Archive for 'April'

  

Monday, March 3, 2025
Grand Canal in Venice

Many towns and cities in Italy have famous annual celebrations for their patron saint’s day that are rooted in centuries of tradition. These celebrations usually involve some religious ceremonies through processions and masses as well as other kinds of commemorations but they have evolved throughout the ages to become larger parties and events that even non-believers and those of different faiths can enjoy as well. Filling historic centres with colour, excitement, sound, great food and wine, music, excellent parties, and all sorts of special events, these saint’s day celebrations make for a particularly special time to be in a place.


Venice is no exception to this and the romantic city is all the lovelier when it celebrates Saint Mark on the 25th of April each year. So, if you were considering booking a vacation rental in Venice and were wondering when you should go, then you might think about coming to celebrate with locals and tourists alike this spring!

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Posted in: April, Concerts & Festivals, Events, Localities, Must See Attractions, Tourist Attractions, Travel Tips, Venice

  

Monday, February 17, 2025
Vineyard

Are you a wine-lover planning on booking one of our villas in Tuscany for this April? Well, then you should make sure that you head to the pretty and historic little town of San Quirico d'Orcia where you’ll not only be served up some of the most gorgeous views over the Tuscan landscape, but you will also be able to attend one of the most important wine festivals in the region.


While the Orcia Wine Festival almost always takes place on the last weekend of April each year, it has had its 2025 dates officially confirmed and will be held from the 25th to the 27th of April 2025 for its 14th edition – an excellent reason to find a vacation rental in the Orcia Valley today for an end of spring visit!

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Posted in: April, Central Italy, Concerts & Festivals, Events, Food and Wine, Localities, Orcia Valley, Tuscany

  

Friday, January 25, 2019
Mischievous children
Variations on April Fool’s day are celebrated in different cultures around the world but the most strangely named is likely Italy's iteration, “Il Pesce d'Aprile,” or April's Fish. Celebrated on the first of April, it, too, involves playing practical jokes on friends, family, and those around you and, supposedly, has very ancient origins.

While it is traced to the 16th century, Il Pesce d'Aprile became popular in Italy in the 19th century, some time between 1860 and 1880, beginning in Genoa among the upper echelons of society. The odd-sounding name is actually not that strange at all and is linked to the zodiac symbol for the day and the fact that everything that happens on the day is supposedly related to the abandon of the Pisces constellation from the Sun though another origin story claims it results from the traditional prank for Pesce d'Aprile being taping a cutout of a small fish (pesciolino) to someone's back.     Read More
Posted in: April, Curiosities, Events, Spring

  

Thursday, January 17, 2019
Tulips
Last April, as the famously beautiful gardens of Florence – amongst them the Boboli Gardens, Iris Garden, Rose Garden and more – came into bloom, a new kid appeared on the block in the form of the temporary Tulip Garden.

Located in the grounds of the Castello dell'Acciaiolo park, the sprawling garden was planted with around 200,000 tulips of 70 different varieties and opened to the public from the beginning of April to the 22nd. Entry cost 3 euro a person and allowed visitors to wander and pick and bring home two tulips, with additional tulips picked counted at the end and charged at a euro a piece and all of the fees going towards the maintenance of the park. Such was the success of last year's edition, that the planting of another garden of tulips of the same scale and kind was announced and begun last Autumn to be opened once more in Spring 2019.     Read More
Posted in: April, Central Italy, Events, Florence, Localities, Parks & Gardens, Tourist Attractions, Tuscany

  

Monday, April 23, 2018
Pink Floyd
If you are a Pink Floyd fan that has found a vacation rental in Rome and are planning a trip between now and the 20th of May, then you need to check out “The Pink Floyd Exhibition: their mortal remains.” This incredible retrospective takes you on an audio-visual story right from birth of one of the world's most innovative and influential bands in history arrives in Rome through a 50 year journey to becoming on of the most iconic rock groups of all time.     Read More
Posted in: April, Central Italy, Events, Latium, May, Museums & Galleries, Tourist Attractions