Enjoying a gondola ride through the Venice canals is quite the experience, but have you ever wanted to commandeer one yourself? Treat yourself with a rowing lesson with Row Venice called vogata di sera. During the lesson you can learn the Venetian style of rowing — standing up and facing forward. Dream of Italy is a membership website and award-winning ...
The annual Biennale Art Festival takes over Venice this summer and fall, when countries from around the world set up pavilions to show off their home-grown contemporary artists. The venerable festival is a parade of avant garde visual art: a major destination for the art elite and the cognoscenti. The event runs daily from May to November, though it is ...
It's the summer and in August many Italians are looking forward to Ferragosto which starts on August 15th. It's known as a two-week vacation period with roots in ancient Rome. When Emperor Augustus invented the feriae Augusti to mark the end harvest he also made it a moment that signified a period of well-deserved rest. Later, during the fascist regime, this ...
Since August 29th, 1901, when Pope Leo XIII erected a bronze, 23 ft. tall statue of Christ the Redeemer on Monte Ortobene in honor of the Jubilee Year, locals and visitors have participated in celebratory procession to the statue from Nuoro's Cathedral. At Dawn, the faithful participants of the march congregate in the square outside the cathedral. They sing songs ...
Every last Sunday of August this Tuscan hilltop town is consumed in the, by then, week-long celebration of the Bravio delle Botti, also known as the "Barrel Race". The festivities kick off with the presentation of the Bravium, the victory banner, which is painted each year by a select artist with a winning design based on on a specific theme; the ...
Lace up those running shoes, get that last swig of water and be sure to get a good stretch in; the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure is on again. The Italian branch of the organization hosts a series of events and workshops promoting good health and exercise leading up to a big race in efforts to raise money ...
The Grand Canal fills with exquisite 13-century boats and cavorting onlookers on this first Sunday of September. The regatta itself is four separate competitions, including a particularly compelling one between double-oared gondolas. Art displays, music, and celebrations abound among the boats and gondolas as well. Dream of Italy is a membership website and award-winning travel publication publishing 170 issues since ...
Since 1275, this ancient horse race has turned Asti's Piazza Alfieri into a racetrack, and has linked modern Asti with its medieval roots. Twenty-one Contrade (city divisions) compete in the central square, while over 1,200 individuals donning medieval garb parade proudly throughout the streets of the city. The traditional flag-wavers (Sbandieratori) also run their own Palio against residents of neighboring towns. To ...
Though the origin of this colorful celebration is disputed, many believe Rificolona began as a celebration on the eve of the Feast of the Madonna, the nativity of the virgin. It is said that villagers would start their pilgrimage before the break of dawn to the city of Florence on the eve of her birthday. They relied on their lanterns, ...
Volterra, an enchanting medieval town in the Tuscan hills, hosts its annual Notte Rossa, or Red Dusk, event to celebrate the town and allow visitors to discover the city and its offerings by showcasing mini concerts, performances and photo exhibits. The event takes place every second Saturday of September so don't miss your chance to discover Volterra on your own! Dream ...
Il Santo Chiodo or The Holy Nail allegedly was taken from the cross used to crucify Jesus, and during this celebration, Milan's archbishop ascends toward the ceiling of the Duomo in a rickety mechanical basket to uplift the relic, and then brings it back down for the crowd to admire. Dream of Italy is a membership website and award-winning travel publication ...
The protector and patron saint of Naples, San Gennaro is celebrated zealously throughout Italy, but particularly so in bella Napoli. As the massive statue of the saint is carried throughout the city, Napoletani sing, pray, and cry to the saint. The festival officially ends with the miraculous liquefaction of the blood of San Gennaro in the Duomo di Napoli, which ...
Located near the Po River in the beautiful region of Lombardy, sits the charming city of Cremona. Home to the Violin Museum and birthplace of the best violin makers, this city is renowned worldwide for its techniques in violin making. It is also home to the annual International Exhibition, the best of its kind, for high-quality instruments. Here, guests can ...
The Italian Yacht Club's biggest regatta, this sailing festival brings boats from all over Europe to Genoa's Porto Antico Bay. The millevele or one-thousand sails along the Ligurian coast is a sight not to miss! Dream of Italy is a membership website and award-winning travel publication publishing 170 issues since 2002. Get a free issue to see what we are all about. ...
This fall festival in Piedmont features fine wines, exquisite wines, the rare and prized white truffle (that can only grow in nature) and much more to tempt the taste buds. Note: Pricing starts at 22€ and may vary depending on event. Admission ticket to the white truffle world market is included with purchase of any wine tasting experience, Food Moments ...
