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The Official Guide to Italian Tourism

THE MAGAZINE OF THE “ITALY PROJECT” BY IGTB & ITPC

3RD EDITION

Compliments of

Italian Government Tourist Board

Italian Travel Promotion Council

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Compliments of

Italian Government Tourist Board

Italian Travel Promotion Council

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W Italy Now is published under the auspices of The Italian Government Tourist Board Mr. Riccardo Strano Director North America Published by the ITPC Italian Travel Promotion Council Mr. Mauro Galli Chairman

e invite you to begin your journey to Italy through the pages of this magazine. Take advantage of the information provided; it will be your travel companion during an unforgettable journey.

Whatever you seek in your vacation, whether it be the discovery of an artistic past, relaxation or fun, we invite you to take pleasure in Italy’s idyllic beaches, to wander through the rolling hills of the countryside, to relax at a local trattoria, to indulge in the world of fashion, to treat yourself to a stroll around ancient ruins and to enjoy Italy’s eternal magnificence.

Italy’s love affair with the American traveler is one of the longest, most satisfying relationships between two civilizations.

Italy appeals to the heart and soul of every American, whether young or old, traveling alone or in groups, on a budget or seeking luxury. Which is why, year after year, Italy ranks as the foreign destination visited most by Americans travelers.

Let Italy seduce you. Surrender to all it has to offer. Every day will provide a unique experience that will live in your memory forever.

Produced by Market Gates LLC Publisher: Amedeo Angiolillo Executive Editor: Natasha Lardera Artistic Director: Fabio Cutró Editor: Deanie Hendrick Special Thanks to: Mario Scalzi for the editorial advice Barbara Crawford for her support Donna Connor & Tommaso Galli for the Sardegna photography

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ear Traveler, Thank you for choosing Italy as your travel destination.

Italy in general is known as the country of “Life & Style,” of art and culture, of good food and fashion, and it is the ideal place to spend your vacation.

Our country offers something special to each of its visitors. This is a spectacular destination for every type of traveler.

For a vacation full of art and history, come walk into the past by way of Italy’s countless museums, historic monuments and archeological treasures. Marvel in the midst of exquisite paintings and sculptures. Explore the sites that antiquity preserved for the modern day. Travel back in time envisioning yourself during the age of the Ancient Romans or the birth of Renaissance, just to name a few.

For an outdoor vacation, come and find adventure by skiing the thrilling mountain slopes; by hiking or biking through an endless horizon of rolling hills and valleys.

Come find peace and relaxation from our tranquil seas and lakes and also from our many spas.

If a culinary vacation is what you crave each corner of Italy tempts you with its delicious foods and fantastic wines, appealing to everyone’s palate.

Come discover what travelers are enjoying more and more: our quaint and charming artistic towns and villages, where history and tradition remain intact, where the residents are very friendly. Here, home-cooking reigns supreme and you can purchase typical regional products at reasonable prices.

We invite you to begin your journey to Italy through the pages of this informative and illustrated booklet. This will serve as a reference guide to planning the perfect trip.

We extend to you our warmest welcome in Italy and will do our very best to make your visit an unforgettable one.

Have a wonderful time and pleasant stay!

Riccardo Strano Director Italian Government Tourist Board North America

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n behalf of The Italian Travel Promotion Council, I welcome you to ITALY NOW, the essential tool for planning your vacation to Italy.

In this publication you will find useful information about the country, but more importantly the profiles of the best Tour Operators doing business with Italy, committed to giving American travelers the best possible experience while vacationing in Italy.

Indeed, ITPC members are the industry experts. Our organization, with a membership of 22 major operators, in conjunction with the honorary, permanent member, ENIT (the Italian National Tourist Office), created a strong alliance based on the love of the country. Our expertise in all aspects of vacation travel, our strong dedication to the industry and an equally strong commitment to persevere in achieving the realization of a perfect dream vacation for the American public are the qualities we consistently uphold.

The ITPC logo is the trademark recognized in the marketplace as the guarantee of quality, reliability and value. Our commitment is based on its selection of members who have a long and professional standing of services to the travel industry. Our members are reviewed and required to maintain the qualifications demanded by the standards of the organization.

We encourage you, the traveler, to look for the ITPC symbol of affiliation and be confident that the member you select will give you the best possible service, the greatest value and the knowledge and confidence that you have truly chosen an expert to create the trip to Italy you so deserve.

Featured in this issue is the beautiful island of Sardinia, surrounded by the pristine clear blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Vestiges of many civilizations, a food and wine paradise, authentic folklore and a splendid and luxurious landscape makes this island a vacation spot for all seasons.

I encourage you to read this publication and find the Tour Operator that fits your need.

Grazie

Mauro F. Galli ITPC Chairman

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Auto Europe offers Italy A la Carte with One Call Service.

Auto Europe, a leader in European car rental services for over 54 years, can arrange all your transportation needs in Italy.

Choose from the largest selection of self-drive cars at over 300 locations throughout Italy. In addition, we also offer the largest selection of prestige and sports car rentals, from Ferraris to Lamborghinis.

Chauffeur-driven service and transfer services are available in all major cities from executive sedans to limousines.

Through our tour division, Destination Europe, travelers can

reserve coach, business class and first class airfare from across the USA to Europe. Combine your car rental with airfare or with any of the worldwide hotel properties that they also represent for guaranteed best savings on a complete package to Italy. Current savings include free GPS rentals with select car rental categories in Italy, 20% savings off any Mercedes Benz or Sports Car Rental and Winter Fly/Drive packages to Rome or Milan beginning at $697 including airfare, fuel surcharge and a three-day economy car rental.

CONTACT INFORMATION Auto Europe 800-223-5555 or visit our website at www.autoeurope.com

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BellaVista Tours was founded with the vision that truly exceptional tours begin with a thorough knowledge of the destination, and a willingness to provide clients with personalized service.

With over 12 years of travel experience, and an Italianspeaking staff with complete knowledge of the geography of Italy, BellaVista Tours promises to make your trip to Italy the experience of a lifetime. Our programs are created with your pleasure and enjoyment in mind. For example, all our itineraries are meticulously designed with superior hotels, regional cuisine, and interesting sightseeing. Bilingual guides make sure you don’t miss any of the unique attractions that make Italy so special. We have inspected each hotel personally to ensure top quality at the category you select. If you participate in a group tour, you’ll be led around in style and taken care of from beginning to end. If you choose to travel independently and set your own program, BellaVista Tours will advise and suggest your itinerary and coordinate all the logistics and

manage the little details through our offices in Italy, leaving you free to enjoy your vacation. Come and experience Italy “BellaVista” style!

Programs & Services • Hotel accommodations throughout all regions of Italy from tourist class to deluxe.

• Sightseeing – including private guides if desired.

• Private transfers from airports and hotels • Car rentals which give you the freedom of discovering all those out-of-the-way places.

• Villa and apartment rentals by the week.

• Train tickets and rail passes.

• Land-only arrangements or with air service from major US gateway cities to Italy and beyond.

• Contact numbers and support staff in Italy so you will never feel alone.

CONTACT INFORMATION BellaVista Tours 7 Marshall Street Boston, MA 02108 Tel: 617-723-0802 Toll free in U.S.: 877-723-0802 Fax: 617-723-0803 info@bellavistatours.com www.bellavistatours.com

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Since 1972, Celtic Tours has planned vacations for hundreds of thousands of satisfied people to Europe. The Travel Agent community in North America recognizes us as one of the leading independently owned and operated tour operators in the field of quality group and individual travel.

As active members of the United States Tour Operators Association, we are required to post a $1 Million bond with USTOA to protect payments made to Celtic Tours. We are also active members of the National Tour Association and the American Society of Travel Agents.

Celtic Tours has a rich history of presenting a unique collection of Italian vacations for individual and group travel.

Imagine a dream vacation at an Italian villa, winding your way through a “Southern Italian Odyssey� or enjoying a private chauffeur or rail tour. We are also specialists in family vacations. Let us help your clients realize their Italian dream vacation!

CONTACT INFORMATION Celtic Tours World Vacations 1860 Western Avenue Albany , NY 12203 800-833-4373 operations@celtictours.com www.celtictours.com

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Whether you’re looking to vacation with friends and family, travel as part of a group, or seek a romantic retreat for two, your ideal experience to Italy awaits you with Central Holidays. Our programs feature tour packages, car rentals, Mediterranean and river cruises, as well as ski vacation packages to single and multi-country destinations the world over.

Launched by Joe and Fred Berardo in 1972, we have since been committed to sharing with travelers the treasures of their native land, Italy, and its surrounding Mediterranean neighbors.

Rest assured, we know Italy, and personalized service is our trademark. Our first class packages include escorted motorcoach tours, hosted as well as independent travel itineraries,

and customized group travel. We also provide niche-market packages, such as cooking classes, wine excursions, tours for art aficionados, as well as vacation rentals including villas, castles, and farmhouses.

A Central Holidays-escorted program always includes centrally-located hotels, and complimentary wine, mineral water, and coffee or cappuccino with meals. And, as innovators of dining out at renowned restaurants, we treat our guests to Italy with the tantalizing tastes of authentic regional cuisines.

Central Holidays’ high level of repeat travelers is a testimony to our dedication to quality and service. Come see for yourself what we can offer you. Experience the personalized service for which we are known and revered.

CONTACT INFORMATION Central Holidays 800-935-5000 www.centralholidays.com Email: info@centralholidays.com Brochures: brochures@centralholidays.com

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Country Walkers, the leader in worldwide active adventures invites you into the heart of Italy on foot. We welcome you to slow down, step onto the path and savor each moment.

Immerse yourself in sensational surroundings and leave your worries behind. Italy is a destination of extraordinary beauty, vitality, and historic importance. The famously relaxed Italian way of life is a wonder all its own.

And walking is the best way to know Italy. With 14 destinations in Italy from which to choose—our itineraries highlight Italy’s beautiful coastlines, distinctive islands, majestic mountains and lakes, and rolling, gentle hillsides—you’re assured a complete immersion in this extraordinary country.

From the moment you arrive we take care of everything— including intimate, authentic accommodations, cultural events (such as wine tastings), and fresh, local cuisine.

Best of all, your experienced, professional guides are with you every step of the way. Simply delightful companions, your guides are local to the regions in which they guide, providing amazing ‘insider access.’ Doors open for you, thanks to our guides. You simply could not be in better hands. In 2009, Country Walkers celebrates its 30th anniversary in adventure travel. With this celebration we renew our commitment to walking as the best way to make meaningful connections with a region, its culture and the locals. Small groups (never more than 18), experienced local guides, guaranteed departures and our promise to deliver an experience of unsurpassed quality and value set us apart. Come join us—every step of the way, live la dolce vita found only in Italy on a Country Walkers tour.

CONTACT INFORMATION Country Walkers PO Box 180 (93 Pilgrim Park, Suite 1) Waterbury, VT 05676 Toll free 800-464-9255 info@countrywalkers.com www.countrywalkers.com

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Offering distinctive experiences to Italy and around the world!

Distinctive Journeys International Ltd. (DJI) is a full-service U.S. tour operator specializing in deluxe custom-designed travel programs to Italy and other international destinations for FITs, small groups and incentives.

From hotel packages to fully-inclusive air/land travel programs, DJI’s broad product line allows one-stop shopping to fit the specific wishes and needs of the independent traveller(s), family or special interest group. Behind the scenes, the team at DJI is highly professional and experienced in making the planning and booking of your itinerary easy and personal, while our overseas colleagues ensure peace-of mind when traveling abroad. Since 1994, DJI has been there from the initial planning until the return home. Distinctive Journeys International is the discerning traveller’s first choice for travel to Italy Call your travel agent.

Programs & Services • Full range of accommodations from villa-style and boutique properties to deluxe city hotels and resorts.

• Transportation options: rental cars, chauffeur-driven cars and rail.

• Public and/or private sightseeing.

• Pre- and post-cruise tours as well as exclusive shore excursions.

• Special activities such as olive oil and wine tastings, visits to galleries, tickets to cultural performances, private home visits, etc.

• In addition, DJI provides comprehensive documentation including: personalized and detailed itineraries with restaurant recommendations, shopping tips, general information on Italy, emergency contacts, maps/brochures, and more.

CONTACT INFORMATION Distinctive Journeys International, Ltd 930 Pitner Avenue, Suite #11 Evanston, IL 60202 800-922-2060 or 847-328-2566 anna@distinctivejourneys.com Fax: 847-328-2568 www.distinctivejourneys.com

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“Every time I go to Italy I discover a new treasure,” Kit Burns of Doorways, Ltd. says. “I got into the travel business simply because I fell in love with Italy.

The first time I went, I departed from a cold and snowy Philadelphia only to end up in a villa in Tuscany the next day. I opened the window and saw the rolling hills and from that moment on, I was hooked.”

“As a painter, I appreciated all of the different landscapes Italy had to offer—from the sea and mountains in Abruzzo, to the dry and western look of Maremma. Southeastern Tuscany remains my favorite after 15 years,” Kit continues, “The scenery is simultaneously dramatic and peaceful. Looking at the Tuscan hills is like looking at waves of different colors that are restful to the eye and refreshing to the spirit.” Each season has something unique to offer. During the summer, the blossoms and beaches come alive and travelers can choose between Rimini and Riccione for an active nightlife, or Sardinia and Sicily for diving and sailing. In the spring nature bursts with fragrance and color—a painter’s delight! It is the ideal time to

explore museums or simply sit in a café enjoying a coffee and the local street scene. September marks the breaking of the heat, and the start of the grape and olive harvest. The cities are easy to navigate and the countryside offers other activities like truffle and mushroom hunting.

In the winter, the Alps, Apennines and the Dolomites become a white wonderland for skiers.

Doorways, Ltd. Italian Villa Vacations offers exquisite villas for vacations in Italy. Choose your dream property from a carefully vetted quality selection to ensure a wonderful experience.

• 333 premier villas, castles, cottages and city apartments • 142 air-conditioned properties • Professional and experienced staff • Extra attention for families • Special services in the villa (staff, chef, cooking classes) • Weddings and honeymoons, special-interest groups • Travel tips, restaurant guides, day-trip guides • Quarterly newsletter

CONTACT INFORMATION Doorways, Ltd. 900 County Line Road Bryn Mawr, PA 19010 610-520-0806 Fax 610-520-0807 800-261-4460 www.villavacations.com

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In today’s competitive market, we understand that travelers are looking for new and affordable ways to experience a destination. Over the past 25 years, EIS has developed hundreds of products and services to help you reinvent Italy and the Mediterranean for your Independent and Group clients.

EIS has grown its business around a central concept: people who travel today, travel for a reason—whether to connect with a culture, pursue an interest or realize a dream. To satisfy our travelers’ specific interests, we focus on customization.

With headquarters in Rome, we have access to first-hand knowledge about what’s new and fresh. Quite simply, we know more about destinations, activities and travel trends in our region than any other company.

Independent Travelers (FITS) From individuals who prefer to travel alone, to families and small groups, we can create a trip to fit the needs of the entire

party—from unique yet affordable options to over-the-top luxury experiences.

• Independent packages.

• Creative custom activities—after—hours museum tours, personal shoppers, Ferrari rides, and gastronomic tastings.

