The magic and explosive “Brindellone” comes back in Florence!

As it uses to be, also this year Florence will celebrate Easter Day with the spectacular “Burst of the Cart“. The event will take place in Piazza Duomo on Sunday April 4th 2010 at 11.00 am.

We’re talking about a very ancient Florentine ceremony which has its origins in the age of the first crusade which took place in order to rescue the Holy Sepulchre from unfaithful people. A big cart, called “Brindellone” and decorated with ornaments, is carried by white oxen along the streets of the city, from Porta al Prato to piazza Duomo.

The cart is linked to the Dome Main Altar by a steel thread, and during the daily midday mass, the Cardinal Archbishop lights a rocket in the shape of a dove, Easter peace’ symbol, which will come down through the thread ‘til the “Brindellone”, which full of fireworks will burst with lights and colors. How wonderful!

Legend says that if the little dove didn’t reach its destination, it symbolized a bad harvest that year: nowadays, if it happens people think that it could be a good or a bad omen for the city of Florence. So, why not to watch such an event at least once in your life? A wonderful celebration for everyone, both adults and children, to live a moment of joy together with Florence citizens!

And it could be a perfect occasion for visiting Florence! We wait

No, we’re not talking about a geographical discovery, but an original exhibition held in Genoa!

In fact, from March 2010, the Royal Palace in Genoa will host an exhibition called “Isole mai trovate – Undiscovered islands”, an international project.

This is the first stop of an itinerary which will bring the artworks to France, Spain and Greece, a project by Lóránd Hegyi, Director-general of Musée d’Art Moderne of St.Etienne, the museum hosting the third most important collection of Modern Art in France.

The masterpieces have been created by over 40 renowned international artists who, on this occasion, represented their own “undiscovered island”,

Yes, you’ve got it! This year the 10th edition of Milano City Marathon will finally have its official medal, which will award all the participants who will be able to cross the finishing line on April 11th.

As the Milano City Marathon press agency affirmed, the medal design has been chosen among several projects created by students of Liceo Artistico Boccioni of Milano, Istituto Professionale di stato Caterina da Siena of Milan and Liceo Artistico Villa Reale of Monza who participated in the competition.

As it used to be, visitors will find also the Marathon Village, which will be set up in Largo Feltrami from Thursday 8th to Sunday 11th April. In addition, the most expected sport event in Milan schedules important side events: the Charity Program, linked to the Relay Marathon, and the Milano School Marathon.

We’re talking about not only a day dedicated to fun and sport, but also an opportunity to

Since ever Tuscany has been renowned all over the world not only for its wonderful landscapes but also for its magnificent villas: the Medicean villas around Florence, those in Liberty style in the province of Lucca and the farmhouses in the Chianti district and in Maremma.

Not to mention the aristocratic palaces and the historical residences in the centers of many cities of art, including Arezzo, Siena, Pisa, etc.

Even the famous tenor Enrico Caruso, at the apex of his career, decided to buy two villas on the Florentine hills. In short, Tuscany is really rich in villas.

And in the last few years an increasing number of tourists have chosen to spend their holidays in a villa in Tuscany. Would you like

Of course, also the original and up-to-date Blog about all the news & events in Italy and the main Italian cities is now on the most famous social network in the world: Facebook!

Now you can find all the information you need also on the page of About Italy on Facebook! It’s really easy, become our fan and you will receive real-time updating about events, exhibitions, performances, sport and cultural events in the most beautiful Italian cities: Florence, Milan, Pisa, Rome, Siena, Turin, Venice…and don’t forget about the valley of Mugello, the Versilia coast and the Region of Liguria!

Italy is full of wonderful places to discover and visit among mountains and the sea, from the North to the South…you will be spoilt for choice! In order to know the events of the week, you need just a click and will find

Once again, Turin will be the protagonist of winter sports, this time by hosting the 100th ISU World Figure Skating Championships.

Such a fabulous event, organized by FISG (Federazione Italiana Sport del Ghiaccio) and Torino Olympic Park will take place from March 22nd to 28th 2010 at Palavela in Turin, which wil host fantastic performances by over 200 athletes from all over the world! Emotions that will make you shiver…

On this occasion, an audience of more than 30,000 people is expected to attend, a show documented by the world radios and Tvs through the presence of over 350 international journalists.

In fact, the event will be shot by RAI in Italy, and will be broadcasted in all the continents by the main international tv networks, such as EBU, CBC, CCTV, FUJI TV, SBS.

A great appointment which will be followed by a TV audience of about over 300 millions people. A mix of creativity, aaaa

The most expected and refined itinerary into taste will come back soon: Taste n. 5, as usual offered by Pitti Immagine.

This year, the renowned gastronomic event will take place from 13th to 15th March 2010 at Stazione Leopolda in Florence, for delighting and satisfying the palate of expert or simply curious people. Three days full of tasting, buying, delicacies and events dedicated to food.

Taste. In viaggio con le diversità  del gusto will take place in a great showroom featuring 200 specialist and èlite companies which will let you discover and rediscover the treasures of Italian food and the biological diversities of food in the global age.

Taste is an exciting experience which everyone can try, from Haute Cuisine to simple visitors, for whoever loves cooking, special ingredients and high quality food.

Lost into Taste, visitors will have the chance to discover and follow different itineraries divided

Here we go again! The marathon of Rome is coming again, this year at its 16th edition and it intends to pay homage to the legendary Olympic Ethiopian champion Abebe Bikila, 50 years after his barefoot challenge at the Olympic Games of Rome in 1960.

Are you ready to run? The start is scheduled on 21st March 2010 at 9.00 am from Via dei Fori Imperiali (near the Coliseum) in Rome, in order to start a lovely spring with a day entirely dedicated to sport and fun.

One of the most expected sport events, which boasts of the stunning

Once again, from March 19th to 21st 2010, La Spezia is going to celebrate St. Joseph’s Day, patron saint of the city, with its famous town fair.

The city of La Spezia, located in the Eastern Riviera of the Region of Liguria, every year hosts thousands visitors coming from other Italian regions. Traditionally, the town fair counts about 800 typical stalls belonging to hawkers and craftsmen coming from the province of La Spezia and the neighboring Regions – Emilia Romagna and Tuscany -  and from Northern Italy.

The event was conceived in 1565 in order to develop the trade of the area. In fact, visitors will find on sale many typical products, delicacies, sweets, toys, clothes and shoes, junk jewelry and any sort of household and gift items.

From 9.00 am on March 19th, the town fair will take place for three days in

Punta della Dogana, the triangular-shaped Center for Contemporary Art located in Venice, since last June 6th has been hosting many works belonging to François Pinault’s collection.

The former monumental port of the city will host a permanent exhibition entitled “Mapping the Studio: Artists from the François Pinault Collection” until June 6th 2010. Therefore, visitors will still have a few months to go to the stunning and picturesque city of Venice in order to visit Palazzo Grassi, which together with Punta della Dogana, will be the background