Archive for 'Events'

  

Tuesday, October 31, 2017
Couple at a Christmas market
This week, we're talking Christmas markets on the blog. They're wonderful things, aren't they? Festive music playing, excited kids running about, happy families smiling, young love all abloom, food being enjoyed, hot drinks warming hands and no reason to rush at all: what could be a more perfect way to spend a day in the run up to Christmas?

While Italy is not as famous as her northern neighbours for her Christmas markets, there are actually plenty of great Christmas markets around the country, including Milan's Oh Bej! Oh Bej! (meaning "oh so nice! oh so nice!" in the Milanese dialect).

Just find a vacation rental in Milan and explore this excellent traditional market for yourself!     Read More
Posted in: Activities, December, Events, Food and Wine, Localities, Milan, Must See Attractions, November, Shopping

  

Friday, October 27, 2017
Ornaments
Another lovely Italian Christmas market tradition exists in the Alpine town of Bolzano in Trentino Alto Adige. Set against the Rosengarten Dolomites, it is a beautiful medieval settlement made up of romantic arcaded streets and picturesque squares.

It boasts two markets each Christmas, one of the biggest markets and also one of the oldest markets in the country.

White Christmasses aren't a common-place thing in Italy, as a general rule, but this Alpine setting means you'll get that snowy, atmospheric setting, perfect for, not just one, but two Christmas markets. For the ultimate Christmas market experience in Italy, find a vacation rental in Trentino or a vacation rental in Veneto and visit this lovely town for the day.     Read More
Posted in: Activities, December, Events, Food and Wine, Northeast Italy, November, Products & Specialities, Shopping, Tourist Attractions, Trentino-Alto Adige

  

Friday, October 27, 2017
Hot Chocolate
I will admit something in writing that horrifies most Italians I meet: I don't like coffee. I know, it's sacrilege! When I lived in Italy, people couldn't accept this and tried again and again to make me see the error of my ways but no matter how it was made, I couldn't be convinced. I took a sip or two and couldn't drink any more. Eventually, the mother of the family I was staying with took it upon herself to introduce me to a very chocolatey coffee drink in Turin, telling me that even babies liked it and, maybe, it could be my stepping stone into the world of coffee. She was so excited, I didn't have the heart to say no.

As I expected, it wasn't for me. “Monica,” I said, “I don't think this is for me. I don't really like hot chocolate either, so it's like combining two things I'm not a fan of.”

This horrified her even more. “You don't like hot chocolate either? You've never tried Italian hot chocolate, have you?”     Read More
Posted in: December, Events, Food and Wine, November, Recipes

  

Friday, October 6, 2017
Battle of the Oranges
The Battle of the Oranges is probably one of those events that you have heard tell of plenty of times during your childhood, seen mentioned in books or discussed in passing on television shows but you might not actually know the whole story or what it actually is before. Well, never fear, we're here to inform you about this rather fascinating and unique annual event in Italy…

The Historical Carnival of Ivrea, which culminates in the famous Battle of the Oranges, is a festival that takes place in February each year in the town of Ivrea. The battle itself lasts three days and really does involve oranges.     Read More
Posted in: Curiosities, Events, February, Legends, Northwest Italy, Piedmont, Tourist Attractions

  

Friday, June 16, 2017
Gelato
Gelato has a long history and important cultural presence in Italy. There is even a Gelato Festival, which began in Florence in April and is currently make a tour around Italy and Europe. It is currently in Milan and will move on to England, Poland and Germany before returning to Florence once more in September for the Gelato Finals. If you are an ice-cream aficionado, be sure to find a holiday rental in Florence and make your way to the finals this September!     Read More
Posted in: Events, Florence, Food and Wine, Localities, Products & Specialities, September