• Sightseeing tours.

• Unique accommodations—hotels, villas, farmhouses.

• Hundreds of other products and services—just ask and we’ll find what you’re looking for!

Special Interest Groups.

From wine tours to archeology to performance to sports, we can customize a program that will fit the needs and interests of groups of all sizes.

Your clients are limited only by their imaginations. Give us a call to design a customized tour today!

CONTACT INFORMATION EIS – European Incoming Services 42 Chauncy Street, Suite 10 Boston, MA 02111 Tel. 800-443-1644 Fax 617-227-7251 info@eistoeurope.com www.eistours.com

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Europe At Cost© (EAC) is an Italian Group Tour Operator specializing solely in customized ground services in Europe since 1966; with offices in Milan, Rome, Nice, Washington & New York City.

We don’t advertise extensively; but the fact that EAC has been successfully operating for over 42+ years, relying primarily on business attained via tremendous client loyalty and “word of mouth,” is indicative of the degree of satisfaction

clients have with our services. EAC is considered somewhat of a well-kept secret within the industry. EAC customizes tours for travelers who seek personal tours to Europe, with specific interests in mind, such as RELIGIOUS & PILGRIMAGES TOURS - EDUCATIONAL - ARCHITECTURE & ART ARCHEOLOGY - WINE & GOURMET - HERITAGE VILLA RENTALS, and much more. We supply many to Virtuoso agents and other travel associations.

CONTACT INFORMATION EAC - Europe At Cost 315 Fifth Avenue Suite 603 New York, NY, 10016 Tel. 800-322-3876 or 212-532-6947 Fax 212-532-8439 www.europeatcost.com skype: europeatcost

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Since 1985, European Connection, founded by its current President Sandy Cutrone, has been providing customized and imaginative itineraries for individuals and groups traveling to Italy.

We are the one-stop shop for expert assistance in planning, guidance and complete coordination of all trip details from start to finish. The knowledgeable and professional staff of our award-winning company has been internationally recognized as a reliable source for creating outstanding travel packages for discriminating travelers. We are just a phone call away in the USA with cost-effective prices achieved by our direct contracts with hundreds of suppliers in every part of Italy. We can offer every type of hotel from top deluxe to charming country inns, all including breakfast daily, VAT and special added-value amenities. Our special Guides are handpicked and assigned based on suitability for the needs of travelers. We have a network throughout Italy of the finest

Chauffeur-Driven Vehicles and Coaches for transfers, sightseeing and long-distance touring.

Ask about our Shore Excursions in every port. Special services such as Family Travel Packages with children’s Discovery Tours, pre-reserved museum tickets, bicycle excursions, ballooning, helicopter transfers/sightseeing, cooking classes, wine tasting, sports car driving, etc. we can do it all.

European Connection is a proud member of the ITPC (Italian Travel Promotion Council), SITE (Society of Incentive Travel Executives) and VIRTUOSO - “Specialists in the Art of Travel” as a “Preferred Tour Operator”.

Customized Services Shore Excursions • Pre- & Post-Cruise Packages • Wide Range of Hotels-3*-5* • Private Transfers & Touring • Private Sightseeing • Museum Reservations • Gourmet Programs • Light Adventure Programs • Meetings & Incentives.

CONTACT INFORMATION European Connection 125 Mineola Avenue Roslyn Heights, NY 11577 800-345-4679 516-625-1800 Fax: 516-625-1138 sandy@europeanconnection.com www.europeanconnection.com

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Experience Italy caters to discriminating travelers who want to experience the country in a memorable way, whether visiting Italy for business or pleasure. Offering a variety of specialized destinations and customized tours for groups and individuals, Experience Italy provides an expertise based on first-hand experience with the country.

All recommended accommodations are personally reviewed, and tour companies and guides are chosen for their knowledge and command of the English language.

Specializing in Italian Travel since 2001, we take great pride in our first-hand knowledge of the many regions that make up Italia. Personally inspecting the properties that we use for our clients assures that we can recommend the best property to meet our clients needs and make their Italian journey one that they will always remember! We personally interview the drivers and guides to ensure that our clients receive both topof-the-line service and the most knowledgeable guides in the region.

CONTACT INFORMATION Experience Italy, Inc. P.O. Box 51300 Mesa, AZ 85208 Tel. 480-988-7111 Fax 480-380-5142 info@expitaly.com

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For 80 years, the Globus family of brands has been providing a variety of products that address the needs of today’s diverse traveler with unparalleled vacation experiences, full of discovery and insight.

We offer hundreds of unique itineraries all over North America, South America, Europe, Asia and Australia.

Whether it’s a fully escorted, premium, independent, or river cruise vacation, with Globus, Cosmos, Monograms and Avalon Waterways you will get unmatched value, insider knowledge, and world-class customer service with every journey.

CONTACT INFORMATION Globus family of brands 5301 S. Federal Circle Littleton, CO 80123 Direct: 303-703-7000 Toll Free: 800-851-0728 www.globusfamily.com

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The International Kitchen, founded in 1994, is the foremost culinary company offering over 90 hands-on cooking vacations in Europe. Weeklong all-inclusive programs include accommodations at small and charming historic hotels, inns, villas, or farms in beautiful and scenic locations, hands-on classes, all meals with local wine, market visits, wine, olive oil and cheese tasting, visits to historic sites and transportation throughout.

Classes are led by a variety of teachers, from Michelin chefs to local caterers, to a “nonna� or grandmother who loves to pass on her family recipes with a fierce passion for her heritage. Programs can be confirmed for as few as two people and are never larger than eight or twelve. Karen Herbst, founder and president, has established a policy that

every program is personally visited and experienced so that they are certain they have created an outstanding program to provide you with an unforgettable and magical experience.

The staff at The International Kitchen have all lived and worked in Europe and are all bilingual. If you do not have time for a full program, they offer shorter options as well as one-day classes in many locations. They offer a cultural experience as much as a culinary trip; what better way to get to know the local people than through their gastronomy, which is such an important part of their culture.

Come and cook, eat, drink, laugh and have an experience that will be a memory of a lifetime.

CONTACT INFORMATION The International Kitchen www.theinternationalkitchen.com info@theinternationalkitchen.com 1-800-945-8606

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For Parker, it’s not about how many homes or countries it offers. It’s about the number of satisfied customers who return each year. With client satisfaction rated above 99%, Parker enjoys the industry’s highest reputation for quality, accuracy and customer care. Parker is not a listing service. Only homes that meet stringent guidelines are represented. Parker’s success is driven by three factors: Exclusivity — Property owners choose Parker exclusive of other agencies, portals or listing services. This eliminates confusion, overbooking and dramatically increases owner accountability.

Uniformity — For consumers to make accurate comparisons, Parker sets pricing based on size, location and amenities and relies solely on its own photos and descriptions.

Verification — Parker’s Italian office re-inspects properties to ensure quality standards are maintained and provides 24-hour in-country customer support.

While some may think we invented this business. We did not.

However, since our inception in 1993, when screens or phones were virtually unheard of in Italian rentals, Parker set the industry on its heels. Today, air-conditioning, Wi-Fi access, washerdryers, fully staffed villas and a host of other amenities have become commonplace in many Parker properties. What’s next?

Ultimately, it’s about the experience. Aside from significant savings over hotels, today’s client seeks built-in activities with their home. Parker Action Villas go beyond just renting a house. Among the choices are: pizza making classes using the villa’s brick oven; private wine tastings; cooking classes in the villa’s kitchen; massage treatments by the pool; guided truffle and mushroom hunts and driving tours in vintage automobiles. For travelers not renting villas, Parker offers Actividayz.com half-day activities ranging from cooking classes to ceramic making. Parker also offers three-day cooking programs to add pre- or post-rental, one in a private Florentine villa and the other in romantic Abruzzo.

CONTACT INFORMATION Parker Villas 152 Lynnway, Lynn, MA 01902 800-280-2811 www.parkervillas.com italy@theparkercompany.com

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Leaders to Italy since 1945.

From the major cities to the charming hill towns off the beaten path, Perillo’s Italy tours have been honed and crafted through 64 years of experience.

You’ll appreciate our balance of sightseeing, free time, optional activities and relaxation. Our itineraries are often imitated, but never surpassed.

Unmatched Meal Service For many, Italy’s food is as important an experience as visiting the Sistine Chapel (also included on our tours!). So we start each day with a full Italian/American buffet, including bacon and eggs. Dinners include antipasto, pasta, choice of 3 entrees, salad, desert, coffee, mineral water and one bottle of wine per couple. Most nights we include entertainment. Buon appetito!

First Class & Deluxe Hotels The Perillo name is as well known in Italy as in the States. We’ve established strong relationships with the best centrally located, 4- & 5-Star hotels

throughout the country. When you travel Perillo, you’re not just another tourist!

Great Guides & Sightseeing In Italy, being hired by Perillo Tours represents the pinnacle of any tour guide’s career. We also employ the best expert local guides, many who have published books and have advanced degrees to their credit. Our sightseeing includes in-depth studies of the Sistine Chapel, Uffizi Gallery, Doges Palace, Pompeii, the Colisseum and the great Cathedrals of Italy.

New Private Tour Series! New this year, we’re introducing our Private Tour Series. From 8 to 18 of your family and friends can enjoy our famous Italy tours “privately” in a deluxe mini-bus with your own driver and guide. The itineraries match those found in our brochure and cost just slightly more than our larger group tours. Best of all, we give one free land tour when you book 11 or more full-paying passengers.

CONTACT INFORMATION Perillo Tours 800-431-1515 www.perillotours.com

Steve Perillo

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Since 1981, Picasso Travel has provided travel agents with highly competitive airfares to the four corners of the globe.

Known for reliable, ethical customer service, Picasso quickly earned the nickname “the good consolidator,” a distinction it continues to enjoy throughout the travel community today.

Begun in 1998, Splendida Italia by Picasso Travel was a natural outgrowth of Picasso’s strong customer service and special affection for Italy as a tourism destination. Forging solid working relationships within the destination gave Splendida Italia’s programs a distinctive personal touch favored by both travel agents and travelers. Year after year, by pairing value priced air fares with a variety of land packages

designed to suit the full range of travel budgets and travel preferences, Splendida Italia offers the best of Italy from the Swiss border to Sicily, from Murano to Capri to Sardinia and everything in between. Packages feature simple city modules —the building blocks for the design-your-own custom tours; escorted bus tours with time-tested itineraries that never lose their appeal; special interest touring with a focus on wine and culinary demonstrations; art classes and wellness programs— hotels, resorts, country inns, private villas—Splendida Italia is a showcase of the charms of Europe’s most compelling destination.

CONTACT INFORMATION Splendida Italia by Picasso Travel 11099 S. La Cienega Boulevard, Suite 242 Los Angeles, CA 90045 info@splendidaitalia.com 310-645-7527 800-995-7997 www.splendidaitalia.com

Huseyin Ozyurtcu

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Now celebrating 28 years of experience in the United States, TourCrafters offers the American market the most exhaustive brochure of Italy with value-packed tours, bargain-priced packages and travel services such as hotel reservations, transfers, sightseeing tours and car rentals, cruise extensions, and private exclusive customized services.

The privately-owned company, known for its quality tours, select hotels all centrally located and knowledgeable staff on call 24 hours, specializes in Italy, France, Spain, Greece, Austria-Germany & Imperial Capitals, Turkey and now Egypt.

Leading the way among tour operators in opening up new Italian destinations, TourCrafters has recently designed innovative packages to Sardinia, Le Marche, Puglia, Sicilian farmhouses, alberghi diffusi and resorts like Sabaudia that are little known to Americans, to add to the extensive selection of tours and hotels all over Tuscany, Umbria, Italian Riviera & Cinque Terre, Veneto & the lakes regions, Sicily as well as the art cities. In addition TourCrafters offers honeymoon pack-

ages, gourmet tours of Italy and food and wine tours in Spain.

TourCrafters offers brochures on Italy and Europe annually and also provides on the web mini-brochures on Turkey, Spain, Ireland, Greece, France, Europe Capitals and Egypt.

TourCrafters’ head office is in Libertyville, Illinois, just outside Chicago. The Rome office is in the same building as Greyline, on the very centrally located Piazza dell’Esquilino only few blocks from Colisseum and Spanish Steps. Recently named Ambassador of Rome by the city’s deputy mayor, Mauro F. Galli, president of TourCrafters and the Italian Travel Promotion Council, lives and works in Libertyville. His cousin, Piero Galli, executive vice president, and Piero’s wife, Francesca Gaddini Galli, director, are based in Rome to coordinate and oversee the operation in Europe, though they also spend two months each year in the U.S. A colorful, informative 24/7 web site for travel agents (and the public) makes availability and price quotations immediate and booking and paying easy.

CONTACT INFORMATION TourCrafters www.tourcrafters.com or call 800-621-2259

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A wise man once said… “If you have a heart and a shirt, sell your shirt and go to Italy!”

Visit Italy Tours is Italy’s finest Tour Operator specializing in custom-designed tours for individuals and special-interest groups. Our exciting and diverse programs are perfect for travelers seeking great value and flexibility.

Whether you’re traveling to Italy for business or pleasure, for an extended stay or just for a quick getaway weekend, Visit Italy Tours has created a variety of tour products and deluxe programs for your travel enjoyment and pleasure. Begin by selecting your choice of tour program. Independent tours provide travel at your own pace, allowing for comfort and maximum freedom. Others may prefer a fixed schedule or a day-by-day itinerary; we offer an interesting variety of Escorted Tours. For food and wine lovers, our Gourmet Tours

present the Epicurean with an excellent opportunity to sample regional wines and discover the nuances of Italian regional cuisine. Let our professional team of Italian experts plan your honeymoons, weddings, romantic packages, pre- & post- cruise tours, private shore excursions, car rentals, chauffeur-driven limousines, hotel accommodations, sightseeing tours and much more.

Visit Italy Tours knows Italy best; it is our home and our inspiration, drawn from the magnificent scenery, unique culture, grand architecture and its warm, gracious people. With offices and representatives throughout Italy, our courteous and friendly staff stands ready to assist you in making your trip unforgettable.

If you haven’t been to Italy with Visit Italy Tours, you haven’t been to Italy!

CONTACT INFORMATION Visit Italy Tours 9841 Airport Blvd Suite 1424 Los Angeles, CA 90045 Tel. 800-255-3537 Fax 310-649-6880 Tel. 310-649-9080 info@visititalytours.com www.visititalytours.com

Italy Now 2008

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Italy Overview

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Venetian View. Photo by Global Group

View of the Anfiteatro Flavio in Rome.

Photo by APT Roma

Destination Italy: Quick Facts & Essentials Italy has something special to offer, no matter the month or the season.

The Italian dream vacation is a feast in every sense, for all the senses.

It’s the dreamy light and sumptuous countryside, seemingly made for romance. It’s the three millennia of history that scintillate the mind. It’s the food that wakes the palate. It’s the depth of texture. And it’s the slow, pleasant, cultured pace of life.

Visit Roman ruins, smell the flowers of the Ligurian Riviera, drink in Renaissance art, ski in the Alps, explore the canals of Venice and stand in awe in the golden wheat fields of Apulia.

