La Tomatina to Carnival: Italy's Most Colorful Festivals

 

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Ah, Italia! From the northern alps to the southern coastlines, our land bursts with vibrant colors, not just from its landscapes, but also from its lively festivals. While La Tomatina is actually a Spanish tradition (from the town of Buñol), it sets the tone for the kind of exuberant celebrations we Italians are known for. Here, I'll take you on a delightful journey through Italy's most colorful festivals, which are a testament to our zest for life, love for tradition, and passion for festivity.

1. Carnevale di Venezia (Venice Carnival) When: February (dates vary, leading up to Lent) Where: Venice Venezia's Carnevale is the epitome of masked opulence. The city transforms into a stage for elaborate costumes, mysterious masquerade balls, and a celebration of Venetian history and culture. The Grand Canal resonates with music, while the Piazza San Marco becomes a hub for contests and performances.

2. Infiorata di Noto (Flower Festival of Noto) When: Third weekend of May Where: Noto, Sicily Streets of Noto come alive with intricate designs made entirely of flower petals, creating vibrant tapestries that are a feast for the eyes. The festival, held in honor of Noto's patron saint, San Corrado, culminates in a procession where the saint's silver statue is paraded through these floral artworks.

3. Battaglia delle Arance (Battle of the Oranges) When: February (during Carnival) Where: Ivrea, Piedmont Rooted in medieval history, this is Italy's largest food fight. Teams wage a jovial war using oranges as their 'weapons.' It commemorates the people's uprising against tyranny, symbolized by the storming of the city's castle.

4. Festa dei Ceri (Festival of the Candles) When: 15th May Where: Gubbio, Umbria Gigantic wooden "candles" (actually, tall wooden structures) are raced up Mount Ingino in honor of the city's patron, Saint Ubaldo. The festivity is not just about speed, but also about strength and teamwork.

5. Palio di Siena (Siena Horse Race) When: 2nd July & 16th August Where: Siena, Tuscany This historic horse race pits Siena's 17 districts against one another. The Piazza del Campo becomes a racetrack, and the city is draped in the colors and emblems of each district. A thrilling race, it's surrounded by days of celebration and medieval pageantry.

6. Luminara di San Ranieri (Festival of Lights) When: 16th June Where: Pisa, Tuscany To honor Saint Ranieri, Pisa's patron saint, the city turns off its lights to let thousands of candles, set in glass containers, illuminate its buildings, bridges, and towers. The reflection on the Arno River, coupled with a grand fireworks display, creates a magical ambiance.

7. Festa della Madonna Bruna (Festival of the Brown Madonna) When: 2nd July Where: Matera, Basilicata This religious festivity starts with a peaceful procession but culminates in the symbolic destruction of a chariot carrying the statue of the Madonna. It's an emotional rollercoaster that blends devotion with exuberance.

In Conclusion

From the grandeur of Venice's masquerades to the spirited orange battles of Ivrea, Italian festivals are a dazzling display of heritage, community spirit, and unabashed joy. They are an embodiment of La Dolce Vita, where every emotion is lived deeply, every tradition cherished, and every celebration becomes an artwork of memories. If you ever find yourself in Italy during one of these festivals, dive in. After all, as we Italians say, "A tavola non si invecchia" – at the table (or festivity) one does not age! Buona festa!

In the Footsteps of Inspector Montalbano: A Tour of Sicily's Famous Detective Series

 

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The evocative landscapes of Sicily, rich with history and mystery, are an integral character in Andrea Camilleri's renowned Inspector Montalbano series. For many, the tales of the sharp-witted, food-loving detective are a window into Sicilian life, its traditions, and its breathtaking landscapes. Join me, a native Italian, as we embark on a journey tracing the footsteps of this beloved detective.

Vigàta: Montalbano's Fictional Town

While Vigàta is a fictional town, its spirit is captured in the town of Porto Empedocle and its surroundings. Wander the streets and you can almost imagine Montalbano solving crimes and delving into mysteries. The architecture, the winding alleys, and the sea's azure embrace set the stage for many of Montalbano's adventures.

