Travel Italy: Vacation Packages, Tips, Tours of Italy

The Rome City Council introduced a ban of eating any snacks in the Rome’s historical centre.
So the most popular places to visit will be off-limits for street snackers.

The ban is also extended to drink or to encamp or erect makeshift shelters — in zones which have a particular historic or architectural value.
Those not complying with the law are liable to a fine of between €25 and €500.

Some other art cities in Italy, such as Florence, Bologna and Venice have already taken such measures to protect popular tourist spots in the city.
In Venice, for example, people were already prohibited from eating snacks in the hugely popular St. Mark’s Square. 

Rome celebrates the anniversary of its foundation from April 20 to 22.
The Eternal City was founded by Romulus in 753BC, with the start of the works, as tradition says, on April 21. So this is the date Romans annually celebrate the birth of Rome, so called “Natale di Roma“.

Circo Massimo is the venue hosting most of the events.

An impressive historical parade is among the major attractions of Natale di Roma. It is an ancient Rome-costume parade starting at Circo Massimo and going through major other historic sites, Via del Teatro di Marcello, Piazza Venezia, Via dei Fori Imperiali, Colosseo to end at Circo Massimo.

The “Dea Roma” is a contest celebrating the beauty of the Goddess of Rome. It draws female candidates from everywhere — Roman citizenship is not needed to apply to the contest — with the winner who will lead the great historical parade crossing Via dei Fori Imperiali on Sunday April 22.

The website gsr-roma.com offers details on how to apply as well as schedule and information about the Birth of Rome celebrations.

When: Apr 20 – 22, 2012 (annual);
Where: Rome – Circo Massimo (Directions by Metro: B line, get off at Circo Massimo).

Those who would like to know more about the Christmas tradition of Nativity Scene should consider to have a look at a couple of events taking place in Rome during the Christmas season.

A major exhibition of Nativity Scenes, One Hundred Nativity Scenes, is held annually at Sala del Bramante in Piazza del Popolo in the months of December and January.
It features over 200 pieces by Italian and foreign artists, with designs ranging from classical 17th-century Neapolitan and Sicilian styles to more contemporary ones.

Also, visitors will be able to admire the Presepe di Piazza San Pietro — the representation of Nativity Scene held in Vaticano — under St. Peter’s dome, on the St. Peter Basilica parvis, in front of the obelisk, throughout the Christmas season.

One of the most spectacular squares in Rome, Piazza Navona, hosts the biggest and most traditional Christmas Market of the Eternal City.

The stalls featuing all the local Christmas delicacies, the nativity scenes and many various events taking place in and around the square during the festivities, offer the best chance to experience the flavour of Christmas in Rome.

In Piazza Navona, on January 6 — the last day of the Xmas festivities — kids can meet the Befana, the old woman who comes to deliver them gifts.

When: from early December through January 6 (annual)
Where: Roma – Piazza Navona

The 2011 summer sales season in Italy starts on July 2nd. Unlike the previous years, in 2011 there is a single start date — July 2nd — for each of the Italian regions.

Our usual recommendation: even the sales season runs through a couple of months, you get the best deals only if you are shopping in the early weeks.

Another piece of advice we can offer to tourists who are visiting Florence, or Tuscany, or Rome, is paying a visit to the large fashion malls located in the surroundings of the cities.
They include hundreds of stores featuring top designer brands all in one place. There, you can buy designer items at very reduced prices — this is the case all year round, even better during the sale season.

A few addresses you could find helpful about fashion malls: in the surroundings of Rome — 15km away from city center — “Castel Romano Designer Outlet”; “Valdichiana Outlet Village” is a very handy fashion mall for those who are visiting Tuscany or Umbria; if you are visiting Florence you could visit The Mall in Leccio Reggello, it is just 33km away from the city center.