Having an affinity for Italy, travel, and photography has definitely influenced my app choices. There certainly are a lot of travel apps that are scrollable guidebooks and audio guides of top attractions. These are useful, but pretty easy to find on your own. In this post, I want to share some of my favorite apps as well as a few others that I think fellow Italophiles will enjoy. By the way, almost all of the apps I list below are free or very cheap ($0.99-$2.99).

Italy-Specific Apps
I haven’t had the pleasure of being in Italy since getting my iPhone, but I like the idea of the following apps. If you have any first-hand experience with these or any other useful, Italy-specific apps, please comment below or contact me on Twitter @italofileblog.

Nike Goal
The first time I came across this free app, I emailed it to Jessica, writer of the Why Go Italy blog and BootsnAll’s resident soccer (calcio) fanatic. Jessica has the iPod Touch and told me she had been enjoying this app for quite a while. It gives you the low-down on upcoming Serie A and Serie B matchups, Italian soccer players, and the shoes that they wear when they score their goals (the last one is the embedded Nike ad hook). All around a fun app for followers of the beautiful game and you don’t have to even be in Italy to appreciate it.

Comuni d’Italia
If you write about Italy or just like to know the basics about its regions and towns, this app allows you to have that information at your fingertips. In Italian, the app lets you drill down by region, province, and comune to find stuff like zip codes, population, telephone prefix (less important in these days of the cell phone), altitude, and patron saint, among other things. The app is not highly interactive, though it does have GPS functionality that I haven’t been able to use. Probably the neatest aspects of this app are that you can quickly find the official website of the community you’re interested in learning about (not always so easy, take it from me) and the list of upcoming festivals (which is, sadly, only a list – no further info is provided). A little wonky, this app, but I like it nonetheless.

iTreni
First of all, let me just say how much I love the fact that the ubiquitous “i” in iPhone apps also assists in making Italian app names grammatically correct (the trains= i treni, or iTreni). Here’s an app that I like in theory though it hasn’t gotten a lot of great reviews. That may be because the developer is not the Italian train authority Ferrovie dello Stato but an independent app creator who has tapped into the FS’s database. Still, having information about train schedules and real time arrivals and departures on your phone sure beats the old system of checking the board at the station.

iSea: Al Mare
Here’s another app that’s only in Italian, but I can imagine it being a great resource for summer travelers with some basic knowledge of Italian. iSea provides real-time information about Italy’s Blue Flag (Bandiera Blu) beaches, which are the beaches with the safest, cleanest waters. I don’t know how the app taps into this information, but I suppose it could be helpful if you can’t make up your mind between going to Sperlonga or Ansedonia.

Cibando
This restaurant locater app is in Italian AND English and lets you search for restaurants around you – great if you’re wondering around the backstreets of Florence wondering where to grab a bite without resorting to the tripe truck. You can do a search by city, cuisine, and price, read restaurant reviews and menus, and add any gems you find to your list of favorites. Cities included range from Agrigento to Viterbo and everything in between. So this has the potential to be a very fun app, indeed.

Italian Language Apps

Conjugation Nation (Italian)
If you’re like me – an Italian language learner always looking for the right word – then you will like this app. The app is an interactive quiz that helps you learn verb conjugation, which can be invaluable if you’re in Italy and need to explain what is happening or what just happened.

Flash Cards for Kids (Italian)
I made the mistake early on of downloading a few flash cards apps to entertain my son while we were at restaurants, in airports, or other situations that required his undivided attention while I TCBed (took care of business). He really took to one flash card app that had both English and Spanish components. By “took to” I mean he constantly steals my phone. So I decided to mix it up a bit and find a flash card app for learning Italian. This particular app actually has Italian and French, perfect if you’re an Italo-Francophile like Robin at My Mélange.

General Photography Apps
If you’ve got kids or just like to take a lot of photos, you definitely need a good photography app or two. There are a few apps on my phone that I use frequently.

