Highlights: Visiting Italy for the Holidays

Our new, free 35-page, downloadable guide Christmas in Italy (filled with great photos too!) is a the perfect resource, whether you're traveling to Italy for the holidays or want to bring some Italian influences to your celebrations at home. Here are some highlights from the guide:

The Holidays in Rome

• Rome is home to the largest continuous Jewish population in Western Europe. The community celebrates the beginning of Hannukah on December 11 with the lighting of the Menorah in Piazza Barberini.


• Italians are crazy about their creches (presepi) and you can see 100 of them at the Sale del Bramante in Piazza del Popolo between November 26 and January 6.


• An alternative to midnight mass at St. Peter's - how about a magical service inside the Pantheon? Get there early. We've also got a full list of English-language Christmas masses.

Italian Holiday Traditions

• Traditionally Italians eat seven fish courses for La Vigilia di Natale (Christmas Eve). The origin of the "seven" is a mystery. Many believe it is based on the number of sacraments, others say it relates to the phases of the moon. Some Italians even serve 13 fish dishes, 12 for the apostles and one for Jesus.


• While Babbo Natale (Santa Claus, Father Christmas) is growing in popularity, Italian children can't wait for the Epiphany (January 6) when La Befana brings gifts.


• Quick Italian lesson - I piu cari auguri per un sereno Natale e per un anno nuovo ricco di soddisfazioni - Dearest wishes for a peaceful Christmas and a satisfying new year
  Italian tradition says that if one eats lentils on the first day of the year, the year ahead will be rich and rewarding. (Great lentils recipe in the guide.)

Get more on celebrating Christmas and New Year's, Italian style, in our free guide Christmas in Italy

Nero's Banquet Hall Opens to Public

Although the Roman scholar and official, Suetonius,described Nero as “average height, his body marked with spots and malodorous, his hair light blond, his features regular rather than attractive, his eyes blue and somewhat weak, his neck over thick, his belly prominent, and his legs very slender” in his The Life of Nero, he more than acknowledged Nero’s penchant for luxury.

In late September, one of Nero’s most lavish rooms was discovered during routine maintenance in the Domus Aurea, or Nero’s Golden Palace, in Rome: a revolving banquet hall.

According to Suetonius’ account, “There were dining-rooms with fretted ceils of ivory, whose panels could turn and shower down flowers and were fitted with pipes for sprinkling guests with perfumes. The main banquet hall was circular and constantly revolved day and night, like the heavens.” Lavish, indeed.

At the time of unveiling, lead archaeologist, Francoise Villedieu, said the dig had shed light on the hall’s foundations, the rotating mechanism underneath which is thought to have been powered by a constant flow of water and a space believed to be kitchens.

In late October, the newly discovered area was opened to the public for the first time from the Vigna Barberini Terrace on Palatine Hill. No reservation is required and one ticket grants access to both the Colosseum and Palatine Forum. Tickets can be purchased online and picked up at the Colosseum and cost 9 euros, plus 3 euros extra when there's an exhibition. -- Michael Lowe

Introducing the Italian Gift Incentive Program

Dream of Italy wants to be YOUR SOURCE for unique and inspiring Italian Christmas gifts - including our always-popular holiday gift subscriptions - so we've devised a BONUS PROGRAM to encourage you to shop with us! It applies to everything in our inventory - from a subscription for yourself to Italian Christmas cards to our latest collection of Venetian glass jewelry.

Spend $110 OR MORE* in our store, including subscriptions, and receive:
our Sampler Set of Christmas Cards
OR
Venice in Snow Cards ($16.95 value)
AS YOUR FREE BONUS!!

SPEND $200 OR MORE* in our store, including subscriptions, and receive:

the new book Dreaming of Florence ($45 value)
OR
an online subscription to Dream of Italy w/DVD ($79 value)
AS YOUR FREE BONUS!!

*Total spending (can shop multiple times) BEFORE SHIPPING is added, on purchases made between November 1 and Christmas.

Florence's Piazza Duomo Now Traffic-Free

Two weeks ago, over 2,000 buses, taxis, cars and scooters disappeared from Florence's Piazza Duomo. No, it was not part of a massive, simultaneous grand theft auto, it was, merely, the law.
In September, Florence mayor Matteo Renzi announced that by October 25th, the square would be completely vehicle-free and declared a pedestrian-only area.

Gone are the honking taxis slowly passing through the crowds. Gone are the lumbering busses blocking that perfect photo op. Gone are fumes induced by thousands of puttering motors. Here to stay are new photographic angles never before shot and leisurely strolls around the famous Florentine architecture without the threat of a bumper to the behind.

Construction on the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, more commonly known as the Duomo, began in 1296 and completed in 1421 and remains the fourth largest church in Europe. The edifice itself is comprised of multiple pieces including the aforementioned cathedral, Brunelleschi’s Dome, the tower, known as the Campanile di Giotto, and the Battisterio di S. Giovanni.