Indulge in the pleasures of la dolce vita: good food, good wine, good shopping, and maybe a little bit of flirting. In Italy, everything is possible.

You will take parts of Italy home with you, and start planning your next Italian dream vacation.

Because you haven’t been to Sicily yet, or Calabria, or Verona, or because you simply want to go back.

You’ll find a reason.

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Italy’s Time Zone: 1 hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+1).

Italy is six hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time in the U.S. Daylight savings time goes into effect in late March and ends in late October.

Official Language: Italian. German is spoken in the northeastern region of Trentino-Alto Adige; there are small French-speaking populations in the Valle d’Aosta region to the northwest. English is spoken in most areas.

Origin of the Name: The first Greek settlers, who arrived in Calabria in Southern Italy from Euboea island in the 8th century B.C., named their new land Vitulia (land of calves).

This name spread slowly northward, and it was only under Augustus that the whole country adopted the name.

Apulian Trulli. Photo by Abate Masseria

Area: 301,323 km2 (116,303 square miles) Population: 59,619,290 (2007) Government: Republic Constitution: Adopted January 1, 1948 National Holiday: Festa della Repubblica on June 2nd.

Nickname: Italy is sometimes called Bel Paese (Italian for beautiful country) by its inhabitants, due to the beauty and variety of its countryside and for the world’s largest artistic heritage. The country is home to the The Official Guide to Italian Tourism

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Italy Overview

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Mount Vesuvius at night. Photo by Regione Campania

greatest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites (40 as of January 1, 2006).

Currency: Euro. Bills are available in 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500; coins in 1, 2 Euros, and in 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 cents.

Country Code: +39 Capital: Rome, “The Eternal City” (urban population 2,705,603, city only), area code 06.

Major Cities (population): Milan - 1,303,437 Turin - 900,569 Genoa - 615,686

Venice - 271,251 Florence - 365,966 Naples - 975,139 Palermo - 666,552 The Italian Peninsula is divided into 20 regions, two of which are islands (Sicily and Sardinia). Each region holds unique customs, traditions, and dialects. Five regions have a Statuto Speciale (special statute): Valle d’Aosta, TrentinoAlto Adige, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Sicily and Sardinia. The top travel destinations in Italy include the three cities of Rome, Venice, and Florence, Tuscany, and the Amalfi Coast.

The Land

Entrance to an old house in Bormio.

Photo by Bormio Press Office

Italy Now 2008

The Italian Peninsula is bounded by France in the northwest, Switzerland and Austria in the north, and Slovenia in the northeast. Italy juts into the Mediterranean Sea, and is surrounded by the Adriatic Sea on the east, the Ionian Sea on the west, the Tyrrhenian on the west along most of the peninsula, and the Ligurian Sea on the northwest.

No other country in the world provides as much variety of landscapes as Italy does.

The Apennine Mountains form the peninsula’s backbone, with the Alps on its northern boundary. The Alps are divided into sections called, from west to east, the Occidentali, the Centrali, and the

Castel Sant’Angelo at night. Photo by APT Roma

Orientali, and they border with France, Austria and Switzerland.

The Dolomites, which are really part of the Alps, are located in the regions of South Tyrol, Trentino and Belluno. The highest point in Italy is Mont Blanc, in the Alps, at 15,770 feet. The largest of its many northern lakes is Garda (143 sq mi; 370 sq km); the Po, its longest river at 390 miles, flows from the Alps on Italy’s western border and crosses the Lombard plain to the Adriatic Sea. Mount Vesuvius, near Naples, is the only active volcano on the European mainland, while Mount Etna, on the island of Sicily, is one of the world’s largest volcanoes.

The Alpine foothills cradle the large lakes: Lake Maggiore and the lakes of Como, Iseo, and Garda.

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Climate

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Positano by the sea. Photo by Regione Campania

A land for all seasons Italy’s weather is mild, thanks to the moderating influence of the seas and the Alps, which protect the country from north winds.

Field in Apulia. Photo by Ella Studio

Still, conditions vary considerably according to how far one is from these two elements. The winter is cold in the Alps, warm in the Po Plain and the central Apennines, mild on the Ligurian coast, the Neapolitan coast and Sicily. Summer is pleasantly warm, offset by coastal breezes, while in the mountains it is cooler. In the winter the mountains are perfect skiing locations, and in the summer they are great for hiking, excursions and golf.

Snow on the Italian Alps. Photo by Bormio Press Office

AVERAGE DAY TEMPERATURES (In Fahrenheit) CITY

LATITUDE

WINTER

SUMMER

FAll

Milan Turin Genoa Rome Palermo Alghero

38 35 48 49 50 50

58 55 61 63 65 61

74 72 75 72 74 76

56 56 62 68 68 66

To convert Fahrenheit to Celsius, subtract 32 degrees and divide by 1.8.

To convert Celsius to Fahrenheit, multiply by 1.8 and add 32 degrees.

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Communications

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Keyboards in Italy are slightly different, letters aren’t where you expect them to be.

Get in Touch In the past, staying connected to those back home seemed a daunting task. Prices were high and the coverage in Italy was poor. Nowadays there are options that not only are very inexpensive, but also easy to take advantage of and extremely functional.

Cell phones First and foremost, in Italy, incoming cell phone calls are free. Also, since you can pre-pay your calls, you can control how much money you want to invest in outgoing call time without worrying about receiving unexpectedly high bills.

You can also continue to receive incoming calls with zero remaining credit.

Network providers are Telecom Italia Mobile, Vodafone Omnitel, Wind, and H3G. If you want to use your cell phone in Italy it must be a GSM tri-band. Check with your cellular carrier to make arrangements before departure. The major nationwide carriers — AT&T Wireless, Cingular Wireless, Nextel, Sprint PCS, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless — offer international roaming service. This means the companies have partnered with carriers in other countries to provide expanded service to U.S. customers.

Please keep in mind that roaming charges can be costly.

A cheaper option is to buy a prepaid SIM card at your destination, then swapping it with the card inside your phone. The card is usually located one layer beneath the Italy Now 2008

battery. Pop the battery out and you should see the SIM card seated in a slot. Prepaid SIM cards typically come in per-minute increments.

Costs vary, so shop around. When the amount of money on the card runs out, you have to purchase more time. You can add more time on the phone using your credit card, but in Italy most people buy more time with a “Ricaricard” that can be purchased at a tobacco shop, phone store or media store. These cards come in denominations of 25 or 50 Euro (sometimes they are available in smaller amounts). The card carries a 5 Euro service charge.

Keep in mind that if you use an overseas carrier’s SIM card, your phone will no longer answer calls to your usual number — that’s one advantage of paying the higher rates for international roaming with your original SIM card.

If you prefer, cellular phones can be rented in Italy with a prepaid amount of usage time. Arrangements can be made directly at the airport.

Malpensa, in Milan, has a Rentacell office at Terminal 1. To order Rentacell service before your departure, contact the company by fax, telephone or email.

Many find it easier to rent a cell phone before leaving the country.

The best deals can be found at www.smartcoms.com. The phone rental is generally secured by your credit card. The shipping and activation charges are processed prior to the start of your rental. When the phone is returned to the company at the end of the rental, they start processing the calls made during your rental period.

Useful Extras Power Adapter/Converter Kit. This is one of those things that you need to take on an overseas trip but sometimes forget until you need it.

Purchase a complete kit, such as Belkin’s Business Traveler Converter Kit, which has both converters and adapters for several major cell phones and PDAs. Spare Battery. If you don’t have a power adapter, packing an extra battery is the next best thing.

Area Codes Italy’s country code is 39, so from the US to call Italy you must add the number 39 after 011.

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Above & Below: Italian public phones do not accept coins.

Left: Cell phones may be rented in Italy with a prepaid amount of usage time.

Calls to land phones have a zero before each area code: Milan 02 Florence 055 Naples 081 Bologna 051

Rome 06 Turin 011 Venice 041 Genoa 010

The zero is dropped if calling an Italian cellular number. Common codes for cellular numbers are: 335, 347, 337, etc.

The outgoing international code to the US is 001, followed by the American area code and the phone number.

Public Phones Public telephones are available throughout Italy. These days most do not accept coins and operate by use of a phone card (carta telefonica) which may be purchased at any newsstand, post office, or local tobacco shop. They are available for 5, 10, and 20 Euros.

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Emergency Numbers Simply dial these numbers from anywhere in the country.

They are toll free.

12 170 4176 112 113 115 116 118 186 4161 4114 803116 187 119 190 155

Telephone Directory Assistance Number Operator for Collect Calls General International Information Carabinieri Emergency Police Help Number (also ambulance and fire) Fire Department A.C.I. (Italian Automobile Club) road assistance.

Medical Assistance Telegrams Time Wake-up Call Automobile Club Road Service Telephone (Telecom) Cellular Telephone (TIM) Cellular Telephone (VODAFONE) Cellular Telephone (WIND)

Internet Internet booths operated by Telecom are available for public access at airports, major hotels and other public places. The term Internet Point is often used in Italy to define a place where access to computers connected to the Internet is provided. Usually a per minute or per hour fee is charged.

Others require the purchase of a card good for a minimum amount of time.

Keep in mind that keyboards in Italy are slightly different and that some letters aren’t anywhere near the places on the keyboard your fingers expect them to be.

If you require frequent access to the Internet for more than the occasional email, you may think about bringing your laptop along. Many Internet points will allow you to tap into their wideband networks

through an Ethernet connection or wireless nodes. Many hotels also offer these services as well. Ask for their fee beforehand.

For a list of locations that offer WiFi hot spots and wireless 802.11b Internet access, check out www.Wifihotspotlist.com To hook up the computer modem line one needs to purchase an adaptor designated for Italy in the U.S. In Italy, electricity is 220 volts, compared to the US 110 volts. You will need a voltage converter.

Regardless of voltage, you will need a converter anyway as plugs are shaped differently.

Big cities have several Internet cafes, while in smaller towns access may be less widely available. Local visitor centers often have a computer or two for you to use.

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Art & Culture

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Rocca di Fontanellato by Parmigianino. Photo by Associazione Castelli del Ducato of Parma and Piacenza

Self Portrait of Leonardo Da Vinci. Photo by Museo Leonardiano

Artistic Expressions Italy is like a vast living museum. Very few countries offer such a rich heritage of artistic creativity and craft.

Whether visiting an archeological site, a museum of modern art, or a local craft shop, you will discover the expression of artists and skilled craftsmen throughout the ages.

Nowhere on earth are the arts celebrated so joyously. There is something for everyone!

Hill that also includes admission to the Colosseum. If you want to see Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper in Milan or the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, you will need to reserve a month ahead. You can also sign up for guided tours of the museums or cathedrals you want to visit.

Museums of Ancient and Fine Arts

Florence

There are over 4000 museums, archeological sites, and art galleries in Italy, so if art is your weakness you are in for a treat, although choosing which ones to visit is not an easy task.

Buy tickets ahead of time. Many major museums and sites in Italy have long lines for ticket sales, especially during the high season. You can avoid the lines and be sure of getting admission on the day you want by buying tickets ahead of time or buying combination tickets.

For example, in Rome, you can buy a combination ticket at the Palatine Italy Now 2008

Uffizi Gallery. This is one of the most famous museums of paintings and sculpture in the world. Its collection of Primitive and Renaissance paintings comprises several universally acclaimed masterpieces of all time, including works by Giotto, Simone Martini, Piero della Francesca, Fra Angelico, Filippo Lippi, Botticelli, Mantegna, Correggio, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Caravaggio. German, Dutch, and Flemish masters are also well represented with important works by Dürer, Rembrandt and Rubens.

Open Tuesday to Sunday 8:15 a.m. to 6:50 p.m. Closed Monday, New Year’s Day, May 1st and Christmas Day.

Galleria dell’Accademia. The Gallery is particularly famous for its sculptures by Michelangelo: Prisoners, St.Matthew and, especially, the statue of David, which was transferred here to the specially designed court from Piazza della Signoria in 1873.

In the adjacent rooms, which were part of two former convents, important works of art were collected in the 19th century from the Academy of Design, the Academy of Fine Arts and from convents. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 8:15 a.m. to 6:50 p.m.

Closed Monday, New Year’s Day, May 1st, Christmas Day. The Pitti Palace. Formerly the residence of the grand dukes of Tuscany and later of the King of Italy, the Pitti Palace now houses important collections of paintings and sculpture, works of art, porcelain and a costume gallery. It is also known for the Boboli Gardens, one of the earliest Italian gardens famous also for its fountains and grottoes.

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hours. Closed on Sundays, except for the last Sunday of each month, unless it falls on Easter, on June 29 (St. Peter and Paul), or on December 25 and 26 (Christmas Holiday). The closed sections in the Museums are indicated at the entrance. Access to the Museums is permitted only to visitors with proper attire.

The Roman Forum is located in a valley that is between the Palatine and the Capitoline Hills. It originally was a marsh, but the Romans drained the area and turned it into a center of political and social activity. The Forum was the marketplace of Rome and also the business district and civic center. It was expanded to include temples, a senate house and law courts. Much of the Forum has been destroyed, but columns and stone blocks that formed some of the temples remain.

The arch of Titus and the arch of Septimius Severus still stand and are in good shape.

Stradivarius Museum in Cremona. Photo by Cremona Tourist Office

Museo dell’Opera del Duomo features works, carvings and tools by Donatello, Brunelleschi, and Luca della Robbia. There is also a section dedicated to the history of the Duomo. This museum is a gem, far less crowded than others in Florence, but full of works by the Masters.

Rome The Capitoline Museums are a group of art and archeological museums in Piazza del Campidoglio, on top of the famous Capitoline Hill. The museums are contained in three palazzos surrounding a central trapezoidal piazza in a plan conceived by Michelangelo Buonarroti in 1536, and built over a period of over 400 years. Some of the works 30

Museo Nazionale is one of the world’s leading museums of classical art, housing many antiquities. It has five branches spread across the city: Palazzo Altemps, which houses the museum’s displays on the history of

kept here are Boy with a Thorn in his Foot, Dying Gaul, Capitoline SheWolf, an Etruscan bronze suckling Romulus and Remus, the original bronze equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius, the one outside is a replica, and fragments of a truly gigantic statue of the Emperor Constantine.

Open Tuesday to Sunday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. December 24 and 31, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Closed Mondays, January 1, May 1, December 25.

The Vatican Museums comprise the papal apartments of the medieval Apostolic Palace decorated with frescoes during the Renaissance, the Sistine Chapel, the exhibition rooms of the Vatican Apostolic Library, and the museums themselves. Each museum has different

Detail of the Conservatory San Pietro a Majella in Naples. Photo by Regione Campania

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tion of Italy took place, the Reale displays ornately decorated apartments and splendid ceilings painted

by Seister, Miel and Morello. The interior truly bears the stamp of royalty. It has a bouquet of chandeliers and a sequence of rooms with heraldic names such as La Sala delle Vittorie and La Sala delle Dignità, furnished with Chinese vases, sculptures, paintings, frescos, gold leaf and coffered ceilings. Accessed through the arcaded courtyard behind the Palazzo Reale, the Savoys’ royal gardens should not be missed. They were landscaped very much in the French style by Andrè Le Notre, also the designer of gardens at Versailles.

