Fresh Tortellini - Image S. Feldstein CC 2.0

In Castelfranco Emilia, a town in the province of Modena, the Feast of St Nicholas is celebrated on the second week of September. The Sagra di San Nicola is actually a Tortellino Festival where the creation of tortellini is re-enacted every year.

Legend of the Tortellini

If you think that your favourite pasta looks like a belly-button, there is a reason for this.  According to one interesting legend, an innkeeper was so captivated by the beauty of a guest that he couldn’t resist peeping into her room through the keyhole to watch her undress. In the dim candlelit room, all he could see was her naval, but that was enough to send him wild with excitement.  Entranced by the woman’s perfectly shaped navel he rushed to the kitchen and created a tortellino in its likeness.

There are of course other legends relating to the tortellini’s creation but in Castelfranco Emilia, the Peeping Tom version suits them fine.

Tortellino Festival

Each year, during the second week of September, Castelfranco Emilia celebrates the Sagra di San Nicola or Tortellino Festival during which the creation of the tortellino is re-enacted. The historical re-enactment of the tortellino’s creation is intended to keep the pasta tradition going.  The town folk dress up for the festivity and the voyeur awarded the “Oste” title has the responsibility to uphold the tortellini tradition for a year. A small square of pasta stuffed with pork loin, ham, mortadella, parmesan cheese, nutmeg, pepper and salt has always been the symbol for the culinary tradition of the region.

Tortellini in Castelfranco Emilia

Visitors to the Tortillino Festival will have the opportunity to enjoy this traditional pasta from Castelfranco Emilia. These folks take their pasta very seriously and the hand-made egg pasta are cooked in a sumptuous capon and veal broth. And to show that you’re one of the Purists, don’t sprinkle your tortellini with grated Parmigiano.

Event  :  Festival of Tortellini (Feast of St Nicholas)
When  :  Annually – Second Week in September
Venue :  Castelfranco, Emilia Romagna

Italo - CC Treno .Italo - NTV S.p.A.

From March 2012, the sleek-looking red ‘Italo’  high-speed trains will be criss-crossing the landscape of Italy and no doubt turning heads. The wow factor – they look like the rail equivalent of Ferrari cars, with speed to match.

Nuovo Trasporto Viaggiatori (NTV), Europe’s first private operator of high-speed trains, is the owner of the new Italo high-speed train. That the Italo’s red livery, speed and sleek design may remind passengers of Ferrari cars is no accident. A founding shareholder in the NTV is Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, the chairman of Ferrari and another collaborator is Diego Della Valle, the owner of TOD’S, the luxury goods brand.

High-Speed Train in Italy

High-speed rail services in Italy are currently provided by the state-owned Trenitalia. However, train travel in Italy does not enjoy the best of reputation and NTV obviously believes that they can give Trenitalia a run for their money by providing deluxe service on high-speed services.

And just in case you think that only Ferrari owners can afford to travel on this deluxe high-speed train, NTV assures that even crisis-hit Italians will be able to afford travel on the Italo.

NTV’s Italo will offer three different classes of travel (Club, Prima and Smart) to suit different budgets. And, like airline fares, customers will be able to benefit from the Smart pricing in cheaper off-peak travel and also by booking early to enjoy discounts on fares.

The Italo High-Speed Network

When NTV launches in March 2012, it will start with two main lines:

From Turin to Salerno:  Turin – Milan – Bologna – Florence – Rome – Naples – Salerno
From Venice to Rome :  Venice – Padova – Bologna – Florence – Rome

New Breed of High-Speed Trains

The new Italo trains are by the French company Alstrom Transport and this new AGV (Automotrice à Grande Vitesse) breed of trains is the next generation to the TGV trains.

Travelling on these “Ferrari trains” is certainly something to look forward to, so when NTV sorts out its distribution network, I’ll be looking for my discount fare!

The Iconic Venice Gondolas

Usually held on the third Saturday in July, the already busy lagoons of Venice burst into a hive of activity.  Fleets of boats and gondolas decorated with colourful balloons, lanterns and streamers gather in the canal in front of Piazza San Marco.  Venice celebrates the Festa del Redentore (Feast of the Redemption), one of its most treasured festivals in Venice’s calender of events.

Festa del Redentore Program

Saturday – July 14, 2012:
The build-up to the festivities begins on Saturday with the assembly of a “Thanksgiving Bridge” made from gondolas lined together across the lagoon from Zattere to the Church of Redentore on the island of Giudecca.  This is Venice’s modern-day adaptation of a vow that was made in 1576.

