Archive for 'Tourist Attractions'

Continuing on from our previous article, here are the rest of the things you should know about Christmas in Italy.

3. The Original Live Crib Is In Greccio

Nativity scenes and, particularly, those featuring actors and live animals, have a long tradition and are said to have been created in Italy. As a result, there are many live Nativities all over the country that are rather famous. One of the most famous, arguably is the one at Greccio in Lazio, which is said to be the very first. To visit this charming event for yourself, just find a vacation rental in Lazio. It is said that the tradition was born as early as the 5th century but gained traction when St. Francis came back from visiting the Holy Land and wanted to reproduce the scene of the Nativity on Christmas Eve in Greccio. He prepared a manger with hay, had an ox and a donkey brought there, and then had a Holy Mass celebrated in front of it, before a large crowd of people who had come from all over the region, it is even said that a vision of the Child appeared on the hay.

Christmas is celebrated differently in every country and each country has various different traditions that are unique and special. If you have found a vacation rental in Italy and are planning on spending the festive season there this year, then you might want to learn a little about what you can expect from an Italian Christmas. Here are five things you need to know about Christmas in Italy.

1. Santa is a Witch.

Befana is a good witch whose name comes from the Roman dialect's pronunciation of the Italian "epifania" (or Epiphany). Long ago, the three wise men stopped into Befana's house on their way to Bethlehem. She was such a nice hostess that they invited her to come with them to find the newborn Jesus. She initially declined their offer but changed her mind and packed up some toys that had belonged to her deceased child and set out after them.

Marettimo, off the coast of Sicily is a stunning island that is probably less familiar to most than Capri or Patelleria. Yet, the sea is no less blue, the beaches are no less beautiful and, in fact, they are both all the lovelier for the lack of tourist crowds, queues and gimmicks. It has become more well-known to the outside world in recent years but retains its unique charms and is still relatively unknown. For this reason, it really is the perfect place to sit back, relax and well and truly get away from it all. Just find yourself a luxury villa in Sicily and spend some time on this preserved and hidden gem.

Remarkably lush and green, it is a place that tends to attract cultured regulars who return year after year rather than confused crowds of day-trippers, moving around together in a gaggle. It is an Italian island paradise that attract walkers, scuba-divers and sun-seekers and is a place to indulge in hobbies that may never normally garner much time or attention or to merely lie out on a perfect beach with loved ones and a good drink in hand.

Turin is one of the most fascinating and beautiful cities in all of the north of Italy. It is absolutely full of immense, grand, classicising buildings, open squares, arcaded walkways, greenery and a wide range of attractions and sights.

Whenever you visit, you are sure to enjoy its beauty and find plenty to see and do, but if you find a vacation rental in Piedmont and decide to visit the city over the holiday season, you are sure to fall immediately in love.

Turin is particularly stunning during Christmastime and this is largely down to the incredible Christmas lights that you will find there. They are no normal Christmas lights but, rather, something altogether more unique and interesting.

Luci d’Artista is an outdoor exhibit of Contemporary art that reinvents the streets and piazzas of Turin by illuminating them with striking light installations. It takes place from late October into January of each year and sees pieces contributed by internationally famous artists.

There are many ghost towns around Italy, all of which have been abandoned for one reason or another – natural disaster, a bad location, poor foundations or planning, or migration – but one of the most fascinating of all has to be failed Las Vegas of Italy, Consonno in Lombardy.

Although the town had ancient origins, its decline came after it was completely bought up and rebuilt in the 60s. This was a time of economic prosperity in Italy and in the spirit of fast cars, rock 'n' roll and glamorous lifestyles, entrepreneur Mario Bagno took it upon himself to transform the town.

He bought every piece of land in the area and forced locals to relocate before knocking everything down bar the church and a few houses.