Accompanying the car-free Piazza were celebrations and new bus schedules. The 2,000 rerouted busses were sure to cause some stir, but, luckily, good preparation met possible disaster in stride and new Florence bus maps were promptly and preemptively distributed. -- Michael Lowe

Tuscan Town of Volterra Launches "New Moon" Tour

Surely by now, you've heard about, if not read some of (it is not just for teens and tweens) the Twilight series books by Stephanie Meyer. The second film installment of her Vampire saga - New Moon - is due to hit theaters November 20th and Tuscany plays a starring role...

You see, in the story, the royal family of vampires, the Volturi, hail from the Tuscan town of Volterra and the main characters find themselves there in a dramatic turn in the story. For the In honor of the movie, the tourism office of Volterra has put together a unique three-day tour package.

Whether you're into the vampire series or not, find out why Volterra is worth visiting and learn more details about the tour!

October 2009 Issue - Special Report: Treasures of Tuscany

The October 2009 issue of Dream of Italy is a special report - Treasures of Tuscany - exploring the hidden corners of one of Italy's most popular regions. Here is what paid subscribers will be reading about:

• Lingering in Lovely Lucca
  
• The Lucca Details: Hotels, Apartment Rentals, Restaurants, Private Guides and Great Shopping


• Studying Italiano in Lucca


• Historic Locanda Toscanini - Transformed by an American Journalist and her Italian Architect Husband


• La Petraia: An Organic Farm and Little Piece of Paradise in Chianti

Ready to dive into this issue but not a paid susbcriber? Become one today and get access to this issue, more than 70 other, 10 issues over the coming year and the BONUS DVD Visions of Italy: The Great Cities!

Italian Cities Vie for 2020 Olympics

The President of the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI), Gianni Petrucci, will face a multiple-choice decision in endorsing a 2020 Olympics candidate after Bari (one of the major cities in Puglia) declared its interest in Olympic candidacy joining Palermo, Rome and Venice.

In response to Bari’s move, Petrucci joked, “There are as many cities bidding as there are pizzas in Naples.” According to Inside the Games, Petrucci is worried about how the international community will view this Italian outcry for the Olympics. Any city bidding for candidacy must be endorsed by CONI, but no city has yet to consult the Italian Olympic Committee before making their interest public.

Rome narrowly lost the bid to Athens in 2004 by 25 votes and has been the only other Italian city to host the games in 1960, although Turin hosted the Winter Olympic Games in 2006 However, a 2020 Olympics in Rome would also mark the 150th anniversary as Italy’s capital.

CONI will wait until next year to decide on a city and the final decision made by the International Olympic Committee will be in 2013. -- Michael Lowe

When in Rome...Find Free Drinking Water

When I was in Italy three years ago, I found myself holding a beer more often than not. No, it's not because I'm an alcoholic, but because a glass of beer was that much more cost-effective than a glass of water. And, let’s face it, who’s not on a budget these days?

Whether it's bubbly or flat, water, for some strange reason, tends to be the most expensive liquid in Europe and “tap” water just doesn’t seem to exist in some restaurants.

However, next time in Rome, you might be able to forgo the expensive acqua naturale and fill up your own Nalgene or Sigg bottle at a drinking fountain for free. The NY Times has discovered two Web sites with downloadable maps pinpointing Rome’s free fountains.

The first is from the Acea Group, an Italian industrial group managing energy, waste and, of course, water. Acea’s map shows dozens of blue pedestals scattered across Rome including high traffic areas such as the Coliseum and Pantheon. The PDF can be downloaded on this page under the link Mappa dei Nasoni – cartina.

The second, and more straightforward Web site is Watermap – a big blue icon announcing “Gratuita!” announces the suitable place to click. Watermap is similar to Acea’s version, although with more street names and detailing (it’s also a bit more colorful, if you’re the aesthetic type). Watermap’s website also has this cool video posted front and center.

Watermap from WatermapRoma on Vimeo.

Whichever map you decide, you now have the tools to confidently visit Italy’s capital city knowing you can save a pretty euro by taking advantage of its extensive network of fountains. Move aside, Trevi – you’ve got company. -- Michael Lowe

Shroud of Turin To Go On Display in April 2010

From April 10 to May 23, 2010, the Holy Shroud of Turin will be on display at the Cathedral of Torino. This will be the first time the Shroud will be seen by the public since 2002 when it underwent a restoration to remove patches and burnt pieces of cloth. It was last on display in the Jubilee Year 2000.

The Shroud itself is a linen sheet woven in a herringbone pattern and is said to have been made before Christ. Embedded in the fabric is a faint impression of an image reminiscent of a crucified man which have led followers to believe it is the piece of fabric draped over Christ’s body before burial.

But, with the faithful, come the prudent. Over the years, radio carbon dating has produced evidence that the Shroud was actually made during the Middle Ages, well after Christ’s death and, just last week, an Italian scientist, Luigi Garlaschelli claimed that he recreated a copy of the Shroud by painting a piece of fabric with pigment, baking it in an over and then washing.

Garlaschelli claims this is evidence enough to disprove that the Shroud is real, but for a brief period in the spring of 2010, you can decide for yourself. Bookings to see the Shroud can be made starting in December at http://www.sindone.org/ - Michael Lowe