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Milan

Glauco Lombardi Museum in Parma. Photo by Ella Studio

collections; the Baths of Diocletian; the Aula Ottagona, devoted to sculptures found in baths sites in Rome; the Crypta Balbi, home of the archaeological remains and finds from the digging on a citycenter site in the Campus Martius, and the Palazzo Massimo alle Terme, which accommodates sculpture and coin/jewelry collections.

Naples The Palazzo Reale di Capodimonte was built by Charles III of Bourbon as a hunting retreat, then expanded to house the art collection he inherited from his mother, Elizabeth Farnese. Today, the palace is home to the Museo e Gallerie di Capodimonte, which houses an outstanding collection of Renaissance paintings. Bellini, Caravaggio, Botticelli and El Greco are all represented, along with a couple of Bruegels, an elegant Madonna and Child with Angels by Botticelli, and Lippi’s soft, sensitive Annunciation.

Italy Now 2008

Open daily (except Monday) 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

National Archeological Museum. This museum has one of the world’s best collections of Greek and Roman antiquities, including mosaics, sculptures, gems, glass and silver, as well as many of the objects from excavations at Pompeii, Herculaneum and other nearby archaeological sites.

Pinoteca di Brera. The gallery opened its doors in 1809 to exhibit the works gathered from secularized religious institutions. This gallery has some masterpieces by Caravaggio, Bellini, Raphael, Mantegna, della Francesca, Tiziano, Tintoretto and Veronese, among others. Open from Tuesday to Sunday, 8:30 a.m. to 7:15 p.m.

Closed Mondays, January 1, May 1, December 25.

Turin Galleria Sabauda. The collection includes paintings by the Piedmontese artists Macrino d’Alba and Defendente Ferrari, the Venetians Mantegna, Paolo Veronese, Tintoretto, Tiepolo and Canaletto, the Emilians Guido Reni and Guercino, and the Tuscans Beato Angelico, Lorenzo di Credi and Piero Pollaiuolo.

Palazzo Reale. The seat of the royal Savoy family until the 1861 unifica-

Statue of Cristo Velato in Naples.

Photo by Regione Campania

Santa Maria delle Grazie. Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper, commissioned to him by Ludovico il Moro in 1496 and completed in 1498, can be found in the refectory of the Dominican convent of Santa Maria 31

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Galleria Ferrari in Maranello. Photo by Provincia di Modena

delle Grazie. Open Daily, 8:15 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Closed Mondays.

Venice Academy Gallery. The galleries are in the Dorsoduro district and they are an important collection of Venetian paintings from the 14th to 18th centuries, including masterpieces of the most famous masters such as Bellini, Giorgione, Carpaccio, Tiziano, Tintoretto, Veronese and Tiepolo.

Museums of Modern and Contemporary Art Venice Ca’ Pesaro International Gallery of Modern Art houses important 19thand 20th-century collections of paintings and sculptures, among which are masterpieces by Klimt, Chagall, and notable works by Kandinsky and Klee, Matisse and Moore, as well as a rich selection of 32

works by Italian artists and an important graphic design laboratory. Hours: Tuesday-Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Peggy Guggenheim Collection is a small museum located in the Palazzo Venier dei Leoni on the Grand Canal. It features 20th-century avant-garde art and displays masterpieces collected by the American heiress Peggy Guggenheim between 1938 and 1947 in London, Paris and New York, and then brought to Venice for the first time for the 1948 Venice Biennale. Among the artists represented in the collection: Picasso, Braque, Kandinsky, Klee, Mondrian, Brancusi, de Chirico, Giacometti, Duchamp, Arp, Max Ernst, Mirò, Calder and Pollock.

forum for the debate of contemporary art culture and creativity, a stage on which the great and established stars and emerging artists on the national and international scene alike can confront and interact with one another.”

Additional listings: Villa Panza di Biumo in Varese.

GAM, Gallery of Modern Art of Bologna.

GAMUD, Gallery of Modern Art of Udine.

MART, Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art of Trento and Rovereto.

GAM, Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art of Turin.

Museums of Special Interest

Rome

Da Vinci, Tuscany

MACRO, Museum of Contemporary Art of Rome has been called “a true

Museo Leonardiano is located in the medieval Castello Guidi. It was The Official Guide to Italian Tourism

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Museum of Cinema Turin The Museum of Cinema. The Mole Antonelliana, houses Italy’s National Cinema Museum, founded by Adriana Prolo. It was designed in 1863 by Alessandro Antonelli.

Inside there are five floors of movie memorabilia. Films are continuously being played and you can view them from specially designed lounge chairs with sound built into the headrests.

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Movie-Making & Movie-Going Rome

inaugurated April 15, 1953, at the conclusion of the celebration of the fifth centennial of Leonardo’s birth, with the first exhibit dedicated to models of machines inspired by the designs of Leonardo. The museum collections are continually expanding.

ry of Murano glass from the 15th century to the current day.

Como The Rivarossi Museum of Train Models displays about 5,000 items from the very first toy trains to the present day models.

Bologna The Tapestry Museum displays textiles from all over the world: laces and embroidery, trimmings, church vestments and costumes, as well as looms and tools used by upholsterers.

Gavirate, Lombardy The Pipe Museum houses in ten rooms about 30,000 pipes from all over the world. Remarkable exhibits: the Tyrolean briar pipes, those from Central America, the baroque pipes and the preColumbian ones.

Murano, Veneto The Glass Museum follows the histoItaly Now 2008

Maranello, Emilia-Romagna The Galleria Ferrari was officially opened in 1990 at the Maranello Municipal Civic Center and it is run by the Ferrari team. It holds exhibitions of some of Ferrari’s rarest cars along with displays of historically important artifacts.

Fabriano, Marche The Paper and Watermark Museum illustrates the history of the first paper mill in Medieval Europe and collects valuable and ordinary paper samples, punches, tools and presses.

Cinecittà. Rome’s film studios, on the southeastern outskirts of Rome, are the largest in Europe. They were founded in 1937, when the Fascists’ power was at its height. Cinema was seen as an important medium for propaganda, and the studios were closely connected with the Istituto Luce, which produced newsreels and documentaries. Almost all Fellini’s films were made at Cinecittà, from Luci del varietà (1950) to La voce della Luna (1990).

In recent years, some important international productions have used the studios: Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Gangs of New York, The Passion of Christ, and many others.

Nowadays it is the television industry as much as the film industry that operates at Cinecittà. Italian talk shows and Real TV productions are broadcast live, advertising spots are filmed, and fiction series are shot for distribution in Italy and abroad. If you come to Rome in the summer, you may be able see inside Cinecittà, which is sometimes open to the public between July and September.

Italy’s cities and villages are the most beautiful movie sets on earth — from the cobblestones of Rome where Audrey Hepburn played a runaway princess, to the Tuscan countryside where Diane Lane found solace in a charming villa.

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MART Museum of Modern Art of Trento and Rovereto

Italy is not just a backdrop, but also a country that loves cinema and shows films from all over the world.

Some movie theaters in Italy’s biggest cities offer screening of films in their original language; most films in Italy are still being dubbed. The best way to find out which theaters run movies in English is to check the local newspaper, as listings are updated daily.

The movies are cheaper if you go on Wednesdays. Italian cinemas usually have assigned seating and most cinemas still have an intermission about half way through the movie.

DVDs and videotapes of films in their original language can be rented at local video stores and are available at public libraries. Newsstands also sell videos: The English Movie Collection is comprised of video and original screenplay.

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Music & Performing Arts Italy is rich in beautiful, historic opera houses, many still serving as theaters. Opera fans should try to visit at least one opera house and enjoy a live performance while in Italy. The opera season is generally October through March or April but outdoor performances are held in the summer. Opera houses hold theater and dance performances at other times of the year, as well.

For opera and concert tickets you can contact the theater or ask your travel agent. The hotel concierge will also assist you in obtaining tickets for performances.

Tickets will not be sent to the States from Italy, but will be held at the box office awaiting you.

Verona Arena di Verona. The fantastic historic setting for opera par excellence is the Verona Arena. The elliptical arena was built in light pink marble

Detail of San Carlo Theater in Naples.

Photo by Regione Campania

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and short comic opera are still performed at Teatro San Carlo. A museum is in the planning stage.

Palermo Teatro Massimo. This beautiful theater is the foremost opera house in Sicily as well as one of the finest in Europe. Its opening in 1897 signaled the beginning of Palermo’s belle époque. Year-round performances include opera, ballet, and music.

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Bologna Teatro Comunale. Bologna’s opera house is one of the top theaters in Italy. It is a stunning example of 18th-century baroque architecture.

Located in the heart of Bologna’s historic district, the Teatro Comunale di Bologna holds opera, musical, and symphony performances.

Parma Teatro Regio. Built in 1829, Parma’s neo-classical theater holds opera, dance and drama performances, as well as concerts and special events.

The audience is known to be quite astute; they even whistled to Pavarotti!

Puppet Museum in Parma. Photo by Ella Studio

around the year 100 A.D. and stands in the very middle of Verona, next to Piazza Brà. Built to accommodate more than 20,000 people, it is in remarkable shape today. The opera season starts in June, and there are other performances during the year.

Before the show starts, patrons pick up a candle from a box, unmarked, on the stairs. The tradition is to light the candles as the opera begins.

Milan Teatro Alla Scala. Milan’s famous opera house reopened in December 2004, after an extensive renovation.

The original opera house, designed by neoclassical architect Giuseppe Piermarini, opened in 1778, and many famous operas were first perItaly Now 2008

formed here. La Scala was badly bombed during World War II but reopened in 1946 and quickly regained its reputation as a top Italian opera house.

Venice Teatro La Fenice. Venice’s “phoenix” is one of the most famous theaters in Europe. La Fenice first opened in 1792 but was twice badly damaged by fire. It has recently been renovated and reopened.

Naples Teatro San Carlo. The oldest opera house in Italy, founded in 1737.

Some of the first ballet productions were also performed here during the opera intermissions. Opera, ballet,

Performance at the San Carlo Theater in Naples. Photo by Regione Campania

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Folklore festivals are colorful and fun — people gather to compete, to eat something special, or simply to see each other.

Photo by Associazione Castelli del Ducato di Parma e Piacenza

Let’s Celebrate: Feasts & Festivals Italians are known as people who really enjoy life and like to have a good time…there is no better occasion to do that than on a national holiday.

On a national holiday, businesses, offices and schools are closed, or open for limited hours. Public transportation such as buses and trains may be operating on a reduced schedule.

If the holiday falls on a Tuesday or a Thursday, it is common for people to take the intervening day to “make the bridge” for a long weekend: fare il ponte.

These are days to be spent at home with family and friends celebrating together with a big, scrumptious meal. Generally each holiday has a culinary specialty, which becomes the star of the dining table.

January 1, New Year’s Day. The beginning of the New Year is celebrated with Cotechino sausage and lentils which are supposed to bring money and prosperity in the New Year. People often go out for dinner to restaurants that offer a special menu, and then it’s on to dancing.

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January 6, Epiphany. A good witch riding a broom brings sweets to all the good kids and coal to the bad ones. According to the Catholic religion, the Three Kings arrived to pay homage to baby Jesus on this day.

Easter, April 12, 2009. The typical dish of the day is roasted lamb followed by Colomba, a sweet bread shaped like a dove.

Easter Monday. On the day after Easter, the meeting between the Angel and the women who went to the Sacred Sepulcher, which they found empty, took place. This is not a religious holiday but a social holiday that was added to extend the Easter break.

April 25, Liberation Day. On this day in 1945, Italy regained its freedom from the German occupation and reinstated democracy.

May 1, Labor Day. Laborers celebrate this day to assert their rights, to obtain new rights, and to improve their working conditions.

June 2, Republic Day. On June 2, 1946, Italy became a Republic after a national referendum was held, where citizens voted out the monarchy.

August 15, Ferragosto, Assumption of the Virgin. Coinciding with the religious feast of the Virgin’s rise to heaven on August 15, Ferragosto is the most important summer holiday in Italy, a time when all Italians get out of the cities and head for the beach. It’s an occasion to get together with friends, enjoy a fine meal and party until dawn. Ferragosto marks the imminent end of the summer holidays. On Ferragosto most businesses are closed. Just check the local newspaper for open businesses.

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To delight both locals and visitors, each Italian region often organizes musical events, official and impromptu. Photo by Ferrara Buskers Festival

November 1, All Saints’ Day. The Catholic Church honors all its Saints with special Masses.

November 2, Memorial Day. On this day everybody goes to the cemetery to pay homage to their deceased loved ones. Ossa dei Morti are hard cookies, made differently according to the region, that are traditionally baked on this day.

December 8, Day of Immaculate Conception. A day of celebration for the Virgin Mary and her role in the Catholic Church.

December 25, Christmas Day. Menus vary but staples on each table are Panettone, a cake filled with raisins and candied fruit, and Pandoro, a star-shaped sponge cake.

December 26, Saint Stephen’s Day. Italy Now 2008

In addition to national holidays, each town has a feast day in celebration of its patron saint. Photo by Donna Connor

Stephen was the first martyr killed for his faith and actions in promotion of the Gospel. Usually, a special lunch is prepared, often made of the leftovers from Christmas dinner.

Stores and businesses are open on the following feast days: February 14, Valentine’s Day. The day of all lovers is celebrated with romantic dinners and small presents.

March 8, Festa delle Donne. On March 8, all women are honored.

There is no culinary specialty, but giving a branch of mimosa flowers to all women is a must.

March 19, Father’s Day. Saint Joseph is the patron saint of all fathers.

May 8, Mother’s Day.

Curiosity: Since 2004, October 12 has officially become Columbus Day.

Carnevale Carnevale is celebrated 40 days before Easter, a day of fun before Ash Wednesday and the rigors of Lent; it is a popular festivity, which juxtaposes with the strictness of religious holidays. It’s a celebration of freedom where masks, laughter, and material things have the upper hand. People dress up in elaborate and colorful costumes and go out on the town.

Some famous Carnivals Carnival of Venice, from February 13 to 24, 2009. It’s a unique, mesmerizing, stirring, and ultimately dazzling experience which attracts people from the four corners of the world.

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val was revived in 1979, in part to draw visitors during the slow winter. Carnevale falls on a set date and every year it has a different theme.

Carnival of Viareggio, February 8,15,22,24, 2009. This crazy parade is known for its allegorical and satirical floats, which depict and mock national and international politicians, soccer players, starlets, and other celebrities. The parade is not free of charge. Tickets must be purchased in advance; a regular ticket allows access to the boardwalk; a reserved seat in one of the bleachers will cost an additional sum.

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Naples – September 19 – Saint Gennaro The day of the “blood miracle” is an important feast for the city of Naples and the people celebrate it accordingly. The Cathedral is surrounded by stalls selling sweets and other goods. A procession takes place where holy figures are carried through Spaccanapoli, which is the heart of the historic center. The silver bust of Saint Gennaro leads the procession, followed by others. The Neapolitans like to bet on the sequence of these holy statues, while applauding their favorite saint in the hope that they would get a place at front at the following procession.