In the boats people eat traditional foods and wait patiently for the fireworks display.  The big spectacle begins at 11.30 pm when the huge display of fireworks explodes across the skies, illuminating the entire city, and lasting until after midnight.  St. Mark’s Square and its historical landmark buildings take on a multi-colour hue as each explosion of fireworks lights the skies.

This spectacular firework display is a huge tourist attraction and a free Venice event for all to enjoy.  You can bring your bottle of vino and food and join the locals in this celebration.

Sunday – July 15, 2012:
The Redentore Regattas take place this afternoon.  Today is also the religious part of the Redentore. Holy Mass is held at the Church of the Redentore in the presence of the Patriarch, followed by a religious procession.

Festa del Redentore’s historical backdrop

Behind this colourful celebration, there is a grim historical event.  The plague in Europe spread through the city, causing terrible loss of lives in  the three years from 1575 and 1577.  The high density of the population made the situation worse and almost 50,000 died, which was more than a third of the city’s inhabitants.

On September 4, 1576, the Senate decided that the Doge should announce the Vow to erect a church dedicated to the Redentore (Redeemer), in return for help in ending the plague.  They also promised to make a procession to the church on the third weekend of July.

Carnevale di Venezia

Carnevale di Venezia 2012 kicks off with the prologue weekend on February 4th and 5th and the ten days of Carnevale running from Saturday, February 11th right through to February 21st. The central theme this year ‘La Vita è Teatro. Tutti in Maschera’ is dedicated to the dramatization of daily life.  Life is a theatre so it’s time to get masked!

Visitors to the pre-Lent Carnevale can expect a hive of activities in Venice, with pageants, entertainment, street performances, balls, theatre and plays.

Piazza San Marco is where most of the events will take place, although there are events scattered around the city, such as the Ice Skating Village in Campo San Polo.

Carnevale Program

The Carnival starts off in Piazzetta San Marco with a grand toast at the wine fountain, with masks, costumes and traditional dances. And to crown the event, the spectacular allegory of the Carnevale will be revealed.

Some of the major Carnevale events include:

• Parade for the best Masked Costume Contest of the Carnival 2012
• Life is a Living Theatre – A walking theatre show
• Gran Teatro di Piazza San Marco
• Ice Skating
• Festa delle Marie
• Casino Burlesque 2012
• The Flight of the Angel

For the complete program and making bookings for ticketed events, see the Carnevale website.

Event :  Carnevale di Venezia 2012
Dates :  Prologue – February 4 & 5, 2012 | Carnevale – February 11 – 21, 2012
Venue: Piazza San Marco (main venue), Venezia

Venice Hotels

Venice is flooded with tourists during Carnevale so it is a good idea to book your hotel as early as possible. Some of the better hotels on the Grand Canal and Piazza San Marco may already be fully booked.
For the complete list of Venice hotels see HERE.

Airport and Cruise Port Transfers

For your airport arrival and departure transfers and cruise port transfers see HERE.

Classictic Events in Rome

Whether you’re looking to enjoy some classical music or to take in an opera in Rome, the good news is that Classictic is offering a 10% discount on all their events in Rome if you purchase your ticket on-line by December 1st.

Most of these Rome opera and classical music concerts are held at stunning venues which include grand palaces and historical churches such as:

• Palazzo Doria Pamphilj
• Villa Farnesina
• All Saints Church
• Chiesa di S. Paolo entro le Mura

Veni Vedi Vici

Booking with Classictic is easy. All you have to do is select your event, enter the code Veni Vedi Vici on the order form and you’ll see the 10% discount applied to your order. You must book your ticket on-line by December 1st to be eligible for the discount.  On completion of your order, you will receive your e-Tickets immediately.

New Year’s Eve Events

If you’re planning to be in Rome at the end of the year, you can even enjoy 10% discount on the New Year’s Eve Concert by the Accademia d’Opera Italiana or a concert by the renowned I Musici Veneziani orchestra.  Or, why not give the gift of music in Rome to someone you care about.

See the full list of Classictic Events in Rome HERE.

If you are looking for a hotel in Rome, you can also search, read hotel reviews and make your hotel booking HERE.

Chianti by Hoffmeister/Wiki

Tuscany is universally famous for its good food, classic wines and natural beauty so naturally food and wine tasting in Tuscany are part of the reasons why many visitors come to this region of Italy. Some may be the interested in the art of winemaking, but for the majority of visitors, their wine tasting interest is more for pleasure.

