Travel Italy: Vacation Packages, Tips, Tours of Italy

On June 27 the town of Amalfi, in the Amalfi Coast, celebrates its patron saint, Saint Andrew.

Amongst the celebrations, visitors are also able to taste local culinary specialties in the streets.

It’s a chance to taste seafood — fresh, fried, stewed, boiled — cooked according to traditional Amalfitan recipes.

When: June 27 (annual)
Where: Amalfi - Amalfi Coast

A couple of suggestions for those who are planning a driving trip to Amalfi Coast.

Do not drive there, unless you are an experienced driver — I mean an experienced one on Italian roads.

Driving along the Amalfi Coast is really not easy, especially for foreign tourists. You’ll have to face with snake two lane roads and with parking hard to find.

So if you want to avoid any headaches, choose an option other than driving when visiting Amalfi Coast. (see alternative options to driving to Amalfi Coast)

Here is some basic transportation advice for those who are planning tours to Amalfi Coast and Pompeii. Basically, they are alternative options to driving.

- Pompeii
If you fly into Naples, from Naples airport, get the bus to Naples station. From there, take the suburban train towards Sorrento, getting off at Pompei Scavi.

- Amalfi Coast
For trips along Amalfi Coast: from Sorrento you can take local buses to Positano, Amalfi, Ravello, the most visited — and that worth to see — places on the Costiera Amalfitana.

For those who fly into Rome, a quick trip to Amalfi Coast requires a couple of days at least. However there is a fast train from Rome to Salerno. From Salerno you follow the suggestions above.

Pizzafest is undoubtedly the major Pizza festival in the world.

With Pizzafest, Naples dedicates to its most famous food, annually in September, eleven days of celebrations.

It is the best chance to taste the genuine “Pizza Napoletana” in the city where this delicacy was invented. Many restaurants and pizzeria in the city offer pizza and other local delicacies at special prices.

When: Sep 11- 21, 2008 (annual)
Where: Naples
Find out details and programme at http://www.pizzafest.info

On August 31, the coastal town of Amalfi — Amalfi Coast, celebrates the Byzantine New Year’s Eve.

It’s the celebration of the former Byzantine New Year, the beginning of the New Year according to the old civil calendar of the Byzantine Empire.

Piazza Duomo is the venue for most of the celebrations, including costumed parades, medieval tournaments and the proclamation of the Duke of Amalfi on September 1st.

When: August 31 (annual);
Where: Amalfi - Amalfi Coast.