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Hello and ciao,

Looking for some off-the-beaten-path travel inspiration? Italy just named Parma as its 2020 Capital of Culture. There's much more to this northern gem than ham and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (though they're a great place to start) – we've listed five reasons why it deserves the title, and a spot on your Italian bucket list.



Now, onto the week's headlines in Italy.

A toxic election campaign

With less than two weeks to go until Italians head to the polls, the election campaign has been marred by violent clashes and hostile comments.

In a report published today, Amnesty International said Italy had become "drenched in hostility, racism, xenophobia, and an unjustified fear of others", and that the campaign had aggravated the problem. Earlier this week, a provincial head of the extreme-right Forza Nuova was bound and beaten in a brutal assault in Sicily, after a weekend marked by tension with rallies across the country.

Meanwhile, the Interior Minister has warned there's a "concrete risk" of mafia meddling in the vote, the final (official) opinion polls were published, and Silvio Berlusconi - yes, the four-time prime minister - declared "politics makes me sick".

Don't forget that you can check our homepage for daily round-ups of what's happening in Italian politics: read them all here.

In other news

• A freezing wind from Siberia has reached Italy for the first time in six years, bringing cold temperatures but making for some beautiful snowy scenery. If you've got pictures of the snow where you are, send them to [email protected]
   
• Italy has won its third gold medal at the winter Olympics, thanks to skier Sofia Goggia. Brava!
   
• David vs Goliath: Climbook, a tiny Italian website for the climbing community can keep its name after achieving a copyright victory over social media giant Facebook. 
   
• Could a ban on beach towels help protect Italy's sand? One mayor in Sardinia thinks so.
   
• And meet the Italian doctor who makes house calls on horseback. ""Elderly people often fixate on what is wrong with them and talk about it constantly. The horse distracts them from their current situation," he says.

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