On December 31, Rome's Piazza del Popolo fills with revelers who party throughout the night to celebrate the coming of the new year. When all these big kids go to bed on the morning of January 1st, the little kids are free to come out and celebrate in the Piazza, as clowns, acrobats, masked performers, and other charming events abound ...
A classical concert performed by the enlarged ensemble (14 musicians), including Flavia Bernardi (soprano), the Massimo Cagnin (tenor) and Nico Mamone (baritone). Held at 9:30 at the Scuola Grande di San Teodoro, Venice. Dream of Italy readers can save 10% on tickets for this event using the promo code: Dream-of-Italy Get your FREE copy of Dream of Italy's Christmas in Italy Guide
On snowy, icy roads in Madonna di Campiglio, vintage cars built before 1968 and outfitted with spiked tires race 231 miles through major mountain passes in the Dolomites.
The Viareggio Carnevale is famous for its floats, which carry 200 people in costumes and satirize political figures, and its huge, papier-mâché Trojan horse-like puppets. The Carnevale also is an excuse for people to play practical jokes, so watch out!
Cioccolentino is held in honor of Valentine's Day in Terni, the town where St. Valentine rests. The handcrafted chocolate festival features tastings and the Milky Way, a competition that sees master chocolatiers create a 70-metre-long chocolate block in less than two hours.
Verona, the town where Romeo and Juliet lived, is decorated with red heart-shaped lanterns for Valentine's Day and offers free romance-themed concerts in Piazza dei Signori. Note: Dates have not been confirmed. Please check the official event website for updates.
The Venice Carnevale is the grandest and most extravagant Carnevale in Europe, hosting processions, concerts, masquerades, balls, theatre performances, and ceremonies over a two-week period of revelry. Visitors can enjoy the spectacle as onlookers or be part of the action by dressing up in masks and period costumes and attending masquerades and gala dinners.
The annual international horse show hosts a show jumping competition.
The Italian fashion capital hosts Fashion Week twice a year, when the latest fashions are sent down the catwalk. Though the catwalk shows are invite-only, during Fashion Week, Milan is buzzing with fashionable tourists and locals.
Mandorlo in Fiore, meaning "almond blossom," celebrates springtime in Sicily and the island's unique cultural traditions. The event includes the International Folklore Festival and the International Festival of Children in the World, presenting theatrical and musical performances. Note: Dates have not been confirmed; please check the official event website for updates.
