La Tomatina to Carnival: Italy's Most Colorful Festivals

 

Image by Morana T from Pixabay

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!

Terni

The city of Terni was founded around the 7th century BC by the Umbrians, in a territory inhabited (as testified by archaeological excavations of several necropolises) as early as the Bronze Age. In the 3rd century BC it was conquered by the Romans and soon became an important municipium lying on the Via Flaminia. The Roman name was Interamna, meaning "in between two rivers". During the Roman Empire the city was enriched with several buildings, including aqueducts, walls, an amphitheater, a theater, temples and bridges.

Perugia

Perugia was an Umbrian settlement but first appears in written history as Perusia, one of the 12 confederate cities of Etruria; it was first mentioned in Q. Fabius Pictor's account, utilized by Livy, of the expedition carried out against the Etruscan League by Fabius Maximus Rullianus in 310 or 309 BC. At that time a thirty-year indutiae (truce) was agreed upon; however, in 295 Perusia took part in the Third Samnite War and was reduced, with Volsinii and Arretium (Arezzo), to seek for peace in the following year.

Umbria

Umbria is a region of historic and modern central Italy. It is the only Italian region having neither a coastline nor a common border with other countries. It includes the Lake Trasimeno, Cascata delle Marmore, and is crossed by the River Tiber. The regional capital is Perugia. Umbria is known for its landscapes, traditions, history, artistic legacy, and influence on culture.

The region is characterized by hills and historical towns such as Assisi (a World Heritage Site associated with St. Francis of Assisi, the Basilica of San Francesco and other Franciscan sites, works by Giotto and Cimabue), Norcia (the hometown of St. Benedict), Gubbio, Spoleto, Todi, Città di Castello, Orvieto, Castiglione del Lago, Narni, Amelia, and other small cities.

The Saint Francis Walk

he walk of the pilgrims continues today ad they did during The Middle Ages: a profound testimony of faith and an exchange between different cultures.
For this reason the Tourism Promotion Agency of Rieti has created the “Saint Francis Walk” (Cammino di San Francesco), a walk through the Valle Santa of Rieti, one of the most important placesin the history of the Franciscan Order. The pilgrimage includes visits to the sanctuaries where Francis travelled to: the Sanctuary of Poggio Bustone, La Foresta, Fonte Colombo and the Greccio Sanctuary.
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Things You Need for a Wedding in Umbria Villas

Planning a wedding is quite a difficult task. You need to consider all the requirements necessary for an amazing wedding ceremony. If you’re planning for a wedding in Umbria, Italy then the first thing to do is to look for attractive and beautiful Umbria wedding villas.

You can find many wedding villa sites where you can book online. Get all the details about the wedding villas and location where it’s situated. Book any one of them which you think caters to all your requirements. Here are some of the major aspects which are necessary for your successful wedding ceremony.

Accommodation for Guests
There are many Umbria accommodation facilities available in Italy. A selection of rental apartments, farmhouses, holiday homes, and villas as well as Umbria castles is available in the immediate vicinity of your Umbria wedding villa for family and relatives.

Flower arrangements and Bridal Bouquets
You’ll need beautiful flowers for various purposes. From bouquet to the boutonniere and for the arrangements in the church and the reception, these all can be arranged with the help of experts. Sometimes, even the owners of the villas can help you choose the perfect flowers for the wedding in Umbria, Italy according to the season. Some may want small bouquets while some may want custom designed. All your requirements can be fulfilled by these people.

Beauty - Make up
Bridal beauty plays an essential role in wedding. Every bride wants to look special on her wedding day. Look for the professional artist around the wedding location. You can ask for hair dresser and make up artist to come directly to the villa. You can find that the people here are very professional and the services they provide are affordable. They can even arrange for a trial make up session on request.

Wedding Favors
It’s the desire of every couple that their wedding leaves a lasting impression on their guests and this is never fulfilled without wedding favors. You can truly get unique ideas from wedding professionals here. They help you choose unique gifts to give to your guests as a memento of your wedding in Italy. They help you get the things that match your taste, color, and budget too.

Musical entertainment
A wedding without a musical program is like a wine without any taste. You can choose from many professional musical program providers in the location. They offer a collection of best music for your wedding. When it comes to the music for your party, the choice is endless. A variety of music is available from which you can choose.