Afterwards, Saint Gennaro’s silver bust is positioned next to the altar and the ampoule with blood is shown to the faithful. Legend has it that when the dried blood turns to liquid, no disaster is expected in the near future. According to writings, in 1528 the blood miracle didn’t take place. This was the year the pestilence beset Naples.

Florence – June 24 – Saint John the Baptist Special masses are held along with a procession.

Milan – December 7 – Saint Ambrose Schools and stores are closed on this special day. Locals go to the Fiera degli Obei Obei, an open-air fair where sweets and crafts are sold.

Traditionally, on this day the new season at La Scala opera house is inaugurated.

Pizza is originally from Naples.

Photo by Regione Campania

Rome – June 29 – Saints Peter and Paul Special masses are held at the Vatican.

Patron Saints In addition to national holidays in Italy, each town has a feast day in celebration of its patron saint. These holidays vary from city to city and town to town. To honor such Saints, the population celebrates in different ways. Following is a selection of a few religious festivals.

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Venice – Third weekend of July – Feast of the Redeemer The feast commemorates the end of the plague that wiped out a third of the city’s population in 1576. It is tradition to have dinner on boats in St. Mark’s basin, watching fireworks on the lagoon. It all starts off with a line of gondolas roped together,

stretching across the canal to the island. At sunset, hundreds of boats decorated with branches and multicolored balloons enter the canal, while large crowds gather on the banks and palace balconies to enjoy this great festival of light and sound.

Turin and Genoa: Jun 24, St John the Baptist Venice: Apr 25, St Mark Bologna: Oct 4, St Petronius Bari: Dec 6, St Nicola Palermo: Jul 15, St Rosalia Trieste: Nov 3. St Giusto Folklore To add to the fun, all Italian cities and towns have many festivals that don’t necessarily have a religious connection. Rich folklore and music or food festivals are sure to make any trip a special experience. These festivals are colorful and fun — people gather to compete, to eat the specialty of that particular location, or simply to see each other, gossip and laugh together. The following dates are for 2009.

Ferrara – September 21 to 30 – Ferrara Balloons Festival The biggest hot-air balloons festival in Italy, and one of the biggest in the world. Hundreds of colorful balloons and curious visitors enjoy ten days of great sport and entertainment.

Pisa – June 28 – Battle of the Bridge Armies representing the Mezzogiorno (south of the River Arno) and Tramontana (north of the river) neighborhoods of the city meet at the Ponte di Mezzo, where the opposing teams demonstrate their physical strength and prowess.

No longer do they bludgeon each other with maces and pointed shields as they did in days of yore, but instead they take turns to push an immense cart weighing several tons, and they are judged by the force of their efforts.

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Turin's chocolate festival, CioccolaTO, attracts thousands of tourists every year. Photo by City of Turin

Venice – May 17 – Festa della Sensa The Mayor of Venice, along with civic dignitaries and religious and military representatives, leave Saint Mark’s Square in a ceremonial boat and sail to the Port of San Nicolò where a gold ring is flung with all due ceremony into the waves.

Agrigento – from the first through the second Sunday in February – Almond Blossom Fair The fair is combined with an International Folklore Festival with music, singing, parades, puppet shows and open-air performances.

Traditional Sicilian sweets made with almonds and almond paste are served. Balconies are decorated with flowers, and people often wear colorful costumes. The finale includes a Sicilian cart parade and fireworks.

Italy Now 2008

Oristano – February 22 to 24 – La Sartiglia Three days of costumed merriment revolve around the feats on horseback performed by representatives of Oristano’s guilds. Masks, ribbons and hats top-out the medieval gear worn by the riders who charge at a small star-shaped ring suspended high above the ground.

Sassari – May 24 – Sardinian Cavalcade There is a parade on horseback through the streets of the center of town, followed by a costume procession in which participants wear the elaborate native dress of their village. Finally, the Cavalcata adjourns to a race track on the edge of town for equestrian races and stunts.

Siena – July and August – The Palio Every year on July 2 and August 16, the beautiful medieval city of Siena comes alive for one of the world’s most breathtaking folk festivals.

This isn’t a simple horse race, but a major event that the city works on for an entire year. The 17 districts, contrade in Italian — Tortoise, Wave, She-Wolf, Goose, Shell, Porcupine, Dragon, Owl, Snail, Panther, Eagle, Caterpillar, Unicorn, Ram, Giraffe, Forest, and Tower — race against each other frantically.

The horses run around the Piazza del Campo at breakneck speed, with or without jockeys on board, and wear the colors and designs of their district. The actual horse race is brief: a minute and a half, give or take ten seconds. It takes much longer to align all the horses and to all start at the same time. The evening before the race, everybody 39

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eats outside, as each neighborhood stages a sumptuous banquet to “rehearse” their expected victory celebration.

Arts & Crafts All crafts have an interesting and unique story to tell. Fit for bargain hunters and collectors alike, these numerous craft festivals and markets have a curious appeal, and there

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glassblowers plying their trade, and all manner of artisans throwing pots, painting, and sculpting.

Throughout town, people set up temporary restaurants in courtyards and empty buildings where good food is available for excellent prices.

Rome – Entire month of May – May Antique Fair Heirloom, priceless relic or collecta-

Venice – June 7 to November 22 – The Venice Biennale Since 1895, the Venice Biennale, which is held every two years in odd years, has set standards in promoting contemporary art and culture to a wide audience. An international pace-setter, this prestigious institution manages and promotes artistic programs. Various venues are used for the Biennale and there is a permanent site at the Giardini Pubblici, where many countries maintain their own pavilions, and where a thematic international exhibition is also held.

Food and Wine In Italy the sagra, food or wine festival, is extremely popular. Each city, and even small town, has more than one a year, mostly during the warmer months when it’s fun to eat and drink outdoors. There are so many, we can only list a few. The following dates are for 2009.

Naples – Entire month of September – Pizzafest Naples is the spiritual home of the pizza, and every year in September, the city gets together to celebrate its most famous export. The streets are full of vendors selling their margheritas, calzone and quattro stagioni to passers-by, and the delicious smell of freshly cooked pizza pervades in every district.

Rich folklore and music or food festivals are sure to make any trip a special experience.

Photo by Associazione Turistica Valli di Tures e Aurina

are many gems waiting to be discovered. The following dates are for 2009.

Montelupo, Tuscany – Last week of June – Pottery Festival This beautiful Tuscan town is filled with outdoor craft shops where everything is for sale. There are 40

ble, there is a fair chance of finding one or all of these among the many stalls that are set up along the Via dei Coronari every May. There is a bustling atmosphere with many of the shops staying open late, and a bazaar-like intensity with many vendors hawking their wares with enthusiasm.

Turin – Entire months of February and March – Chocolate Festival (CioccolaTo) With many different styles of chocolate on display, the festival attracts approximately 700,000 visitors each year, who consume in excess of 66,000 lbs. of chocolate. A number of other cultural events take place in the city at the same time.

Cannobio (VB) – January 7 and 8 – Sagra delle Luganighe A feast in honor of luganiga, a type of sausage, celebrated with heaps of boiled sausages, potatoes and sauerkraut.

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Singers at the Appennino Folk Festival. Photo by Ella Studio

Pesaro – April 25 to 27 – Sagra dei Garagoi The feast for sea snails that are cooked in tomato sauce with lots of pepper. The locals say the best way to eat them is to take a sip of wine for every seven snails.

Spello – Third Sunday of February – Olive and Bruschetta Festival Farmers parade on decorated tractors and there’s music, dancing, and food.

Cortona, Tuscany – August 14 to 16 – Steak Feast A steak festival featuring Chianina beef.

Verona – April 3 to 7 - Vinitaly The largest and most comprehensive international wine exhibition for the trade, with more than 4,000 exhibitors from 31 countries and more than 140,000 visitors from around the world.

Music Festivals To delight both locals and visitors, each Italian region often organizes Italy Now 2008

musical events, official and impromptu. Major symphonic series and recitals are organized at all times during the year. Among the most renowned and high-profile musical events are the Verona Opera Festival, the concert season at Teatro La Scala in Milan, Maggio Musicale Fiorentino in Florence, the Festival dei due Mondi in Spoleto, and the Umbria Jazz Festival in Perugia. The following dates are for 2009.

Florence – April 1 to June 30 – Maggio Musicale Tickets: $14 to $114. Box Office: Teatro Comunale, Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, 15 Via Solferino – 50123, Florence.

Spoleto – June 30 to July 16 – Festival of the Two Worlds Held since 1958, this is a massive program of symphonic music, opera, dance and jazz. The festival is a worldwide attraction that gives an international image and fame to the Umbrian city.

Pisa – September 11 to October 3 – Anima Mundi The city’s churches come together as one and present moving religious and sacred music that rings out from every street and square.

Ravenna – June 12 to July 18 – Ravenna Festival Renowned conductors leading opera and concert performances in the open-air theater of Rocca Brancaleone are the trademark of Ravenna. Tickets: From $12 to $150.

Perugia – July 10 to 19 – Umbria Jazz The Umbria Jazz Festival is one of the most important venues for jazz in Europe and has been held annually since 1973.

Sanremo – February 24 to 28 Festival of Sanremo The Festival della canzone italiana is a popular Italian song contest running since 1951 and held annually in the city of Sanremo, in Liguria.

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Italian cuisine is an explosion of simplicity and natural ingredients. Photo by Ella Studio

Fresh vegetarian pasta. Photo by Ella Studio

Scrumptious: Food & Wine In Italy, food may be a necessity, but it has a higher meaning — it has been a pleasure, a philosophy, and a science since ancient times.

Decisions are made around a table set with food, wine, and the people you really care about. The dishes are colorful and flavorful, a real explosion of simplicity and natural ingredients. Ranging from simple to hearty, sweet to spicy, subtle to strong, each dish is prepared with the freshest and healthiest ingredients…plus a pinch of love.

What is particular about Italian cuisine is that it is regional. Almost every town has something unique, and from one end of a region to the other the specialties can change completely. The reason for this culinary fragmentation is simple.

Before WWII, with the exception of the nobility and the clergy, most Italians simply didn’t travel, and as a result, still today, every town and every valley has something different. Neighboring towns and valleys will also share techniques and recipes, and add individual twists.

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Regional Products and Specialties Valle d’Aosta – Fontina cheese, Renette apples, Martin Spec pears, Tegole almond cookies. Vitello alla valdostana, breaded veal cutlet, fried and topped with fontina and ham, then reheated in the oven over a slice of polenta.

Piedmont – White truffles, Robiola cheese, rice from Vercelli, Gianduiotti chocolates. Bicerin is Turin’s signature drink, a blend of coffee, milk, and chocolate.

Lombardy – Bresaola cured beef, Torrone sweet nougat, ossobuco.

Risotto alla Milanese is sautéed rice cooked in broth and saffron.

Trentino – Speck smoked ham, Biroldi blood sausages, goat cheeses.

Orzetto is a barley soup made with onion, garlic, vegetables, and herbs simmered with speck.

Friuli Venezia-Giulia – San Daniele prosciutto, Montasio cheese. Iota is a traditional soup from Trieste made with beans, potatoes and sauerkraut.

Veneto – Pandoro Christmas cake and tiramisù are the region’s favorite sweets.

Liguria – Focaccia bread, pesto sauce, and olives. Farinata is a thin pancake made with chickpea flour.

Emilia Romagna – Balsamic vinegar, Parmigiano Reggiano, mortadella & Prosciutto di Parma. Tortellini alla Bolognese in brodo are pasta filled with mortadella, prosciutto and veal served in a meat broth.

Tuscany – Bistecca alla Fiorentina is delicious T-bone steak. Other specialties are panzanella, salad made with vegetables and stale bread, and ribollita, vegetable minestrone with black cabbage.

Umbria – Black truffles, honey and Budellaccio salami are some of the region’s favorites.

Marche – Some notable products are Porchetta, roasted pork, and Salame di Fabriano. Fossa is amazing cheese aged while buried in a pit.

Abruzzo – Saffron, Confetti di Sulmona sugar coated almonds, and black lentils. A traditional dish is Maccheroni alla Chitarra, handThe Official Guide to Italian Tourism

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Salame Felino from Parma. Photo by Ella Studio

Maccheroni alla Chitarra, handmade pasta cut in thin strips similar to the strings of a guitar.

Lazio – Puntarelle salad, artichokes, and lamb (a lamb specialty is called Abbacchio alla Romana). Bucatini all’Amatriciana are long pasta served in a tomato and pork sauce, seasoned with grated pecorino cheese.

Campania – Mozzarella, lemons, fresh seafood. Pizza was born here as well as Sfogliatelle, shell pastry filled with ricotta cheese.

Molise – White celery, pasta filled with ricotta, and Picellati, honey

Seafood Specialty. Photo by RQP

Italy Now 2008

Italy boasts some of the world’s finest wines. Photo by Ella Studio

pastries with nuts and grapes.

Basilicata – Diavolicchio chili peppers, Luganiga sausage, and Ciaudedda, braised artichokes stuffed with potatoes and stewed in tomatoes.

Puglia – Orecchiette pasta, Taralli bread ribbons, and Cocomeri cucumbers.

Calabria – Licorice, chili peppers, Caciocavallo cheese and Capocollo, cured pork meat.

Sicily – Sea salt from Trapani, eggplant, almond paste known as marzapane, delicate olive oil, and succulent blood oranges.

Sardegna – Pecorino cheese, Fiore Sardo cheese, and wild boar.

Porcheddu is roasted suckling pig flavored with herbs, myrtle berries, and spices.

DOP & IGP Products The code DOP stands for Protected Designation of Origin, IGP means Typical Geographic Indication, and STG Guaranteed Traditional Specialty.

The DOP standard is guaranteed by the European Union and was created to promote the authenticity and artisan characteristics of certain foods and agricultural products. The skilled artisans who develop these foods produce their designated specialties in specific regions.

Right: What is particular about Italian cuisine is that it is regional. Photo by RQP

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all the DOP products in Europe (there are 109 in total), which are split into the categories of cheese, fruit and vegetables, cold cuts or meats and olive oils.

The IGP classification is a seal of origin; it’s easier to obtain and the guidelines are less strict than DOP. STG classification protects the traditional value of the production process. It aims solely to maintain specific methods that have stood the test of time.

Many of these products are growing in popularity in the United States, which imports thousands and thousands of them regularly.

All About Pasta The role of pasta has changed greatly throughout Italy’s culinary history. Once only eaten by Italy’s elite as a handmade specialty, today pasta is enjoyed by all and is the foundation of Italian cuisine both in Italy and around the world.

In the days before industrialization, dry pasta made from durum wheat, water and a pinch of salt, such as spaghetti, rigatoni, and so on, was easier to make, and therefore more popular, in the South, where warmer temperatures and increased sunlight hastened the drying of the pasta.

Central and parts of Northern Italy,

Fresh Porcini from Piedmont.

Photo by Ella Studio

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Emilia-Romagna is the capital of stuffed pastas. Photo by Ella Studio

especially Emilia Romagna and Piedmont, are instead known for fresh pasta made with eggs, flour, and salt; for example tagliatelle, and pappardelle, both of which are flat forms. The center and north are also known for stuffed pasta, for example ravioli or tortellini, and one can find these kinds of pasta in areas where they didn’t eat much flat or dry pasta until recently, for example Lombardy.

