Travel Italy: Vacation Packages, Tips, Tours of Italy

The annual chocolate festival of Turin, “CioccolaTÒ“, will be held from February 22 until March 3, 2010.

Chocolate tasting as well as a number of cultural events and initiatives based on the theme of cocoa are to take place in the historic piazza Vittorio Veneto.
The Turin’s historic cafes host many of the events scheduled at CioccolaTÒ.

when: from Feb. 22 to Mar. 3, 2010 (annual)
where: Turin

Turin offers visitors tours allowing the public to experience first-hand the making of exclusive objects.

This special series of tours, named “Thrill of Luxury“, offers visitors the chance to see, for example, scents being bottled, yachts being built and dresses being designed.

Top manufacturing companies open their doors to the public for the event.

The Thrill of Luxury tour series, held only on selected Fridays and Saturdays, is ending next week-end. Info can be found at Turin Tourist Board Website or contacting contact@turismotorino.org .

Turin offers chocolate lovers a 10-day festival filled with events and initiatives based on the theme of cocoa.

CioccolaTO’, this annual chocolate festival of Turin, features amongst other events, shows, competitions, cultural events, chocolate classes and of course endless tastings.

Piazza Vittorio Veneto and the historic cafes of Turin will be hosting most of events from March 6 through March 15.
You can find the full programme at http://www.cioccola-to.com/evento/.

When: from March 6 to Sunday, March 15;
Where: Turin.

With the New Year the fashion discount season kicked off in most of Italian cities. With premier designer shops offering quality items at very cheap prices, it is an unmissable opportunity to fill up your wardrobe with the best designer fashion.

To locate the best designer shops in the major art cities located at walking distance from major tourist attractions, please have a look to our shopping in Italy guides.

If you have a chance to travel a few km outside the city center, don’t miss the opportunity to visit the only-designer outlets.
You can find the best designer deals there. Just to suggest few in the surroundings of major art cities:
- in Rome: McArthurglen Outlet in Castel Romano , 15 km away from Rome Eur (details here); Valmontone Outlet, along the motorway A1 Rome - Napoli (details here).
- in Florence: McArthurglen’s outlet in Barberino del Mugello (about 20 miles north of Florence) and
the Prada outlet in Levane-Montevarchi (about 30 miles south of Florence; direction to Arezzo).

The fashion sales season actually go on until early March, however in the early weeks of January you can catch the best bargains.

Below the 2009 winter sales start dates for the major cities and tourist areas.
- Jan 2: Napoli (Capri, Amalfi Coast and Campania), Trieste, Potenza
- Jan 3 gennaio: Bari, Bologna, Catanzaro, Genoa (Liguria), Milano (Lombardy), Palermo, Rome, Turin (Piedmont), Venice (Veneto)
- Jan 6 gennaio: Ancona (Marches)
- Jan 7 gennaio: Florence (Tuscany), Perugia (Umbria), Bolzano, Trento
- Jan 8 gennaio: Cagliari
- Jan 10 gennaio: Aosta, L’Aquila (Abruzzo).

For those who are looking for Christmas markets while visiting the major art cities in Italy during the holiday season, here is a quick guide listing the most important ones.

- Rome
The most traditional Christmas market is the Piazza Navona’s Christmas market. Piazza Navona is an ideal place to experience the flavour of the festivities in Rome.

- Florence
Recommended is the Mercatino di Natale Heidelberger. Held in the Piazza Santa Croce, it is a five-century-old market.

- Naples
Major Christmas market in Naples is held in the Chiaia district, where a Christmas village is being set up. Chiaia district is the center of the Neapolitan festivities.

- Bologna
Fiera di Natale is the traditional Bologna’s Christmas market. It is held next to the Cattedrale di San Pietro.

- Turin
In Turin, we suggest the Christmas market held in the piazzas and gardens of Borgo Dora within the Maglio and Ciliegi courtyards.

- Venice
The Campo Santo Stefano’s Christmas market, taking the name after the historic square of Campo Santo Stefano where the market is taking place. You’ll be able to buy there craft-made Venetian products there as well as a variety of regional gastronomic delicacies from all Italian regions.