Wedding arrangements need to be done in advance so as to be relieved from last minute tension. Sicily wedding location is also popular among many tourists. It's better to make plans and book in advance so as to have a great wedding.

About the Author

Kathy travels through most of the locations in Umbria of Italy and writes on wedding destinations and the services provided by them. Through her experience, she helps couples to choose from various romantic Sicily wedding locations or Umbria wedding locations.

Source: Article Bazar

I Love Italian Wine and Food - The Umbria Region

Umbria lies smack dab in the middle of Italy. The countryside is unspoiled and dotted with medieval churches. Its fairly gentle terrain is composed of hills, valleys, and small mountains. Umbria is the only region of Italy with neither a seacoast nor a foreign border. But it has lakes, rivers, and even a waterfall. It is known as the green valley of Italy. In spite of this name, until a few decades ago Umbria kept losing population to the more highly industrial north. Its total population is about 830 thousand.

Umbria was settled by the Umbri, perhaps the first inhabitants of Italy. They were forced into the mountains by the Etruscans, who were conquered by the Romans and then the Lombards. The poet Dante considered it the most violent part of Italy.

Umbria is particularly known for pork, dried pasta, and both black and white truffles. It also produces specialty breads and a wide variety of vegetables and meats. Fish and eels from the Tiber River and Lake Trasimeno abound. Cheeses include Pecorino Toscano, reviewed below.

Umbria’s capital is Perugia, a beautiful medieval city with a population of 150 thousand. Among other things Perugia is known for chocolates and Italian as a second language classes. Another famous Umbrian city is Assisi, the home of St. Francis of Assisi.

Umbria devotes about 41 thousand acres to grapevines, it ranks 15th among the 20 Italian regions. Its total annual wine production is about 19.5 million gallons, giving it a 16th place. About 58% of the wine production is white, leaving 42% for red. The region produces 11 DOC wines. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin, presumably a high-quality wine, and 2 DOCG red wines, Montefalco Sagrantino and Torgiano Rosso. The G in DOCG stands for Garantita, but there is in fact no guarantee that such wines are truly superior.

About 30% of Umbrian wine carries the DOC or DOCG designation. Umbria is home to about thirty major and secondary grape varieties, about two thirds white.

Widely grown international white grape varieties include Chardonnay and Trebbiano. The best known strictly Italian white variety is Grechetto, used in the its flagship Orvieto DOC wines.

Widely grown international red grape varieties include Cabernet Sauvignon, Gamay, and Merlot. The best known Italian red variety is Sangiovese, now grown elsewhere such as in California.

Before we review the Umbrian wine and cheese that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region.

Start with Zuppa di Lenticchie di Castelluccio, Castelluccio Lentil Soup, which with local bread can be a meal in itself.

Later try Porchetta alla Perugina, Roasted Suckling Pig with Wild Fennel, Rosemary, and Garlic.


For dessert indulge yourself with Serpentone delle Monache di Perugia, Nut and Fruit “Snake” of the Capucin Nuns.


OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY While we have communicated with well over a thousand Italian wine producers and merchants to help prepare these articles, our policy is clear. All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.


Wine Reviewed


Lungaraotti Pinot Grigio 2004 12% about $12


I haven’t always been happy with Italian Pinot Grigio, or for that matter with non-Italian Pinot Gris. These wines often are weak. However, I thought that this particular Pinot Grigio was a fine wine for its price when it accompanied the right food. The sales literature suggested that this light-bodied, vivid, and balanced wine would be a great match for antipasti. My mistake was pairing it with non-imported antipasti, really more of a mediocre relish, which overpowered the wine. I later tried this wine with cold barbecued chicken in a moderately spicy Thai sauce and was quite pleased. Its citrus flavors really shone. I could taste this wine’s subtle complexity.


Pecorino Toscano is a sheep’s milk cheese that has been made in Tuscany and neighboring Umbria for thousands of years. Soft Pecorino Toscano is white with a tinge of yellow, while semi-hard Pecorino Toscano is pale yellow. It is moderately strong smelling and has a complex nutty flavor. I thought that it blended very nicely into the wine.




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About the Author
Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine Italian or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college. His wine website is www.theworldwidewine.com . You can reach him at ital@mail.theworldwidewine.com.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com