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.

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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.

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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.

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