Most Italians fast on Christmas Eve and then share a celebratory evening meal called cenone. This is a meatless meal featuring many different fish dishes, with dried fruits and sweets for dessert. Some foods featured at Christmas time are panettone, a kind of fruited cake, torrone (nougat candy), panforte, gingerbread or honey cake, almonds, assorted […]
Christmas in Italy starts eight days before Christmas and lasts till after the Feast of Epiphany. Musical salutes are made at the shrine of the Virgin Mary and songs are played at the homes of carpenters in honor of St. Joseph. Eight days before Christmas, a special Novena of prayers and church services begin. It […]
The city of Pula, found on the southern end of the Istrian peninsula of Croatia, is an enjoyable city often visited by tourists. The city is home to the sixth largest Roman amphitheater in the world, the Pula Amphitheater, also known as the Pula Arena. It is the best preserved ancient monument found in Croatia […]
The Cascate del Mulino is one of the most charming and fascinating place of Tuscany, built by the way of nature which originated from a travertine rock, excavated from the cascade of sulphurous thermal waters. The Cascate del Mulino became famous mainly for its beauty, small pools are filled with water that continuously comes from […]
Umbria is undoubtedly a holiday rental paradise as here the tourists can feel like heaven amid the awe inspiring natural locales beautified with the moderate climate of the region. The delightful Umbrian hilltown of Orvieto is perched halfway between heaven and earth on a plateau over 900 feet above sea level. Take a funicular to […]
Bonfires are lit in many towns on the night between the 7th and the 8th December and the meaning of this tradition varies. According to some the fire is lit to warm up the Madonna, but also to destroy human sins and everything else negative that needs to be left behind in the future year. […]
Colloquially known as the “Mouth of Truth”, the Bocca Della Verita is located in the portico of the church of Santa Maria, in Cosmedin. Thought to be part of an ancient fountain or a manhole cover carved as early as the first century, the Bocca Della Verita was placed in its current location in the […]
Saint Barbara Day is celebrated December 4 every year in the Sicilian town of Paterno on the slopes of Mount Etna volcano. There is a parade after which the nativity scene is erected. Saint Barbara is the town’s patron saint and the protectress of firemen and firework makers. She has been called upon many times […]
Basilicata is a region of southern Italy bordering on the Gulf of Taranto and the Tyrrhenian Sea. This is the real Italy, relatively neglected by tourists. Like most Italian cities, Matera has a Cathedral but it also is home to a wide variety of churches, some of which are caves. Talking about caves, the Sassi […]