Home Is Where the Hearth Is

Houses in Italy run the gamut from the modest to the extravagant. There are many surviving villas and Renaissance palazzi (palaces) that were originally built by popes, dukes, and wealthy traders. There are case coloniche (farmhouses) in Tuscany, chalet-type homes in the Alps, and modern apartment buildings in the large cities such as Roma, Milano, and Napoli. In the south of Italy, in the town of Alberobello, you will find i trulli, white-washed conical buildings that were built centuries ago and are being restored today. On the Costa Amalfitana, in the five towns of Le Cinque Terre, and in other coastal towns, houses cling to the hillside overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Whatever the type of building, one thing is certain: There is always a certain warmth and hospitality that the Italians are famous for.

Ring My Bell
Campanilismo, taken from the word for bell tower (campanile), is a concept that refers to the regional focus of Italian society. For centuries, the Italian peninsula was composed of independent regions with very distinct dialects, cultures, and interests. Even nowadays, most Italians identify first with their hometown, then their region, third with the north or south of Italy, and finally, with the nation itself.

La Casa Bianca
A man's house is his castle. Home is where the heart is. There are many proverbs to describe the relationship between houses, homes, and life in general. Here are a few common Italian idioms:

A casa del ladro non si ruba.—There's honor among thieves.
Antonio è di casa.—Antonio is one of the family.
Tutto casa e famiglia—a stay-at-home type
Non sapere neanche dove stia di casa.—Not to know the slightest thing about something.
metter su casa—to set up house, to settled down

Just Like Mamma Makes
A casalinga is a housewife. It's also the term used for simple, unpretentious cooking. Restaurants in Italy often advertise their food as la cucina casalinga, the Italian equivalent of home cooking.

Italian Vocabulary List: The Home
Click to hear the highlighted word spoken by a native speaker.

• l'appartamento — apartment
• l'armadio — closet
• l'ascensore — elevator
• il bagno — bathroom
• la camera da letto — bedroom
• la cantina — cellar
• la casa — house
• la cucina — kitchen
• la finestra — window
• l'ingresso — hallway
• l'orto — garden
• la parete — wall
• il pavimento — floor
• la porta — door
• la sala da pranzo — dining room
• la scala — staircase
• la soffitta — attic
• il soffitto — ceiling
• il soggiorno — living room
• lo studio — study
• il tetto — roof