Villa Massimo
May 17th, 2012
La Vetrichina
May 11th, 2012
La Verdiana
May 11th, 2012
La Sorgente
May 11th, 2012
Events and festivals in Italy
If you want to add some color and magic to your holiday in Italy, you could do well to do as Italians do – that is to seek out some entertainment. Italy boasts some of the most famous opera houses in the world and also has an unrivalled artistic tradition. From colorful festivals to historic pageants, there is something for everyone. Italy also has the world’s finest football leagues and so if you are a sports enthusiast, you certainly won’t be disappointed.
Festivals in Italy
Italy is very keen on festivals, events and celebrations of all sorts. The summer months are hot and during this time, many towns put on outdoor events of music, dance, and shows that attract both visitors and locals. From sampling different wines to watching wild races, you’ll find something to your taste. Summer festivities usually take place in the local ruins, castles or parks and in most cases entertainment is free.
For the kids, there is the Carnevale, the pre-Lenten carnival, where you’ll see small children in fancy costumes being taken around in streets that have been decorated with confetti and party-strings.
Then there is the Venetian Carnival with a decadent history. The festival is a major draw with the tourists and you will see visitors in their elaborate fancy dress, with private masked balls and catwalk parades.
Through out the year, but more specifically in the autumn months, you’ll be able to sample a sagra – the sometimes modern and sometimes traditional events, which are held in small towns across the country to celebrate a local product or harvest. The favorite is the wine festival but there are other local products that are worth sampling, from strawberries to artichokes. Generally, these events have free tasting with stalls, music, dance, and sometimes even a historical procession. Italians are very proud of celebrating their history and so there is usually a liberal dose of medieval parades, jousts and flag-throwing displays accompanied by re-enactment of past events.
Opera in Italy
Opera is the heart and soul of Italian culture. Browse through the side-streets and you we able to catch the sounds of the cheerfully-sung arias coming from the shops. The most famous opera is La Scala in Milan. The audience here usually includes hard-to-please aficionados. In Venice, the most famous setting is La Fenice which was burnt down in 1996 but was rebuilt as it was. La Fenice has been the setting for many important operatic debuts and premieres. In Rome, the best place to enjoy the opera is the Teatro dell'Opera. It has a spectacular outdoors summer season in the ruins of the Baths of Caracalla.
The summer opera season at the Roman Arena in Verona attracts the highest number of tourists. The seating is a bit uncomfortable but it is the lively atmosphere that attracts the visitors every year.
Ballet in Italy
Though ballet lacks the popular appeal of opera, it boasts a long and proud past. The best ballet can be enjoyed in Milan at La Scala. Rome offers the ballet of the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma. In the summer months, many outdoor events performances are held by the touring companies.