Risotto is eaten more in the northern regions. Indeed most of the world’s best short-grained strains of rice, including Arborio, Carnaroli, and Vialone Nano, are Northern Italian.

Types of pasta sauces: Aglio, olio e peperoncino – Tossed in garlic, olive oil, and hot peppers Burro e salvia – With butter and sage Al sugo – With tomato sauce Amatriciana – Bacon or sausage, with tomatoes, onion, and hot pepper Arrabbiata – Spicy tomato sauce Astice – Lobster sauce Bolognese – Meat sauce, usually with tomato Bucaniera – Seafood, tomato, garlic, parsley, and oil Cacciatora – Tomato, onion, peppers, mushrooms, garlic, herbs, and wine sauce Cacio e Pepe – Sheep’s cheese and ground pepper Carbonara – Cream, ham or bacon, The Official Guide to Italian Tourism

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egg, and parmesan cheese Frutti di Mare – Seafood Matriciana – Pork and tomato sauce Norma – Tomato, eggplant, and salted ricotta cheese Puttanesca – Tomatoes, capers, red peppers, anchovies, garlic, and oil Quattro – Formaggi with four cheeses Ragù – Tomato-based meat sauce In Italy, the pasta shape is an integral part of a meal — its building blocks — serving as the foundation for sauces bursting with each region’s herbs, spices, meats, cheeses, and vegetables. Thicker, flat, long shapes, like fettuccine, pair with extremely robust sauces.

Specialty shapes, like shells, are great with hearty dairy-based sauces such as cheese or béchamel, and vegetable sauces. Cooking pasta is easy, but how much water to use, which pot, and the right combination of pasta and sauce must be chosen carefully in order to prepare a perfect pasta meal.

Italian Wines The diversity of dishes that Italy has to offer is also a characteristic of its wines.

Italy is home to 2,000 home grown grape varieties and exports more wine than any other country.

Northern Italy boasts some of the world’s finest wines, from Piedmont’s Nebbiolo and Barbera to Friuli’s whites. Central Italy’s wines are excellent, too, from Tuscany’s Bolgheri and Chianti to the Marche’s Verdicchio. Southern wines are unique, from Campania’s Taurasi and Basilicata’s Aglianico del Vulture to Pantelleria’s Passito.

Reading an Italian label is usually straightforward: there’s the winery name, perhaps the vineyard that the grapes came from, the year, an abbreviation (DOC, DOCG) or a phrase such as Vino da Tavola.

These denominations guide consumers in their choices and ensure quality control.

Italy Now 2008

Cannelloni served with a béchamel sauce. Photo by Ella Studio

There are four major categories of Italian wines: Vino a Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG). These wines are from the wine regions recognized as the finest in the country.

DOCG wines must pass the evaluation of a tasting committee before they can be bottled. The nine DOCG regions are: Barbaresco, Barolo, Brunello di Montalcino, Chianti, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Albana di Romagna, Gattinara, Carmignano, and Torgiano Rosso Riserva.

Vino a Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) is the Italian answer to the French AOC. DOC wines are produced in specific well-

defined regions, according to specific rules designed to preserve the traditional wine-making practices of the individual regions. Thus, the rules for making Barolo differ markedly from those for making Chianti Classico. The DOC category was introduced in the early 60’s with the purpose of improving the quality of wines.

Vino a Indicazione Geografica (IGT) is a wine produced in a specific area.

There’s nothing special about most of it.

Vino da Tavola. This is the lowest class of wine, a wine made by the producer as he sees fit to make it.

There are few rules, and the result is often insipid, thin, weak, and acidic.

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Wines from North to South Valle d’Aosta – Müller Thurgau (DOC) and Torrette Superiore (DOC) Piedmont – Barolo (DOCG), Barbaresco (DOCG), Barbera (DOC), Nebbiolo (DOC), Dolcetto (DOC) and Asti Spumante (DOCG) Lombardy – Franciacorta Spumante (DOCG), Bonarda (DOCG), Lambrusco (DOC), Valtellina Superiore (DOCG)

Trentino – Marzemino (DOC), Riesling (DOC), Pinot Bianco (DOC), Moscato Friuli Venezia-Giulia – Tocai Friulano (DOC), Collio Goriziano Cabernet (DOC), Ramandolo (DOCG) Veneto – Recioto di Soave (DOCG), Bardolino (DOCG), Prosecco di Valdobbiadene (DOC), Tocai (DOC), Amarone della Valpollicella (DOC) Liguria – Vermentino (DOC), Pigato (DOC), Sciacchetrà (DOC), Rossese di Dolceacqua (DOC) Emilia Romagna – Albana di Romagna, (DOCG), Sangiovese di Romagna (DOC), Trebbiano di Romagna (DOC)

A nice glass of Barolo. Photo by Ella Studio

Italy is home to 2,000 grape varieties.

Photo by Ella Studio

Tuscany – Chianti (DOC & DOCG), Brunello di Montalcino (DOC), Vernaccia di San Gimignano (DOC) Umbria – Sagrantino (DOCG), Torgiano Rosso Riserva (DOCG), Colli Perugini (DOC) Marche – Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi (DOC), Rosso Piceno (DOC) Abruzzo – Montepulciano d’Abruzzo

(DOC), Cerasuolo (DOC), Trebbiano (DOC) Lazio – Frascati (DOC), Montefiasconi Est! Est! Est! (DOC) Torre Ercolana (DOC) Campania – Lacryma Christi (DOC), Fiano d’Avellino (DOCG), Greco di Tufo (DOCG) Molise – Biferno (DOC), Pentro di Isernia (DOC)

Tuscan buffet. Photo by Ella Studio

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Basilicata – Aglianico del Vulture Puglia – Primitivo di Manduria (DOC), Aleatico (DOC) Calabria – Cirò (DOC), Greco (DOC) Sicily – Nero d’Avola (DOC), Moscato (DOC), Marsala Sardinia – Cannonau (DOC), Nuragus (DOC), Vermentino (DOC)

Wine Bars The old taverns that sold wine from the cask and the ancient wine shops have made way for fashionable venues where one can try out the best wines. They are cozy and welcoming wine bars, where one can meet up with friends to sip a glass of good wine, try some cured meats and cheeses and learn to sample wines with courses paired by the competent owners or sommeliers. Affordable prices, a large selection of wines and the possibility to attend oenology and wine tasting courses are the secrets of the new wine bars, which are taking over all the Italian cities.

Meet us for an Aperitivo Between the hours of 6 and 8 p.m., in some places even until 10, an outing with friends or colleagues is treated with almost a religious fervor; it’s aperitivo time! The idea behind the aperitivo, besides being used as an excuse for a pleasurable social interaction, is that it’s believed to stimulate the appetite and promote digestion. In fact, aperitivos are enjoyed immediately before dinner. Dating back as far as the late 1700’s, it is an authentic Italian tradition that combines delicious small-plate food and refreshing light alcoholic drinks as a relaxing prelude to dinner. Aperitivo now includes mouth-watering bruschette, marinated anchovies, seasonal vegetables, bite-size cold or hot dishes, such as salt cod on mini polenta croutons, and a great variety of other Mediterranean favorites.

Drinks don’t necessarily have to be alcoholic; there are nonalcoholic specialties, such as the famous Italy Now 2008

Aperitivo at Cipriani’s in Venice. Photo by Ella Studio

Sanbitter by Sanpellegrino, with its unmistakable red color and fresh citrus flavor.

Grappa In 1989, the European Union pronounced Grappa an unrivaled Italian product. Although other countries produce similar liquor, only in Italy is the name Grappa used.

From then on Grappa became the symbol of a country, a patrimony to protect and respect, a way of working and producing unique to Italy.

Grappa comes from grapes that need to be in a certain area, mostly in the northeast of the Italian peninsula, and that can be worked only by the expert hands of Italian Master

Grappaioli. The poor man’s drink, made from pomace, the discarded grape seeds, stalks, and stems that are a by-product of the winemaking process, has become a product of high quality targeted to refined enthusiasts worldwide.

Traditionally, Grappa is served chilled in small glasses and served after the meal, as it is believed to aid digestion. Before drinking it should be swirled gently in the glass and then brought to your nose, before tasting. It is then sipped slowly. In Italy, Grappa is also added to espresso to make caffè corretto, a popular after-dinner concoction.

Many wine bars also offer tasting courses. Photo by Ella Studio

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Italian products are known for their high quality, innovative design, and impeccable style. Photo by Ella Studio

Italy has more to offer than souvenirs. Photo by Ella Studio

At the Forefront of Fashion & Style Italy is a shopper’s wonderland where you can easily combine a love for travel with a love for bargain hunting if you know where to look!

Plan your trip to give yourself considerable time to navigate your way through the streets and shops of the small towns, and extra time to do your bargain hunting. Some excellent purchase options are clothes, especially designer dresses, shoes, gloves, silk ties, shirts, lacework, gold and silver jewelry, leather goods (handbags, gloves, cases, boxes, luggage), ceramics, alabaster, woodwork, embroidery, glass and crystal.

Italian products are known for their high quality, innovative design, and impeccable style. Stores are open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. They close for a lunch break and reopen at 3:00 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. In larger cities, stores do not close for lunch and are open later (until 10:00 p.m.). Most shops are closed on Sundays.

Fashion Sense Italy is famous worldwide for its fashion industry and is always at the 48

forefront of fashion and style. While shopping in Italy, the first thing you need to know is the Italian equivalent of American clothing sizes.

Bargain Hunting – Outlets To keep up with the latest fashion trends at reasonable prices, outlets are the way to go! In warehouses or shopping malls, they offer discounted designer labels from factory surplus or previous seasons. Most of the fashion houses, such as Prada, Fendi, Armani and Gucci, have outlet stores in or near Milan, Florence and Turin. All offer a designer shopping environment and friendly, courteous staff who speak a number of different languages.

Northern Italy Fifty factory stores are located throughout the north with malls in Aosta, Biella, Meda, in the province of Milan, and near Bologna. There’s something for everyone, from a cocktail dress by Cerruti to a kid’s

outfit from Trussardi kids.

The Armani Factory Store is in the town of Vertemate, near Como. It’s a shopper’s paradise with three stories of Armani fashions.

Province of Brescia – The Franciacorta Outlet Village is a hightech mall featuring an Autogrill food court where all the top fashion brands can be found.

Milan – Dolce & Gabbana Industria Clothing and shoes from the Dolce & Gabbana collections. For men, sizes run from 44 to 56, sample size 48 is well represented. For women, size 38 to 48 with far more choice in 40/42, less so in 46/48.

Vicenza – Bottega Veneta Handbags, leather, shoes. End-ofthe-line and showroom models of the famous Bottega Veneta handbags in pleated leather. Prices are halved for black or brandy colored The Official Guide to Italian Tourism

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To keep up with the latest fashion trends at reasonable prices, outlets are the way to go. Photo by Seteria Mantero

United States & Italian Sizes This is merely a guide. Sizes are not standardized. Always try on if possible.

WOMEN’S SIZE CHART United States 2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

38

40

42

44

46

48

50

61⁄2

7

71⁄2

8

81⁄2

9

10

36

37

38

381⁄2

39

40

41

clutch bags or moss green and burgundy satchel bags. Sample women’s shoe size is 37. For men, they only have one type of lace-up shoe, size 43 and up.

Italy 36

WOMEN’S SHOES United States 51⁄2

Italy 35

MEN’S SIZES ** Suits, Overcoats, Sweaters and Pajamas United States 34

36

38

40

42

44

46

48

46

48

50

52

54

56

58

141⁄2

15

151⁄2

16

161⁄2

17

171⁄2

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

Italy 44

MEN’S SHIRTS United States 14

Italy 36

MEN’S SHOES United States 6; 61⁄2; 7; 71⁄2; 8; 81⁄2; 9; 91⁄2; 10; 101⁄2; 11; 111⁄2

Bologna – Bruno Magli Outlet Store Shoes. A large well-appointed sales outlet. Magli shoes are world famous and very dashing. Sizes for women start at 34 up to 42 and for men 39 up to 45. Special offers in sample pairs size 37 and size 42.

Tuscany In Leccio Reggello, in the province of Florence, on Via Europa 8, there are a few outlets for the high fashion lovers: Bottega Veneta, Gucci, Ferragamo, Emanuel Ungaro, Ermenegildo Zegna, Giorgio Armani, Valentino, and Loro Piana.

A Fendi outlet is located in Rignano sull’Arno, in Via Giuseppe di Vittorio 9.

Italy 39; 40; 401⁄2; 41; 411⁄2; 42; 421⁄2; 43; 431⁄2; 44-441⁄2; 45 Italy Now 2008

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of the items you’ll find in the outlets are factory seconds or showroom pieces, and you will find garments from the previous years’ collection as well.

Tax Free Shopping

Terracotta craft from Apulia.

Photo by Ella Studio

(I.V.A. REFUND) The IVA tax is 20% and is included in the purchase price of practically everything sold in Italy. NonEuropean residents can claim a refund on each purchase over 154.94 Euros. Refunds cannot be taken for accommodations, dining or tourist services. When purchasing items ask for an IVA Refund Form and receive a validation stamp from the Customs Office at the airport upon leaving the country. www.globalrefund.com

cially named “Space.” The sign on the building is very small; look for the crowd of people waiting to get in.

Apulia The best-known items of Apulian craftsmanship are terracotta pots.

The production of terracotta and ceramics dates back three thousand years and remains today the most widespread craft in the region. The heart of terracotta production is the town of Grottaglie, in the province of Taranto, which has used this craft as its main source of income for centuries.

Basilicata Among the many artisans of Basilicata are ceramists, woodworkers, and textile craftsmen. Some of the greatest products are carpets of sheep’s wool and enameled cow bells.

Calabria Smoking pipes, made with the arboreal heather roots of Calabria, are the region’s best-known product.

Molding a pipe is hard work that requires ability and patience.

Seminara is the most important center for ceramics. It is well known for its colorful masks and for its bottles.

Valdichiana Outlet Village is a real shopping heaven for designer brands. Located in the heart of Val di Chiana, near Arezzo.

Rome - Bulgari Jewelry, ceramics, gifts. A perfect place to find a special gift, since this outlet carries all the end of series and unsold items from Bulgari shops around the world.

Botteguccia Richard Ginori Ceramics, terracotta, porcelain. The Botteguccia Richard Ginori is part of a small chain of outlets selling end of series, seconds and remnants in china. Wonderful tea and coffee sets, complete dinner sets, oven dishes, small gift objects are on sale around Christmas, statues etc.

Sale Season Local authorities set annual sale dates. Normally there are two sale seasons, one in January, right after the holidays, and one in July, in the middle of summer. During sale season, items are reduced up to 70% off their retail prices. Discount and outlet stores never have sales. Some 50

Italy is famous worldwide for its fashion industry and is always at the forefront of fashion and style. Photo by Seteria Mantero

Regional Crafts Each Italian region produces unique objects that can be bought locally for good prices.

Abruzzo Jewelry from l’Aquila and Sulmona.

Gold has earned Abruzzo a worldwide reputation for fine crafts.