But whether for the art of wine-making or pleasurable pursuits, the wineries around Tuscany are the place to enjoy both.

Chianti

In times past, Chianti may bring to mind cheap table wines. But rest assured the vintages produced in this area forty minutes from Florence are anything but a cheap, table reds.

Close to Siena, there are dozens of wineries with offerings that will suit the most discriminating of palettes. Some of the finest grapes anywhere in Italy are grown on these hilltops. They are then turned into some equally fine wines.

Several of the wineries are located near medieval castles, adding an authentic historical air to the whole trip. One outstanding example is the Castello di Uzzano renowned for its Chianti Classico. The castle is nearby a residential villa so visitors can taste wonderful wine and enjoy superb sights.

Montalcino

Montalcino is another of the famous wine-producing regions of Tuscany. Tours of the Castello Banfi estate will impress even the most finicky of wine drinkers. Over 7,100 acres provide this winery with ample grapes from which to produce outstanding wines. Unlike many of its neighbours, Castello Banfi is only 25 years old, so it has state of the art equipment. But the 11th century castle has been amazing visitors for centuries.

San Gimignano

San Gimignano may be best known for its medieval towers, but this small town is also well known for its white wines. Il Grande Prato can persuade any connoisseur that its wine-making reputation  is well deserved. Here visitors can enjoy their favourite vintages and enjoy a light snack in a country setting.

Siena

Siena is the site of one of Italy’s most beautiful Gothic cathedrals. It also offers some outstanding wine tasting opportunities. Among the rolling hills outside the town are nestled many superb wineries. The Villa Dievole is only one example. Only 45 minutes from Florence and half an hour from Chianti, there are over 800 acres here.

It’s possible to tour much of Tuscany on a bicycle. But many will want to rent a car and take in several of the stellar villas and wineries that offer some of the best wines in the world.

Or, if you only have a limited time in Florence, you could combine wine-tasting and a country drive through magnificent Tuscan landscapes on one of these Tuscany wine tours :

Chianti Region Wine Tasting and Dinner half-day trip from Florence
Chianti Region Wine Tasting Half-Day Trip from Florence
Small Group Chianti Wine Region Day Trip from Florence

Sant Agnese in Agone by Lalupa/Wiki

In the heart of historic Rome is Piazza Navona, one of the city’s most beautiful Baroque piazzas. One of the impressive buildings that make up Piazza Navona’s Baroque architecture is Sant’Agnese in Agone.

Sant’Agnese in Agone is a church dedicated to St Agnes, a young girl who became a martyr in AD304. There are many versions of stories in regard to her martyrdom, some rather gory, but given the period of her martyrdom none of the legends has been verified.  Sant’Agnese in Agone stands on the site where it is believed that St Agnese died.

The Pamphili Family Church

Sant’Agnese in Agone was built in the mid-17th century under the patronage of Pope Innocent X. Adjacent to Sant’Agnese in Agone is the Palazzo Pamphili, residence of the Pamphili family.  Sant’Agnese in Agone became the Pamphili family chapel and there was even an opening formed in the drum of the dome so that the family could take part in religious services from their palace.

A number of architects were involved in the construction of Sant’Agnese in Agone, starting with Girolamo Rainaldi (a Pamphili family architect) and his son Carlo. They were replaced by Borromini and later on Bernini was commissioned to take over. Bernini’s much-admired Fountain of the Four Rivers is in front of the church.

Music in Bernini’s Rome

The times we’ve been to Piazza Navona, Sant’Agnese in Agone was wrapped in scaffolding and it’s good to know that the church has now been returned to its original splendour.  Sant’Agnese in Agone hosts the Music in Bernini’s Rome event where visitors can enjoy a tour of the church and then enjoy music by the great composers of Bernini’s time, including Frescobaldi, Monteverdi, Caccini, Falconieri and others.

Classictic are the online agents for Music in Bernini’s Rome and you can book your tour HERE.

Address:
Sant’Agnese in Agone
Piazza Navona
00186 Rome

Map of Rome:

Venice Concerts and Operas

With summer in Italy comes music festivals, concerts and operas and this month’s special focus is on events in Venice.  And the good news is that Classictic is offering 10% discount on all their Venice events if you book by July 31st.

Booking with Classictic is Easy

All you have to do is select your event, enter the code “Venetian” on the order form and you’ll see the 10% discount applied to your order.  On completion of your order, you will receive your e-Tickets immediately.

