Category: Interesting Festivals & Events in Italy

Italy’s cultural events and festivals celebrate saint’s feast days, film festivals, seasonal foods, dramatic opera, ballet and the recently instituted Notte Bianca, a city-wide celebration that’s a great excuse to stay up all night. The evocative settings for many events are outstanding, like the Verona opera festival in a Roman amphitheatre or the Taormina film festival below the Mt Etna volcano in Sicily. Religious festivals include lavish processions and fireworks while food festivals in Italy celebrate everything from Artichokes to Zabaglione.

Celebrations in Italy – Festival of San Sebastiano in Sicily

Posted In: Interesting Festivals & Events in Italy, Provocative People & Cool Places in Italy, Stories of Life in Tuscany & Sicily, Understanding the Culture & Customs of Italy

The festival of San Sebastiano in Sicily is a big deal – not to be missed for the colorful mix of religion and folklore – with stunning special effects that will blow your mind. Join the patron saint celebrations in Palazzolo Acreide and experience a festa you will not soon forget.

San Giuseppe Tavolata Tradition in Italy – Celebrate with Festival Breads in Sicily

Posted In: Interesting Festivals & Events in Italy, Italian Food Traditions & Recipes, Stories of Life in Tuscany & Sicily, Understanding the Culture & Customs of Italy

In Sicily, residents open their homes to visitors to view tables laden with a stunning variety of traditional sweets and intricate festival breads during the Tavolata di San Giuseppe.

San Giuseppe Food Auction – A Real Feast Day in Sicily

Posted In: Interesting Festivals & Events in Italy, Italian Food Traditions & Recipes, Stories of Life in Tuscany & Sicily, Understanding the Culture & Customs of Italy

What do whole cheeses, a live rooster and a trumpet have in common? Come to the food auction in celebration of San Giuseppe and find out what a real feast day is like in Santa Croce, Sicily.

Horses Decorated with Flowers at the Cavalcata di San Giuseppe Festival – Celebrate St. Joseph in Sicily

Posted In: Interesting Festivals & Events in Italy, Stories of Life in Tuscany & Sicily, Understanding the Culture & Customs of Italy

Horses decked out in elaborate flower-laden cloaks and headdresses, with necklaces of jangling bells, are the centerpiece for the sumptuous Cavalcata di San Giuseppe celebration in the town of Scicli in Sicily. The Festival of St. Joseph becomes a theatrical event during this unusual festa.

June 4, 2012 – National Day of Mourning in Italy

Posted In: Interesting Festivals & Events in Italy

A national day of mourning in Italy has been declared for June 4, 2012, in honor of the earthquake victims in Emilia Romagna. You can help by donating via the Italian Red Cross.

June 2 – Festa della Repubblica 2012 Celebrations in Italy

Posted In: Interesting Festivals & Events in Italy

In 2012, the Festa della Repubblica celebrations in Italy held on June 2, will be a much more somber affair, with limited festivities out of respect for Italy’s earthquake victims. During the Feast of the Republic, a call for national unity and solidarity will be key.

Cheese Tour & Tasting in Ragusa Sicily

Posted In: Hiking & Walking Trails in Italy, Interesting Festivals & Events in Italy, Italian Food Traditions & Recipes

Cheese tasting and a tour of the cheesemaking facilites at Corfilac in Ragusa are on the menu March 24 & 25, 2012

Weekend with FAI 2012 – Italian National Trust Sites

Posted In: Hip Trip Tips for Travel in Italy, Interesting Festivals & Events in Italy, Provocative People & Cool Places in Italy

The weekend of March 24 & 25, 2012 the organization called “FAI” (Italian National Trust) sponsors guided visits of 670 sites all over Italy, most of which are not normally open to the public.

Cheese Art 2012 – Traditional Cheese Tasting Workshop

Posted In: Interesting Festivals & Events in Italy, Italian Food Traditions & Recipes

Taste traditional cheeses from around the world during two days of tasting workshops at Cheese Art 2012 in Ragusa Sicily, when cheese is elevated to the status of art.

Ossobuco for International Day of Italian Cuisines

Posted In: Interesting Festivals & Events in Italy, Italian Food Traditions & Recipes

The 2012 International Day of Italian Cuisines (IDIC) is on January 17, when cooks all over the world are invited to join in the celebrations by preparing ossobuco, a traditional dish from Milan. Try our ossobuco recipe.

It’s Hot: Almond Harvest in Sicily

Posted In: Hip Trip Tips for Travel in Italy, Interesting Festivals & Events in Italy, Italian Food Traditions & Recipes, Stories of Life in Tuscany & Sicily

The almond harvest in Sicily at the Mastri di San Basilio farm takes place at the height of summer. Join Anita as she ventures into the August heat in search of pizzuta almonds fresh off the tree.

Chocolate Battles in Turin – Don’t Be Square

Posted In: Interesting Festivals & Events in Italy, Provocative People & Cool Places in Italy

The German Ritter chocolate maker is battling against Italian chocolate makers who make square chocolate bars, claiming the shape as their own. Ritter has threatened to fine a German chocolate seller 20,000 euros if it continues to sell square chocolate bars from other chocolate makers on its internet site. And so the chocolate battles begin.