is a joyful event. If your kids are as young as mine (3 and 6 years old), then you probably already expect to devote some extra attention to prevent they could get lost in some crowded tourist attraction, market or local event.
I've asked my daughter Silvia to share on camera some tips and simple Italian phrases that your kids may learn ahead of time in order to minimize some of these worries.

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- iPod version (MP4 - 9Mb)
- Zune version (WMV - 7Mb)

Venice Carnival 2007 (video)

In our February trip to Italy, we had the opportunity to spend a day in Venice during Carnevale. I'm always fascinated by the beauty of the costumes that make their appearance in a very crowded Piazza San Marco. Children and adults line up to have their pictures taken with these wonderful 'walking artistic expressions'. Animation, popular music and dancing bring together locals and visitors.

This short 3-mins video captures some of the spirit of this year's Venice Carnival.

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- iPod version (MP4 - 13Mb)
- Zune version (WMV - 10Mb)

Where to find the best online maps of Italy (video)

If you are looking for great maps of Italy, the Internet is the place to go. We've done a video review of the best two free online mapping services available: Google Maps and Microsoft Local Live Search powered by the new 3D engine Microsoft Virtual Earth. You'll be surprised how far these tools have evolved in providing you with beautiful maps, aerial views, directions from / to different locations and businesses search ability.
Enjoy the best maps of Italy!

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- iPod version (MP4 - 16Mb)
- Zune version (WMV - 5Mb)

Italian hand gestures explained (video)

When it comes to speaking with their hands, the Italians are masters. Many gestures are just meant to emphasize normal conversations. Some others belong to the category of Parolacce (bad words). This video summarizes some of the most popular hand gestures that you may happen to witness in your next trip to Italy.
Beware, you may end up learning more than what you wished.

- Download the iPod version of this video (6MB)
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UPDATE: Within 48h from its release, this video has already gained 6 YouTube Honors, among those the #16 most viewed travel video and #15 top rated travel video.

A Pedestrian's Life in Italy (video)

Wondering what is like crossing a street in Italy? This video documents the everyday challenges of pedestrians in your favorite European destination.

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- Ipod version (MP4 - 9MB)