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The most famous feast related to snakes both in Italy and in the world is surely the feast of Cocullo, in the province of L'Aquila, in Abruzzo, which is celebrated on May 1st.  Famous are the images of the statue of St. Dominic wrapped by hundreds of snakes, with thousands of people following the procession and touching the snakes of the saint or h...

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April, in Latin Aprilis, in Italian Aprile, according to some scholars owes its name to the Latin verb aperire, in Italian aprire: to open. April is the month in which the world germinates, opens up bringing to light the fruits of the "manifestation". The act of opening is the vital dynamism, a hymn to life itself. When in the Latin language a word...

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The event has its roots in the Middle Ages: the tradition says that every year the St. Joseph feast in Scicli is honored with a ride through the streets of the city where the typical bonfires light up the night, recalling the escape to Egypt of Joseph, Mary and the baby Jesus, riding on a donkey. According to some historians, the tradition of bonfi...

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The historical origins of this annual event are uncertain, or at least complex. What is certain is that we are talking about the most colorful and creative party in Italy: Carnival! We accompany you through the 10 best carnivals in Italy among masks, costumes, parades, floats, typical sweets and local traditions. Viareggio (Tuscany) A stone's throw...

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In Italy we have a real veneration for St. Anthony the Abbot (not to be confused with Anthony the patron saint of Padua): let’s review the dozens of events organized in his honor on January 17th, the date of his death, from Lombardy to Sicily. And yet, reading some hints of his biography one discovers that the saint has no connection with our count...

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Visiting Trentino Alto Adige during the Christmas season is just magical! Besides the wonder of its snow-filled landscapes - highly-appreciated by skiers, of course - its magnificent Christmas markets, in Trento and Bolzano during Advent, are what makes the Region so special this time of year.  Bolzano The largest city in Trentino Alto Adige, a mee...

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On November 11, 1608, Cardinal Federico Borromeo visited a parish church in Gallarate on a pastoral visit, in Lombardy. The main chapel, closed by a wooden plank, was finished, while the nave was still without a roof. Above a temporary altar, where the canon G.M. Bonomi, the first chaplain of the Sanctuary, celebrated Mass every day, the venerated...

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Following an annual tradition, also this year, on the last Sunday of October, as usual will be held in Volterra, Tuscany, the expected and fun Palio dei Caci. An event that has long been recognized in the regional register of historical re-enactments in collaboration with the "Committee of Contrade della Città di Volterra". On Sunday, October 27 th...

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Every year in September the "Palio (contest) di Asti" is run: the oldest in Italy, it is an ancient tradition from the eight century, a real festival, which has kept unchanged its distinctive traits, qualities that have helped to make it a unique performance. The charm of the medieval history lives through the town districts and its places, includi...

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They were originally called feriae Augusti, or "the rest of Augustus" (as the Roman emperor), and are a millenary history custom. They were to indicate those holidays established in the year 8 BC by the first Roman emperor in history to celebrate the end of the main works of the agricultural season and thus constitute a period of rest able to resto...

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