Most of these Venice events are held at amazing venues which include grand palaces or historical churches such as:

• Musica in Maschera at the Scuola Grande dei Carmini
• Vivaldi’s Four Seasons at the Scuola Grande di San Teodoro
• Violins in Venice at the Chiesa di San Vidal
• Rigoletto or The Barber of Seville at the Palazzo Barbarigo-Minotto
• La Traviata or Tosca at Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista

New Year’s Eve Events

If you’re planning to be in Venice at the end of the year, you can even enjoy the 10% discount on the New Year’s Eve Concert or the Opera Arias and Buffet Dinner at the magnificent Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista by booking now.  Or, why not buy this as a present for someone you care about.

See the full range of Classictic’s Venice events HERE.

Teatro di Marcello by Alexander Z/Wiki

Teatro di Marcello is an ancient theatre in Rome that was planned by Julius Caesar and completed by Emperor Augustus in 13BC. This magnificent ancient edifice is the venue of “Notti Romane al Teatro di Marcello” or “Roman Nights at the Theatre of Marcellus”, a summer classical concert series.

Notti Romane al Teatro di Marcello

Roman Nights at the Theatre of Marcellus is a series of classical concerts that takes place each year during the Roman summer.

These summer concerts are part of the official cultural Music in Rome program of the “Estate Romana” which runs from June to early October.  The rich program changes every evening and includes chamber orchestras and top soloists from all over the world.

At the Teatro Marcello you can enjoy the music of favourite classical composers in the unique ambience of one of the most beautiful and ancient attractions in Rome.

You can book your Rome concert at the Teatro di Marcello HERE.

And, read more about the Theatre of Marcellus HERE.

For Rome operas, classical concerts and events at other Rome venues see HERE.

Teatro di Marcello - Photo by MM/Wiki

Long before the Teatro di Marcello (Theatre of Marcellus) was completed, tragedy and drama had already played out at this open-air theatre in Rome.

Teatro Marcello was the plan of Julius Caesar but he was murdered in 44BC and the construction of the theatre remained incomplete. When Emperor Augustus inherited the project, he named it after his nephew Marcus Marcellus, but the young Marcellus died in 23BC before the Theatre of Marcellus was finished.

Teatro Marcello was finally completed in 13BC and was inaugurated by Emperor Augustus. It had capacity to hold 11,000 spectators and locals and visitors were able to watch drama and singing performances in the theatre. Teatro Marcello is huge, even by today’s standards, and its construction set the stage for this form of architecture in the Roman world.

Portico di Ottavia

Next to the Teatro Marcello is the Porticus Octaviae, the oldest quadriportico or four-sided porch in Rome. This was built by Emperor Augustus who named it after his sister Octavia Minor or Octavia the Younger. Supported by 300 columns, this vast rectangular portico, included within its colonnaded walks the Temples of Jupiter Stator and Juno Regina, numerous statues and a library erected by Octavia in memory of her son Claudius Marcellus. From the Middle Ages until the end of the 19th century, this once grand portico was used as part of the city’s fish market. The annexed Sant’Angelo in Pescheria church (St Angelus in the Fish Market) is reminder of the fish market function of the portico.

Teatro Marcello Post the Roman Empire

Portico di Ottavia - Photo by Mac9/Wiki

In the early Middle Ages, the Fabii patrician family used the Theatre of Marcellus as a fortress. In the following centuries, Teatro Marcello was occupied by a succession of rich and aristocratic families and was also converted into a Renaissance palazzo by Baldassare Peruzzi.

Centuries on, the classical form of the Teatro di Marcello not only left its influence on Roman architecture but also influenced architects like Sir Christopher Wren. Wren’s design of the Sheldonian Theatre in Oxford was influenced by this ancient Roman edifice.

Roman Nights at the Teatro di Marcello

Today’s visitors to the Teatro di Marcello, can see the different layers of history in this magnificent structure. The high arches of the ancient theatre are topped by medieval fortified walls and then there’s the more elegant aspects of the Renaissance palazzo. In the summer months, visitors can enjoy classical concerts in this historic venue. See what’s on and book your concert tickets HERE.

How to get to the Teatro di Marcello

The Area Archeologica del Teatro di Marcello is situated in Rome on Via del Teatro di Marcello 44, downhill from the Capitol, on the way to the Mouth of Truth.

Address:
Area Archeologica del Teatro di Marcello
Via del Teatro di Marcello, 44
Rome

Map of Rome: