Travel Italy: Vacation Packages, Tips, Tours of Italy

A Truffle Fair, was inaugurated Friday, February 24, in Norcia, Umbria.

It is the 43rd edition of the Norcia’s Truffle Fair, a exhibition celebrating one of the local specialties: ‘Tartufo Nero’ (Black truffle).

Several food tasting involving the many local specialties such as : ‘lenticchie’, ’salumi’ and local cheese (Norcinerie) are scheduled through Sunday, March 5.

The events are concentrated in two spell: from Feb 24 through Feb26; from Mar 3 through Mar 5.
Two gastronomical week-end are worth to experience; the area is famed for genuine and tasty local specialties, and for its natural sceneries (Parco Sibillini in the surroundings)

Unfortunately Norcia is not served by rail; you can get there from Rome traveling by train up to Spoleto station, and then from there with continuing by bus. The same from Perugia: train up to Spoleto and then bus.

Today is ‘Giovedì Grasso’ (Fat Thursday) with 5 days to go to the ‘Martedì Grasso’ (Fat Tuesday, Feb 28, last day of Carnival) the Carnival’s events program is becoming more intensive.

We try to list the most important ones scheduled in the next days at the Carnival of Venice.
However for the complete program of the countless events scheduled in Venice through Feb 28, follow the links at the bottom of the post.

- Thursday 23 February -

- LA MORESCA
Traditional carnival dance that shows the battle between Moors and Christians.
Where: Saint Mark’s Square
Time: 3.00 pm

- THE MOST BEAUTIFUL MASK OF THE CARNIVAL 2006
Parade and pageant
Start time: 4 PM (any day through Feb 28)
Where: Saint Mark’s Square

- “TALES & SONGS FROM WEDDINGS & FUNERALS”
Goran Bregovic and The Wedding & Funeral Band
Time: 9.00 pm

- VENEZIA SUONA AL CARNEVALE
Time: 4.30 pm
Jazz, blues, East popular music, Brazilian music, Balkan music
Time 9.00 pm
Where: (more…)

A Wine Festival, ‘Benvenuto Brunello’, will be taking place in Montalcino, Tuscany, on February 24 and 25.

The event celebrates the new vintage; also will be presented the Brunello 2001 and the 2000 Reserve.

Importers buyers, wine passionate, critics, and journalists from all over the world are expected to attend to ‘Benvenuto Brunello’.

Brunello di Montalcino is one of the favorite Italian wines in America, with 25 percent of the production exported in US. The Montalcino area is famed for wine production, other appreciated wines from there are: Rosso di Montalcino, Moscadello, the whites and reds of Sant’Antimo.
( Browse Accommodation in tuscany bookable online )

Saturday, February 18, started Milano Moda Donna 2006, the women’s fashion week in Milan.

Along this international fashion show, where worldwide top designers will present 101 Women’s Fashion collections Fall/Winter 2006/2007, 150 other events are being scheduled in this week that run through Feb 26.

From dining events organized by fashion designers, celebrities, and rock stars to various shows and exhibits; among them, the Photography exhibit ‘Sex and Landscapes’ by Helmut Newton at Palazzo Reale.

.The complete schedule of the events is available everywhere in the city.
Click here for the complete schedule of the women’s fashion collections

As ‘La Notte Olimpica’ in Turin has been a successful initiative, a second edition of the event has been scheduled for Saturday, February 25.

The announcement was given, after that Saturday night Feb.18, more than 350,000 people crowded the Turin’s streets, taking advantage of museums, art galleries, cafes and restaurants open until the early-morning hours, in what is being called, ‘Olympic Night’ or better: ‘White Night’.

The event was jointly organized by ‘Regione Piemonte’, ‘Torino 2006 Committee’, and ‘Trenitalia’. Trenitalia has offered tickets at 5 Euro for train rides up to 300 km distance.

‘La Notte Olimpica’ scheduled for Saturday, Feb 25, will be extended to the mountain locations hosting the competitions.