The world has had a love affair with Italy for decades. People from all over the world regard this southern European land with both tenderness and romance. If you’ve travelled to Italy before, you probably find yourself reminiscing of your Italian experience long after you’ve returned home. If you have never been to Italy before, be sure to get there soon. The incredibly friendly people, delicious food, rolling countryside vistas and the on-going festivities all come together to make Italy an experience of a lifetime.
If you are traveling to Italy this year, you won’t want to miss one of the grand festivals that celebrate Italian culture. Celebrating life is a national pastime in this Mediterranean land and the Italian festivals take this celebration to a whole new level. Here are three of the most popular and loved festivals in beautiful Italy:
Venice Carnivale
Perhaps the most famous of all Italian festivals, the Carnival of Venice is both legendary and fabulously fun. People dress in highly flamboyant and wildly detailed costumes that always come with an exquisite hand crafted mask. The masks are truly works of art and are often treasured as very valuable keepsakes. Since the festival lasts for such a long time, there is usually a very calm yet festive feeling in the air which adds to the natural beauty of Venice. The festival begins forty days before Easter and ends around Lent. Since the date of Easter changes every year, be sure to consult a calendar if you are planning to book. There is no pressure to dress up either. Many people travel to Carnival just to take in the spectacle and merriment. Take a look at Carnivalofvenice.com for information on this year’s dates.
VINITALY
Located in Northern Italy and just miles from the Adriatic Sea, Verona is an ancient and breath-taking city. If you happen to be in this lovely neck of the woods this spring, indulge in one of the largest wine festivals in the world. This festival gives you four days to taste hundreds of international and local wines that are straight from the vineyard. The city of Verona has hosted the Vinitaly Festival for many years but has recently changed the dates to March 25-28 for the year of 2012. For more details on this fantastic event visit Vinitaly.com
Festival dei Due Mondi
Witness the greatest performers from Italy and all over the world as they come together on just one stage. The Festival dei Due Mondi, translated as the Festival of the two worlds, takes place each year in Spoleto, Italy. Featured among the 17 day theatre extravaganza are ballet companies, theatrical troupes, opera singers, bands and many other performers of all genres. Workshops and master classes are also available for aspiring artists. Spoleto is a city untouched by time and makes for the perfect backdrop for this inspiring artistic expression. The exact dates for the 2012 festival are still to be determined but will begin in June and last through July. Continue to check the official website for updates on exact dates and signed acts: Festivaldispoleto.com
These are just three of the many things to do in Italy during 2012. If you’re not able to make any of the dates above, why not have a look at what is happening during the time you are considering a trip. If you can be flexible with your dates and location, you might find an amazing festival to attend that you might never have considered before. There are always plenty of flights to Italy from London that you can grab yourself a great deal, leaving you with more money to spend while you are actually away.