Scanno has been a center of gold working and jewelry making since the 17th century. The area is also known for its precious lace work.

Valenza has over 150 years of hand crafted jewelry tradition. Photo by J Jewels

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Each Italian region produces unique objects that can be bought locally for good prices. Photo by Regione Abruzzo

Campania Torre del Greco, a small city near Mt. Vesuvius, southwest of Naples, is known all around the world for its production of shell cameos.

Everything started in the beginning of the 1800s and it has always been a family business, handed down from father to son. Near Torre del Greco are two historical cities, Pompeii and Herculanum, which inspired the artists who began the traditional art of carving cameos.

Coral is popular as well. Another local craft is handmade paper from Amalfi.

are ceramics from Udine and wooden chairs from Manzano.

Emilia Romagna Ravenna is the center of mosaics. It possesses the world’s richest heritage of 5th- and 6th-century mosaics, superior in artistic quality and iconological importance to those of any other city of the ancient and classical worlds. Faenza is famous for its ceramics.

Lombardy Como produces 80 percent of Europe’s silk and has been doing so since the 14th century when silk worms were first imported. There are boutiques in the center selling high-quality silk merchandise along with a few factory outlets.

Scarves, ties and shirts all make good buys. For all music lovers, a visit to Cremona and its violins is a must.

Friuli Venezia-Giulia The region’s most popular products Italy Now 2008

Lazio In Ciociaria, production of leatherstrapped sandals, just like the area’s peasants used to wear, still flourishes.

Liguria The Albisola ceramic is famous, above all, for its characteristic white and blue color. In this region, the history of ceramic production stretches back over six hundred years. Lace and embroidery from Portofino are particularly lovely.

Marche In Castelfidardo, state-of-the-art accordions are manufactured by the most experienced artisans. The region also produces great lace pillows.

Molise Molise offers hand-crocheted pillows from Isernia and steel objects from Campobasso.

Piedmont Valenza has over 150 years of hand crafted jewelry tradition and is known for the high level of technical expertise and knowledge. Most of the nation’s gold jewelry with precious stones is made in Valenza.

Another product is wicker from Alessandria.

Sardegna Filigree jewelry is typical of this sunny region, as is cork production.

Sicily The lively colors of the nature of this region are captured in its crafts: 51

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Numerous types of markets can be enjoyed by every kind of visitor with a curious appeal for unknown gems. Photo by City of Turin

Medieval-style puppets and fancy Sicilian carts.

Tuscany Arezzo is renowned for gold chain jewelry. Carrara continues to be the largest producer and exporter of marble in the world, and is responsible for shipping 1.5 million tons of marble annually from its port in the Marina di Carrara. Caves are sprinkled throughout the communes of Massa, Fivizzano and Montignoso, where various types of marble are extracted. Leather goods are produced throughout the entire region.

Trentino Alto Adige This region offers great copper objects from Cavalese and wrought iron from Malè.

Umbria The cultural and economic importance of craft activities in Umbria has ancient roots. The region offers a vast collection of crafts: Orvieto 52

lace, pillow lace, Assisi cross-stitching, hand-loomed beaten cloth, weapons for hand-to-hand combat, crossbows, ceramics, stone workmanship, terracotta, hand-made tiles, hand-decorated glass and mirrors, inlaid wood and wooden sculptures.

Valle d’Aosta This region offers rustic products, such as wooden clogs from Val d’Ayas and hand-woven wool fabrics from Valgrisenche.

Veneto Murano is the capital of glassmaking. It is an exporter of traditional products like mirrors and glassware, and its factories produce modern items such as faucet handles, glass lampshades, and electric chandeliers. The glass shops in Murano and Venice showcase countless paperweights, glass beads and necklaces, knickknacks, and items of glass jewelry. While in the area, don’t miss

Burano and its lace making factories.

Open-Air Markets The markets in Italy, ranging from flea markets to antique and food markets to those holding a variety of crafts, all tell an interesting and unique story as they are strolled through by interested onlookers and potential buyers. The numerous types of markets can be enjoyed by every kind of visitor with a curious appeal for the unknown gems each market holds.

Arezzo Piazza Grande, first weekend of the month. The finest of the bunch when it comes to flea markets, especially with its array of furniture and smaller tokens.

Bologna La Piazzola, Piazza VIII Agosto, every Friday and Saturday. Here you get a sneak peak at next season’s hot finds and great prices.

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Florence Piazza San Lorenzo, daily except for Sundays. With everything from trendy leather items to a variety of jewelry, this is a conventional flea market in the heart of the bustling Mercato Centrale in the shadow of the beautiful church of San Lorenzo.

Genoa Palazzo Ducale, first Saturday of every month. A flea market filled with various antique items and a variety of merchandise.

Lucca, Tuscany Piazza San Giusto and proximity, third Saturday and Sunday of every month. Everything from antique furniture to ceramics, handmade items, jewelry, rarities and collector pieces.

Milan Fiera di Sant’Ambrogio, during the week-long celebrations of the patron saint. Organized around the Basilica di Sant’Ambrogio, this market has many little treasures to help you along with your Christmas shopping, including everything from handmade crafts to antiques.

Senigallia, Marche Fiera di Senigallia, Darsena of viale D’Annunzio, every Saturday. An open-air market where you are sure to find something appealing, with a variety including jewelry, secondhand clothing, and household items.

Naples Piazza Antignano, Monday through Saturday. This is an open-air food and clothing market attracting a considerable amount of patrons with the large number of stalls selling fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as clothing.

Palermo Vucciria Market, Piazza San Domenico, open daily. Probably the most talked-about market in Palermo, as well as the most Italy Now 2008

During sale season, items are reduced up to 70% off their retail prices. Photo by Ella Studio

bustling. It is a food market full of all kinds of stalls including many types of fish and produce, as well as cooked food and snacks to taste.

Parma Piazza Ghiaia, Monday through Saturday. The largest covered market in the city, it is one with a great deal of charm. A curious shopper can find all sorts of items including clothing, household goods, fruits and vegetables, and more, all sold by the local community of Parma.

Rome Porta Portese, every Sunday. For more or less everything you are looking for, this is truly one of the best of Rome’s markets. Here you’ll find music, antiques, clothing, leather, kitchen supplies, and more.

right in Borgo Teresiano, this is an open-air market near the sea. It is a great market to find everything from cheap clothing and accessories to good quality fruits and vegetables.

Turin The Gran Balôn Market, Piazza Repubblica, second Sunday of every month. A market that hosts antique dealers from all around the world. If you are a real bargain hunter, you will profit from the variety, from fine furniture to the smallest trinket.

Verona Piazza San Zeno, every third Saturday.

An antique market in the center of Verona, packed with antiques, old books and paintings, and a rich variety of various types of objects.

Trieste Piazza Ponterosso, Monday through Saturday. In downtown Trieste, 53

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Kids

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Parco Minitalia Fantasy World in the province of Bergamo. Photo by Minitalia

Family Fun Travel with kids is more enjoyable when the whole family participates in adventures and mysteries.

The fountains at Parco Collodi in Pistoia. Photo by Parco Collodi

A vacation is not a real vacation without some fun that ideally is just for the kids but in reality it’s for the parents too. Here are some incredible locations that are fun for everybody.

animals outside their natural habitat. Indeed they are actively involved in scientific and conservation education research. Available for private parties.

Aosta

Pistoia

Gran Paradiso National Park. Set in the Valleys of Cogne, Valsavarenche and Rhemes, it is a paradise of wildlife and breathtaking nature.

Parco Collodi. This fairy tale park, immersed in the Tuscan countryside, is entirely dedicated to Pinocchio and his adventures. It is named for the author of the famous story, Carlo Collodi. In the park, there is an area where all the adventures of the wooden puppet have been depicted in sculpture, scenery and statues, made from various materials and interpreted by several different artists.

Rome Bioparco. Rome’s zoo welcomes a vast array of animals in a natural setting. Bioparco houses 198 animal species that include reptiles, birds, mammals and amphibians, which provide a good opportunity to study

Bergamo Minitalia Fantasy World. This is the place to visit for a stroll around the miniature version of Italy and its regions. The park boasts other attractions as well: hundreds of fish from all over the globe, a gorgeous shell exhibition, 250 specimens of reptiles (including some of the most fearsome), 200 kinds of parrots, plus a fine variety of farm animals.

Lake Garda Gardaland. The largest amusement park in Italy, Gardaland has rides for all tastes. Boasting a fantastic dolphin park along with 38 roller coasters and family attractions, it welcomes over three million visitors every year.

The highlight of the park must be the Palablu — a dolphin pool with windows for walls so visitors can see these lithe creatures in action. A replica of the Ancient Egyptian ruins of Abu Simbel, and Blue Tornado, a roller coaster in which you ride suspended as if in a fighter plane, are also featured.

Genoa Rafting in Alto Adige. Photo by Associazione Turistica Valli di Tures e Aurina.

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Aquarium. The biggest aquarium in Europe features sharks, dolphins and hundreds of other beautiful The Official Guide to Italian Tourism

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Travel with kids is a lot of fun for all. Photo by Gallo Rosso

fish. The Aquarium’s 59 tanks reproduce marine and terrestrial habitats from throughout the world and provide a home for more than 6,000 creatures belonging to 600 different species. The Aquarium has a mission to increase public awareness of environmental problems.

Rivolta d’Adda Parco della Preistoria. It’s impossible to say no to an adventure in this park filled with reproductions of dinosaurs.

Siracusa Piccolo Teatro dei Pupi. This puppetry show is performed just for the little ones. The Theater recreates the medieval art of Sicilian puppet shows. Open every night during the summer months.

Bolzano

Baja Sardinia

Archeology Museum. This museum specializes in the Stone, Copper and Bronze Ages, and is home to the 2,000-year-old mummified Ice Man.

Aquadream. Water theme park with twisting slides, rides, games, and miniature golf.

Lignano Sabbiadoro Milan Leonardo da Vinci’s Museo della Scienza e della Tecnica. Those interested in the creative genius of Leonardo da Vinci will want to visit this museum, which features his designs of war machines, flying machines and architecture that display his incredible foresight.

Aquasplash. A spectacular water park with swimming pools, water rides, and other fun activities.

Savio Mirabilandia. Great amusement park with 36 rides, 14 waterfalls, fireworks, stunt shows, gardens and much more. It includes Bimbopoli, a town for the smaller ones.

San Sebastiano al Vesuvio Vesuvio National Park. What is more exciting than hands-on trails where kids can discover, touch, smell and observe the diverse colors and scents of the local wildlife?

Val Camonica Prehistoric Petroglyphs. This idyllic valley is sprinkled with prehistoric rock engravings cut into the sandstones during the Stone, Bronze and Iron Ages. The rocks are carved with many different images of people, horses, deer and dogs, as well as scenes of magic and war.

Bologna Ducati Museum. Tour the factory where they assemble each motorcycle by hand, from the bare engines and parts to finished motorcycles.

Educational activities on Lake Garda. Photo by FHL.

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Outdoors & Sports

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The Italian mountains are fascinating natural golf courses. Photo by Alto Adige Tourist Office

Active Life

Italy offers a myriad of fun bike trails both on and off road.

Photo by APT Arcipelago Toscano

Italy offers astonishingly varied natural beauty — the coves, bays and cliffs of the Riviera, the lush orange groves of Sicily, the snowy peaks of the Alps and the green fields of Tuscany.

This is a land that has been written about and preserved in history for over three thousand years; it is not there just for beautiful pictures, but also to be enjoyed at its fullest. Thus the pursuit for the great outdoors and activities for the fitness aficionados.

Golf This ancient sport, the Romans used to play a variation of it called paganica, has become accessible to all. It’s relaxing, healthy, it doesn’t require a specific training routine, just a bit of stretching before starting, although it requires concentration and a desire to have fun. It allows you to enjoy the surrounding nature and breathe in the fresh air.

Italy boasts more than 300 golf courses set in unspoiled landscapes.

Lakeside golfing – Lake Garda, Lake Maggiore, and Lake Como are three large environmental beauties that give Italian golfing a good reputation. They offer flat grounds, very gentle slopes, and small clearings surrounded by trees. One can walk 56

for hours, following the round of the game, in truly fascinating surroundings, so different from the traditional courses. But the lakes know how to enchant you too: a sailboat or motorboat ride along the coast, rod fishing, a lively evening in the nightclubs which abound on the shores, are all things to which the golf lover will willingly give in.

Golfing around the art cities – Golfing in places where culture and art have deep roots is to combine two rather irreconcilable requirements: the need to practice a sport, giving in to the sweet mania of the green, and at the same time the possibility of taking time to entertain one’s spirit.

Soccer Seaside golfing – A seaside golf course is always an immense green balcony reaching out toward splendid panoramas and enchanting beaches. Golf lovers may practice their favorite sport in international vacation spots where the ancient sea villages blend in perfectly with the new strategies of hospitality.

Golfing in the mountains – The Italian mountains offer you fascinating natural oases. In the mountains, as on the golf courses, walking is part of the game, a sort of rule that cannot be contravened if one wishes to enjoy to the utmost a vacation made of open-air sport and excursions.

Soccer in Italy is more than just a game; it’s a passion, even a religion, to some. People are fiercely loyal to their local soccer club, and that loyalty is only put on hold when the Italian national team is playing. For sports fans, seeing a soccer game in Italy is an important part of getting to know the culture, and even for people who are only marginally interested in soccer, it can be a great experience. The soccer season runs roughly from August through May, so if your visit to Italy falls during this time you may want to look into the schedules of the teams in the towns you’ll be visiting.

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The Italian countryside is ideal for a relaxing ride

Extreme Sports Rock-climbing, rafting, caving and other extreme sports are increasing in popularity. Friuli, Trentino, Valle d’Aosta, Umbria and Abruzzo are ideal locations for these activities.

Snowrafting is usually called “White Fear.” It is a descent on steep ground, from the Olympic Skijump, on hard-packed snow in a large rubber dinghy, at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour. It only lasts a few very, very long seconds. It is one of the many extreme sports that can be enjoyed in Cortina d’Ampezzo, along with extreme skiing down steep narrow gorges, and “Crazy Sledge.”

old port the Romans excavated in the tuff-stone. In front of Ventotene, there is Santo Stefano, a small island that offers you the magnificence of its extraordinary depths of rare beauty giving you the charge to explore numerous wrecks. And we can go on forever…

Sicily are just some of the regions that offer the more challenging trails and the best scenery.

Horseback Riding The Italian countryside has a stillness about it that is ideal for a relaxing ride among ruins, architectural wonders and breathtaking woods.

Cycling For the amateur cyclist, Italy offers a myriad of fun bike trails, both on and off road. Tuscany, Umbria, and

Sailing and Scuba Diving No matter where you are, Italy’s waters are a paradise for divers and sailors. Some destinations that should not be missed are Portofino, Panarea, Lampedusa, Capri, and Porto Cervo.

The itineraries for sailing excursions are endless — from Ischia, famous for its thermal baths and golden beaches, to Capri, with its vibrant social life, located off Sorrento and the beautiful coast of Amalfi, both rich in history and folklore. Only 20 miles from Procida you will find Ventotene, which awaits you in its suggestive Italy Now 2008

No matter where you are, Italy’s waters are a paradise. Photo by APT Arcipelago Toscano

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Italy has unique resorts featuring world-class accommodations. Photo by RHT

Physical fitness, healthy eating and relaxation, are the pillars of a good spa stay. Photo by FHR

Health & Beauty Physical fitness, healthy eating, relaxation, and renewal are the pillars of a good spa stay where the number one rule is to recover your well being, a need which tends to get trampled by the stress of daily life.

Rich in thermal and mineral waters, with a mild climate and stunning scenery, Italy has long been a spa destination. Since Roman times, personal pampering has played a major role in the culture, as borne out by famed, popular spa sites such as Abano Terme, Salsomaggiore, Chianciano, Montecatini, Fiuggi,

Ischia and Saturnia.

Generally Speaking in Italy you can find: Thermal Hot Springs that are helpful for health problems and medical healing, detoxification and antistress treatments and weight loss programs.

Health and Beauty Spas that emphasize beauty treatments, massage and holistic medicine, and are usually available in most resorts and thermal spas.

Thermal Baths that feature mineralrich mud and water treatments from natural hot springs and are usually visited for medical purposes.

Lombardy

Thermal Baths are usually visited for medical purposes. Photo by Ella Studio

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BoarioTerme - This ideal destination for a relaxing stay combines physical and mental well being with bodily health in a location that is extremely interesting from a tourist’s point of view. Treatments are categorized in four specific “objective programs” with the goal to propose a mix of synergetic thermal cures, to treat in an even more effective way disturbances of the intestine, liver, joints, and blood circulation. The programs are designed so clients can continue to follow this advice even after they return home.

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Terme di Saturnia in Tuscany. Photo by Terme di Saturnia.

Terme di Saturnia in Tuscany. Photo by Terme di Saturnia

Veneto Abano Terme – This beautiful town boasts 78 thermal hotels, 120 pools, 50 tennis courts, parks and gardens, and services of the highest quality in the field of thermal cures. It combines these resources with aesthetic cures and fitness to regenerate the body in all of its aspects.

Tuscany Terme di Saturnia – Saturnia stands high up on a plateau in the Albegna valley, from where it dominates the magical tufa-dotted landscape inland from Grosseto. Rich in bicarbonate and sulfates, the sulfuric water of this region has health-stimulating Italy Now 2008

properties that are effective for the skin and the respiratory system.

Campania Ischia The miraculous therapeutic properties of Ischia’s hot spring waters have been known since ancient Roman times and are mentioned in Homer’s Iliad, Virgil’s Aeneid and

by Pliny and Strabo. In fact, these waters are especially indicated for the treatment of painful degenerative diseases of the spine, joints, tendons, muscles and ligaments as well as for problems of motion and circulation after wounds and injuries.

Rich in thermal and mineral waters, Italy has long been a favored spa destination. Photo by BAWH

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San Pietro al Tevere in Rome. Photo by APT Roma

Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome. Photo by APT Roma

Worship From converted pagan temples to grandiose medieval cathedrals and down to the tiniest chapels scattered across the country, Roman Catholic churches offer fascinating repositories of art, architecture and history.

While every major religion is represented in Italy, Roman Catholicism remains the country’s dominant faith.

Churches typically open early every morning, close around noon for lunch, and reopen mid-afternoon until after the last Mass has been said around 8:00 p.m. Major cathedrals and basilicas remain open all day to welcome believers and visitors alike. Wearing tank tops, shorts, mini-skirts or other types of revealing clothing is not allowed within most Catholic churches. Make sure to bring a sweater, shawl or long jacket to cover shoulders and legs, as needed.

Photography is permitted in most churches, but mostly without the use of a flash. Food and beverages are strictly prohibited.

Catholic churches with service in English: St. Patrick’s, Via Boncompagni 60, Rome Santa Susanna, Via XX Settembre 14, Rome (the national church of the USA) Ssi. Martiri Canadesi, Via G. B. De 60

Rossi 46, Rome (the national church of Canada) Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence (Saturday service at 5:00 p.m.)

Church of the Hospital of San Giovanni di Dio, Borgo Ognissanti 16, Florence (Sundays and holidays at 10:00 a.m.)

Italy’s Jewish heritage – Italy’s vibrant Jewish community has flourished for over 2000 years.

Monuments, neighborhoods and synagogues are found in many major cities. For information contact the Jewish Community Center; www.jewishitaly.org For all other religions, please consult your local place of worship for locations and times.

of Saint Peter. Today, the main altar sits directly above the tomb housing Saint Peter’s remains.

Construction of the imposing edifice we see today began in 1506 and took 120 years to complete.

Numerous Renaissance architects contributed to its construction, Bramante among them. In 1546, Pope Paul III appointed Michelangelo Buonarroti, already in his sixties, as the official architect.

Michelangelo’s Greek cross plan of Saint Peter’s was completed by Della Porta, who also designed the dome, and by Carlo Maderno, who built the façade. Saint Peter’s Basilica was finally consecrated on November 18, 1626.

Papal Audiences St. Peter’s Basilica Immortalized by the welcoming arms of Bernini’s colonnade, St. Peter’s Basilica is the seat of Roman Catholicism and the most noted landmark of Vatican City, an independent country within the city of Rome. Inaugurated in 396 A.D., the basilica was originally built by Emperor Constantine over the tomb

General audiences with the Pope are usually held on Wednesday mornings in Vatican City. Tickets are free of charge and available at the Office of the Prefettura della Casa Pontificia, located on the north side of Piazza San Pietro, which is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Mondays and Tuesdays.

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Palazzo Serra Cassano in Naples.

Photo by Regione Campania

Historical building in Abruzzo. Photo by Regione Abruzzo

American Embassy and Consulates in Italy The Embassy and Consulates can be of great assistance to US citizens with marriage permits, extended stay visas, lost passports, emergency fund transfers and medical or other emergencies.

Embassy of the United States in Rome Via Vittorio Veneto, 119/A 00187 Roma, Italy Tel. +39 (06) 46741 Fax +39 (06) 4674 2356 Full range of services offered to U.S. citizens and European travelers residing in the regions of Lazio, Marche, Umbria, Abruzzo, and Sardegna.

Consulate General of the United States in Florence Lungarno Vespucci, 38 50123 Firenze, Italy Tel. +39 (055) 2669 51 Fax +39 (055) 2840 88 Full range of services offered to U.S. citizens and European travelers residing in the regions of Tuscany, Emilia Romagna.

Consulate General of the United States in Milan Italy Now 2008

Via Principe Amedeo 2/10 20121 Milan, Italy Tel. +39 (02) 2903 51 Fax +39 (02) 2900 1165 Full range of services offered to U.S. citizens and European travelers residing in the regions of Valle d’Aosta, Piemonte, Lombardia, Veneto, Trentino-Alto Adige, FriuliVenezia Giulia, Liguria, EmiliaRomagna (provinces of Piacenza and Parma only).

Consulate General of the United States in Naples Piazza della Repubblica 80122 Naples, Italy Tel. +39 (081) 5838 111 Fax +39 (081) 7611 869 Full range of services offered to U.S. citizens and European travelers residing in the regions of Campania, Molise, Basilicata, Puglia, Calabria, and Sicilia.

For a longer stay a visa is required.

Italian Embassy – Consular Section 3000 Whitehaven Street, N.W. Washington D.C. 20008 Visa Office Tel. (202) 612-4405/612-4407 Vital Records (Marriages, Citizenship) Tel. (202) 612 4422 Boston Italian Consulate General 600 Atlantic Avenue Boston, MA 02210-2206 Tel. (617) 722 9201/2/3 main number Chicago Italian Consulate General 500 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 1850 Chicago, IL 60611 Tel. (312) 467 1550/1/2 Detroit Italian Consulate General Buhl Building 535 Griswold, Suite 1840 Detroit, MI 48226 Tel. (313) 963 8560

Italian Consulates in the US Consult for special permits, mostly concerning weddings in Italy.

Citizens of the United States with a valid passport can stay in Italy up to 90 days without requesting a visa.

Houston Italian Consulate General 1300 Post Oak Boulevard, Suite 660 Houston, TX 77056 Tel. (713) 850 7520

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Los Angeles Italian Consulate General 12400 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 300 Los Angeles, CA 90025 Tel. (310) 820 0622/826-6207 Miami Italian Consulate General 4000 Ponce de Leon, Suite 590 Coral Gables, FL 33146 Tel. (305) 374 6322 New York Italian Consulate General 690 Park Avenue New York, N.Y. 10021 Tel. (212) 737 9100 Newark Italian Vice Consulate One Gateway Center Suite 100 Newark, NJ 07102 Tel. (973) 643 1448 Philadelphia Italian Consulate General 1026 Public Ledger Building 100 South 6th Street Philadelphia, PA 19106-3470 Tel. (215) 592 7329 San Francisco Italian Consulate General 2590 Webster Street San Francisco, CA 94115 Tel. (415) 292 9210/931 4924

Italian Government Tourist Boards in the US Consult for travel tips and useful information for your planning of an Italian vacation. www.italiantourism.com Italian Government Tourist Board New York Director for North America: Mr. Riccardo Strano 630, Fifth Avenue, Suite 1565 New York, NY 10111 Tel. (212) 245 5618 Office hours: Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Italian Government Tourist Board Chicago 500 North Michigan Avenue 506 Chicago, IL 60611 62

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Tel. (312) 644 0996 Office hours Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Tel. (310) 820 1898 Office hours: Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Italian Government Tourist Board Los Angeles 12400 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 550 Los Angeles, CA 90025

Tourist Boards in Italy Italy has plenty of public tourist offices, each based around a certain area and all providing general information and assistance.

Abruzzo C.so V. Emanuele II, 301, 65100 Pescara Basilicata Via Anzio, 44, 85100 Potenza Calabria Via S. Nicola, 8, 88100 Catanzaro Campania Via S. Lucia, 81, 80132 Naples Emilia Romagna Viale Aldo Moro, 64, 40127 Bologna Friuli-Venezia Giulia Via Miramare, 19, 34135 Trieste Lazio Via R.R. Garibaldi, 7, 00145 Rome Liguria Via D’Annunzio, 64 16121 Genoa Lombardy Via Sassetti, 32, 20124 Milan Marche Via G. da Fabriano, 9, 60125 Ancona Molise Via Mazzini, 94, 86100 Campobasso Piedmont Via Magenta, 12, 10128 Turin Puglia Via Bozzi, 45/c 70121 Bari Sardegna Viale Trieste, 105, 09124 Cagliari Sicily Via E. Notarbartolo, 9, 90141 Palermo Tuscany Via di Novoli, 26, 50127 Florence Trentino-Alto Adige Via Romagnosi, 9, 38100 Trento Umbria Corso Vannucci, 30, 06100 Perugia Valle d’Aosta Piazza Narbonne, 3, 11100 Aosta Veneto Palazzo Balbi-Dorso Duro, b3901, 30123 Venice

+ 39 (085) 4290 0212 + 39 (0971) 4486 47 + 39 (0961) 7202 60 + 39 (081) 7962 034 + 39 (051) 2833 53 + 39 (040) 3775 747 + 39 (06) 5168 1 + 39 (010) 5485 553 + 39 (02) 6756 1 + 39 (071) 8062 165 + 39 (0874) 4291 + 39 (011) 4321 1 + 39 (080) 5401 111 + 39 (070) 6061 + 39 (091) 6968 033 + 39 (055) 4382 111 + 39 (0461) 4965 35 + 39 (075) 5043 3676 + 39 (0165) 2366 27 +39 (041) 2792 832

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Order food speaking perfect Italian. Photo by Ella Studio

Lost in Translation Become part of a fascinating culture by diving into its language Learning a few words will help you order food with confidence, ask for directions without getting a confused glance in return, stop relying on subtitles when watching an Italian movie, but mostly improve your cultural understanding and global communication.

The Basics Hello Good morning Good afternoon Good evening Good night Nice to meet you Good-bye Please Thank you Excuse me Sir Madam/Mrs Ms Yes/No Where is?

I don’t know Here There Near Far Left Italy Now 2008

Ciao Buon giorno Buon pomeriggio Buona sera Buona notte Piacere Arrivederci Per favore Grazie Mi scusi Signore Signora Signorina Si/No Dov’è?

Non lo so Qui La Vicino Lontano Sinistra

Right Up Down Morning Afternoon Evening Help Police Police Traffic Police Passport Plane tickets

Destra Su Giù Mattina Pomeriggio Sera Aiuto Polizia Carabinieri Vigili Urbani Passaporto Biglietti aerie

Numbers 1 Uno 2 Due 3 Tre 4 Quattro 5 Cinque 6 Sei 7 Sette 8 Otto 9 Nove 10 Dieci 11 Venti 12 Trenta

40 Quaranta 50 Cinquanta 60 Sessanta 70 Settanta 80 Ottanta 80 Novanta 100 Cento

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Weekdays Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

Gestures Lunedì Martedì Mercoledì Giovedì Venerdì Sabato Domenica

Don’t forget that Italians are masters of the unspoken art of the gesture, where a movement of the hand is worth a thousand words.

Italy’s most popular is Che vuoi? (what do you want?), and it is done by bringing together the tips of the fingers of one hand to form an upward-pointing cone. The hand can be held motionless or be shaken up and down.

Another common gesture are the horns, are a protective sign to ward off a curse or something negative.

Useful Phrases How are you?

Come stai?

How do I get to?

Come faccio per arrivare a..?

How far is?

Quanto dista da qui...?

Where is the phone?

Dov’è il telefono?

I am allergic Sono allergico/a Do you have?

Avete....?

Do you accept credit cards? Accettate carte di credito?

May I get through?

Permesso It doesn’t matter Non importa See you soon A presto See you later A più tardi Do you speak English?

Parla inglese?

I don’t speak Italian Non parlo italiano Please speak slowly Per favore parli più lentamente Please repeat Per favore ripeta

At the Restaurant A cup A fork A glass A napkin A knife A teaspoon Appetizers First course Second course Fruit Desserts I’d like a beer I’d like a glass of red wine I’d like some water

Una tazza Una forchetta Un bicchiere Un tovagliolo Un coltello Un cucchiaino Gli antipasti Il primo Il secondo La frutta I dolci Vorrei una birra Vorrei un bichiere di vino rosso Vorrei dell’acqua

Excuse me, do you know a good restaurant?

Scusi, conosce un buon ristorante?

The Language of Love Italian has the fame of being the language of love and seduction; Italy’s culture is loaded with romantic imagery and a pervasive atmosphere of passion.

Italy is such a romantic place that millions of honeymooners as well as young and older couples go to soak up its fabled dreamy ambience. There are so many things that couples do in Italy that have become synonymous with romance and love – riding a gondola through Italy’s canals, wine tasting in the countryside, having coffee al fresco, and even walking through Italy’s narrow cobblestone streets.

I love you Ti amo I am falling in love with you Mi sto innamorando di te I can’t live without you Non posso vivere senza di te I miss you Mi manchi Love and kisses Un milione di baci

I’d like to make a reservation for two this evening.

Vorrei fare una prenotazione per due persone per questa sera.

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The Official Guide to Italian Tourism

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