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Olivetti was a company of extraordinary importance and originality that brought Italian Design to the World. Particularly strong was the link between Adriano Olivetti, his company, his products and the United States. Great stir was caused in 1959 by the acquisition by the Eporediese group of Underwood, a U.S. company with a great tradition in the t...

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As Carnevale approaches in the runup to Lent and then Easter, Italy comes alive with festivals in February. In the US the biggest such event is New Orleans’ Mardi Gras, but in Italy many cities have their own versions as they celebrate the last fling before Lent puts an end to fun and self-indulgence, ushering in the reflection and gravity of prepa...

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Ivrea is a small town at the foot of the Piedmont Alps. Located a 40-minute drive from Turin, the city is famous for being a UNESCO World Heritage Site thanks to the glorious history of the Olivetti factory, but even more so for its characteristic Carnival. The Historic Carnival of Ivrea is the oldest historical carnival in Italy, dating back to th...

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For the three days leading up to Fat Tuesday, the men, women, and children participate in the largest organized food fight in Italy – the Battle of the Oranges. The origins of the fight are a little murky but seem to date back to a medieval revolt. In the 1100s, Ivrea was ruled by an evil tyrannical duke. Legend has it that the duke tried to attack...

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Us Italians have truly taken this Italian proverb to heart, both during carnevale and anytime we throw a festa–chaos-filled days celebrated with cheese chases and food fights and a sport somehow more violent than rugby. Though it may seem like chucking oranges at your neighbor’s head is ruthlessness for the sake of ruthlessness, there actually is s...

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Well, this is surely another way to get your daily dose of vitamin C. For hundreds of years, the Northern Italian city of Ivrea, about an hour and 20 minutes west of Milan, has held an annual three-day event, called the Carnival of Ivrea. Its main attraction is the Battle of the Oranges, which has become one of the world’s largest food fights.  Tho...

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Referred to as the biggest food fight in Europe, the Battle of the Oranges takes over the town of Ivrea, Italy on the three days preceding Lent. While the 2021 Battle of the Oranges was cancelled due to Covid, 2022’s event takes place on February 27 – March 1.  Around 9,000 tons of oranges are cast in a battle between the townsfolk represented by n...

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Carnevale is one of the most colorful celebrations in the world. In Italy, we are serious about it. In the end, this is where it was born. We are all familiar with the Carnevale of Venice and that of Viareggio, as well as famous international renditions such as the Carnival in New Orleans, that in Rio and that in Notting Hill (London).  In Italy, t...

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"Ivrea Industrial City of the Twentieth Century" is the 54th Italian UNESCO site. The recognition was deliberated during the work of the 42nd World Heritage Committee of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. An important recognition for a positive idea (the possible "humanization" of industrial and social transformat...

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Refined and secluded, this small Piemonte town, intimate but full of character, has all the credentials to become the destination of your next trip. Its name is linked to the profitable legacy of Olivetti, thanks to which it is now a UNESCO site of extraordinary value. What to see in Ivrea? Here are a few tips. Why Ivrea is a UNESCO world heritage...

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