Punta Secca: Montalbano's Seaside Home

Arguably the most iconic location in the series, Montalbano's house is set in the small fishing village of Punta Secca. Here, the beautiful sea-facing home with its unique staircase leading directly to the beach is a sight familiar to fans. Feel the sea breeze, enjoy the tranquility, and you might just feel Montalbano's presence beside you.

Scicli: The Vigàta Police Station

The baroque town of Scicli, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, stands in for the Vigàta police station. With its beautiful palazzos and churches, Scicli is a testament to Sicily's rich architectural history. As you explore, you'll find the town's charm lies in its streets, where the real and fictional worlds of Sicily intertwine.

Ragusa Ibla: The Heart of Old Vigàta

Another UNESCO site, Ragusa Ibla, with its ancient churches and palaces, represents the old part of Vigàta. Wander its cobbled streets, and you'll be transported to the scenes where Montalbano, with his astute observations, unravels the threads of complex cases.

Donnafugata Castle: Mafioso Mansions and More

This majestic castle, featured in multiple episodes, stands as a symbol of power and intrigue. Its grandeur and mystique provide the perfect backdrop for some of Montalbano's most thrilling cases involving the Sicilian Mafia.

The Cuisine: A Gastronomic Journey

No Montalbano tour would be complete without indulging in the culinary delights that the detective so loves. From rustic trattorias to seaside restaurants, relish dishes like 'arancini', 'caponata', and the freshest seafood prepared the Sicilian way. And, if you find yourself in a local eatery, don't forget to order Montalbano's favorite dish, "pasta ncasciata."

Concluding the Journey

Camilleri's Inspector Montalbano is more than just a detective series. It's a love letter to Sicily, its traditions, its beauty, and its complexities. As you trace Montalbano's footsteps, you'll discover not just the sites but the soul of Sicily. From its sun-drenched landscapes to the shadows of its narrow alleys, every nook has a tale to tell, a mystery to unveil.

So, here's to a journey that's as much about solving crimes as it is about immersing oneself in the enigmatic allure of Sicily. Buon viaggio!

Under the Tuscan Sun and Beyond: Italy's Famous Literary Landscapes

 

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Throughout my life, I've walked the very soil that inspired the lines of renowned poets, writers, and thinkers. Italy, with its rich history and diverse landscapes, has been a muse to many. Let me, a native Italian, guide you through some of Italy's most iconic literary landscapes that have captured the imagination of authors and readers alike.

Tuscany: Rolling Hills and Renaissance Dreams

The land of olive groves, rustic farmhouses, and sun-kissed vineyards, Tuscany has been immortalized by authors like Frances Mayes in "Under the Tuscan Sun." This book paints a romantic image of Tuscan life, capturing the region's essence with descriptions of its golden landscapes, rich culinary traditions, and the simple joys of Italian rural living.

Venice: A Floating Dream

Venice, the city of canals and masked balls, finds its way into literature in myriad ways. Thomas Mann's "Death in Venice" explores the enchanting allure of this floating city, weaving a tale of passion and decay. Reading it, one can almost hear the gentle lapping of water against the ancient bricks and see the mystic allure of the Venetian lagoon.

Rome: Echoes of Ancient Glory

The eternal city, with its imposing Colosseum and majestic Vatican, has always been a playground for writers. From the historical accounts of Edward Gibbon in "The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" to the fictional exploits in Dan Brown's "Angels and Demons," Rome's blend of history, art, and mystery continues to captivate.

Sicily: A Land of Contrasts

Sicily, with its rich history of conquests, is a melting pot of cultures. Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa's "The Leopard" chronicles the changes in Sicilian society and aristocracy during the Risorgimento. Every page echoes with the scent of citrus groves and the sights of baroque palazzos against the backdrop of a changing world.

Florence: The Cradle of Renaissance

No literary tour of Italy would be complete without a nod to Florence, the heart of the Renaissance. E.M. Forster's "A Room with a View" beautifully juxtaposes the rigid Victorian morals with the vibrant life and art of Florence. As one reads, the city comes alive with its bustling piazzas, magnificent Duomos, and the serene Arno river.

Naples: Vibrancy and Vigor

Elena Ferrante's Neapolitan Novels are a raw, intense journey through the streets of post-war Naples. This quartet not only captures the spirit and ferocity of the city but also the profound friendship between two women, making Naples an integral character in the narrative.

The Literary Soul of Italy

Literature, in many ways, mirrors life. In Italy's vast tapestry, every region, every city has its tale, immortalized by the pens of those who were moved by its beauty, its people, and its history. So, when you walk the streets of Italy, remember that you tread on paths where stories have blossomed, where authors have dreamt, and where literature has breathed life into the very essence of this magnificent nation.

Palermo

Ancient era

Evidence of human settlement in the area now known as Palermo goes back at least to the Mesolithic period, perhaps around 8000 BC, when a group of cave drawings at nearby Addaura represent a new level in the representation of the human figure. According to Thucydides, the Sicani people arrived from the Iberian Peninsula (perhaps Catalonia).

Enna

Enna is situated near the center of the island; whence the Roman writer Cicero called it Mediterranea maxime, reporting that it was within a day's journey of the nearest point on all the three coasts. The peculiar situation of Enna is described by several ancient authors, and is one of the most remarkable in Sicily. The ancient city was placed on the level summit of a gigantic hill, surrounded on all sides with precipitous cliffs almost wholly inaccessible. The few paths were easily defended, and the city was abundantly supplied with water which gushes from the face of the rocks on all sides. With a plain or table land of about 5 km in circumference on the summit, it formed one of the strongest natural fortresses in the world.

Trapani

Trapani was founded by the Elymians to serve as the port of the nearby city of Erice (ancient Eryx), which overlooks it from Monte San Giuliano. The city sits on a low-lying promontory jutting out into the Mediterranean Sea.

It was originally named Drepana or Drépanon from the Greek word for "sickle", because of the curving shape of its harbour. Carthage seized control of the city in 260 BC, subsequently making it an important naval base, but ceded it to Rome in 241 BC following the Battle of the Aegates in the First Punic War.

Syracuse

Syracuse and its surrounding area have been inhabited since ancient times, as shown by the findings in the villages of Stentinello, Ognina, Plemmirio, Matrensa, Cozzo Pantano and Thapsos, which already had a relationship with Mycenaean Greece.

Syracuse was founded in 734 or 733 BC by Greek settlers from Corinth and Tenea, led by the oecist (colonizer) Archias. There are many attested variants of the name of the city including Συράκουσαι Syrakousai, Συράκοσαι Syrakosai and Συρακώ Syrako. A possible origin of the city's name was given by Vibius Sequester citing first Stephanus Byzantius in that there was a Syracusian marsh (λίμνη) called Syrako and secondly Marcian's Periegesis wherein Archias gave the city the name of a nearby marsh; hence one gets Syrako (and thereby Syrakousai and other variants) for the name of Syracuse, a name also attested by Epicharmus. The nucleus of the ancient city was the small island of Ortygia.

Catania

Foundation
All ancient authors agree in representing Catania as a Greek colony named Κατάνη (Katánē—see also the list of traditional-Greek place names) of Chalcidic origin, but founded immediately from the neighboring city of Naxos, under the guidance of a leader named Euarchos (Euarchus).

The exact date of its foundation is not recorded, but it appears from Thucydides to have followed shortly after that of Leontini (modern Lentini), which he places in the fifth year after Syracuse, or 730 BC.

Messina

Founded by Greek colonists in the 8th century BC, Messina was originally called Zancle (Greek: Ζάγκλη), from the Greek ζάγκλον meaning "scythe" because of the shape of its natural harbour (though a legend attributes the name to King Zanclus). A comune of its province, located at the southern entrance of the Strait of Messina, is to this day called 'Scaletta Zanclea'. In the early 5th century BC, Anaxilas of Rhegium renamed it Messene (Μεσσήνη) in honour of the Greek city Messene (See also List of traditional Greek place names). The city was sacked in 397 BC by the Carthaginians and then reconquered by Dionysius I of Syracuse.

Caltanissetta

Caltanissetta's origins can be traced back to 406 BC, when admiral Nicia of Hamilcar's siege force from Carthage established a fort at the site, later called Castra Nicia (Fort Nicia).

After the Second Punic War, Castra Nicia came under Roman rule, but as in the rest of Sicily, the influence of the invaders remained superficial.

In AD 829, the city was occupied by the Saracens. The similarity of the Carthaginian name to the Arabic word نساء nisā’ (meaning 'women') resulted in the Saracen name of قلعة النساء Qal‘at al-Nisā’ ('Fort of the Women'), which has since been Italianized to Caltanissetta. The settlement was captured by the Normans in 1086. A charter was granted to the town in accordance with count Roger Borsa's vast plan for the urbanisation of Sicily and the urban plan that is still in evidence today was laid out.

After the Normans the city was under the Hohenstaufen, the Anjou and the Catalan-Aragonese kings, who gave it the title of county. Here Frederick II of Sicily was proclaimed king. The city was the seat of another Parliament who aimed to set the disputes arisen during the reign of Frederick III (1355–1377).

In 1406 Caltanissetta became a fief of the noble Spanish family Moncada, which already owned the estate of Paternò, and subsequently decayed deeply. In 1539 the construction of the Cathedral was started and in 1566 a notable bridge was built over the Salso River. In this period the city began to expand outside the walls, and new quarters (Santa Flavia, San Rocco degli Zingari and San Francesco, which included the medieval village of Arab origin) were created. The quartiers were divided by the construction of two roads that crossed roughly perpendicular to a central square (now Piazza Garibaldi): the Corso Vittorio Emanuele current (west-east) and the current Corso Umberto I (north-south).

On July 8, 1718 the city was assaulted by Piemontese troops, which caused large losses in the population. In 1787 Johann Wolfgang Goethe visited it.

In 1812, after 406 years, the Moncada seignory ended, as the feudal constitution was abolished and Caltanissetta turned into the 22nd Comarca of Sicily. In 1819 it was declared capital of the province, but one year later it was sacked as a punishment for its loyalty to the House of Bourbon. In 1844 it was elevated to a bishopric seat.

After many Nisseni had taken part in his Mille's ("the Thousand's") deeds, Giuseppe Garibaldi entered the city, together with Cesare Abba and Alexandre Dumas, père. On October 22 of the same year a plebiscite declared Caltanissetta part of the new Kingdom of Italy.

After the unification of Italy was involved in a great economic boom largely due to intense mining of sulfur, but it was accompanied by various misfortunes: 47 people died due to an explosion of fire damp in the mine of Trabonella on the 27th of April 1867; 65 miners died on November 12, 1881 in Gessolungo because of another explosion; and another 51 died in 1911 in Deliella and Trabonella.

In 1875, however, the population rose against the prefect, who was fired. On April 8, 1878 the city was connected to a railway, ending the historical difficulties in reaching it. Three years later the king Umberto I visited Caltanissetta along with his wife Margherita of Savoy and his son Victor Emmanuel III.

During the Second World War, as part of the Allied landing in Sicily, he suffered several bombings (July 1943) during which 351 civilians were killed. On July 10, U.S. troops landed first in Licata by the 3^ infantry and after 8 days, on 18 July they entered and occupied the city. The U.S. 1^ infantry landed in Gela any hours after and they went toward Catania where meet the U.S 45 infantry that landed near Scoglitti.

Ragusa

The origins of Ragusa can be traced back to the 2nd millennium BC, when in its area there were several settlements of the ancient Sicels. The current Ragusa Ibla lies probably on one of them, identified as Hybla Heraea.

Agrigento

Agrigento was founded on a plateau overlooking the sea, with two nearby rivers, the Hypsas and the Akragas, and a ridge to the north offering a degree of natural fortification. Its establishment took place around 582-580 BC and is attributed to Greek colonists from Gela, who named it Akragas.

Akragas grew rapidly, becoming one of the richest and most famous of the Greek colonies of Magna Graecia. It came to prominence under the 6th-century tyrants Phalaris and Theron, and became a democracy after the overthrow of Theron's son Thrasydaeus. At this point the city could have been as large as 100,000 - 200,000 people. Although the city remained neutral in the conflict between Athens and Syracuse, its democracy was overthrown when the city was sacked by the Carthaginians in 406 BC. Akragas never fully recovered its former status, though it revived to some extent under Timoleon in the latter part of the 4th century.

Didrachm, 490-483 BC.
The city was disputed between the Romans and the Carthaginians during the First Punic War. The Romans laid siege to the city in 262 BC and captured it after defeating a Carthaginian relief force in 261 BC and sold the population into slavery. Although the Carthaginians recaptured the city in 255 BC the final peace settlement gave Punic Sicily and with it Akragas to Rome. It suffered badly during the Second Punic War (218-201 BC) when both Rome and Carthage fought to control it. The Romans eventually captured Akragas in 210 BC and renamed it Agrigentum, although it remained a largely Greek-speaking community for centuries thereafter. It became prosperous again under Roman rule and its inhabitants received full Roman citizenship following the death of Julius Caesar in 44 BC.

After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the city successively passed into the hands of the Vandalic Kingdom, the Ostrogothic Kingdom of Italy and then the Byzantine Empire. During this period the inhabitants of Agrigentum largely abandoned the lower parts of the city and moved to the former acropolis, at the top of the hill. The reasons for this move are unclear but were probably related to the destructive coastal raids of the Saracens and other peoples around this time. In 828 AD the Saracens captured the diminished remnant of the city. They pronounced its name as Kerkent in Arabic; it was thus Sicilianized as "Girgenti". It retained this name until 1927, when Benito Mussolini's government reintroduced an Italianized version of the Latin name.

Agrigento was captured by the Normans under Count Roger I in 1087, who established a Latin bishopric there. They built the Castello di Agrigento to control the area. The population declined during much of the medieval period but revived somewhat after the 18th century. In 1860, the inhabitants enthusiastically supported Giuseppe Garibaldi in his conquest of southern Italy (in the course of the Unification of Italy). The city suffered a number of destructive bombing raids during World War II.

Sicily

Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea; along with surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, and it is officially referred to as Regione Siciliana (Sicilian Region).

Sicily is located in the central Mediterranean. It extends from the tip of the Apennine peninsula, from which it is separated only by the narrow Strait of Messina, towards the North African coast. Its most prominent landmark is Mount Etna, which, at 3,350 m (10,990 ft), is the tallest active volcano in Europe and one of the most active in the world. The island has a typical Mediterranean climate.

The earliest archeological evidence of human dwelling on the island dates from as early as 8000 BC. At around 750 BC, Sicily was host to a number of Phoenician and Greek colonies, and for the next 600 years, it was the site of the Greek–Punic and Roman–Punic wars, which ended with the Roman destruction of Carthage. After the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century AD, Sicily frequently changed hands, and during the early Middle Ages, it was ruled in turn by the Vandals, Ostrogoths, Byzantines, Arabs and Normans. Later on, the Kingdom of Sicily lasted between 1130 and 1816, first subordinated to the crowns of Aragon, Spain, and the Holy Roman Empire, and then finally unified under the Bourbons with Naples, as the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. Following the Expedition of the Thousand, a Giuseppe Garibaldi-led revolt during the Italian Unification process and a plebiscite, it became part of Italy in 1860. After the birth of the Italian Republic in 1946, Sicily was given special status as an autonomous region.

Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature, cuisine and architecture. It also holds importance for archeological and ancient sites such as the Necropolis of Pantalica, the Valley of the Temples and Selinunte.