PS Mobile
This app from Photoshop is a good app for on-the-go photo editing. You can crop, light-fill, saturate, make black/white or sepia, or utilize effects like sketch, soft focus, and sharpen. Did some tour group step into your otherwise perfect photo of the Colosseum? Crop ‘em out!

Pixelpipe
Pixelpipe is both a web app and an iPhone app that allows you to upload photos to multiple destinations all at one time. My “pipes” include Picasa, Facebook, Flickr, and Kodak Gallery, but there are dozens more, even to FTP – perfect if you have a photo blog. If you’ve read my personal blog, you’ll see in my review of Phanfare that I wasn’t too keen on Pixelpipe. But several updates later, the bugs are sorted out and I am hooked (and less enamored with Phanfare as a result).

Qik Video
If you have an older generation iPhone like I do (in fact, I got mine one week before 3GS came out!), then you don’t have a video camera app installed. This app changes all that. While I love my Flip Camera, sometimes my phone is more handy than my Flip. And, well, with the Qik app I’ve got a video camera and wireless uploading capabilities in one device. Sweet.

Quick Note on International Roaming with the iPhone
Like I said, I haven’t internationally roamed with my iPhone yet. But, in advance of my husband’s recent work trip abroad, I checked into AT&T’s iPhone Tips for International Roamers. Some of the best advice on that sheet is to make sure you use WiFi connections whenever possible and turn off data roaming. And if you want to locate Italian wifi hotspots, there’s actually an app for that, too!

Photo from slipperybrick.com

Of course, the most popular place to visit during Easter is St. Peter’s Basilica and St. Peter’s Square (Piazza San Pietro). The Pope presides over several services at the basilica during Holy Week, including morning and evening masses on Holy Thursday, an afternoon vigil on Good Friday, and an evening mass on Holy Saturday. The big event, Easter Sunday mass, is celebrated in St. Peter’s Square, where thousands gather to watch the Pope bless an icon of the risen Christ and hear the Pope’s “Urbi et Orbi” message delivered from the balcony of the papal apartments.

The Pope also travels to other churches in Rome during Easter time to perform holy rites. On Maundy Thursday, the Pope typically delivers the Mass of the Lord’s Supper at St. John Lateran (San Giovanni in Laterano), the church for the Bishop of Rome – the Pope’s other official title. After St. Peter’s, this is the second-most important basilica in Rome and worth a visit even if you aren’t in town during Easter. (Also in this area is the Scala Santa, purported to be the “holy stairs” that led to the throne of Pontius Pilate. Saint Helena, mother of Constantine, brought these stairs to Rome from Jerusalem in 326 A.D. and Christians have been venerating them ever since.)

The Stations of the Cross Vigil in the Colosseum

Click here if you are unable to see the video above.

Another intriguing site to visit during Easter is the Colosseum, where the Stations of the Cross are held during an evening vigil on Good Friday. The Pope presides over this rite in the arena where many ancient Christians are said to have been “thrown to the lions.” The Colosseum was consecrated as a church in 1749 to commemorate these early persecutions of Christians and stem the pillaging of the structure’s building materials.

Note that seating at the Colosseum on Good Friday and in St. Peter’s Square on Easter Sunday is very limited. Free tickets for these events must be reserved well in advance with your local diocese.

Leading up to Holy Week, there are several other opportunities to see and/or hear a blessing from the Pope, including on Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday is also the the typical day on which World Youth Day, a celebration initiated by Pope John Paul II, is held in St. Peter’s Square. The Pope also delivers a blessing to general audiences each Wednesday throughout the year. For more information about applying to participate in a general audience with the Pope, review this information from the Prefecture of the Papal Household.

For more ideas on visiting holy Rome, have a look at the links below. You may also visit the official website of the Vatican for information on the Pope, the Holy See, and liturgical services.

Papal Basilicas of Rome
Santa Maria Maggiore
San Giovanni in Laterano
San Paolo Fuori Le Mura

Additional links of interest
Getting Into the Vatican Museums
Italy’s Most Unusual Religious Relics
Angels and Demons Tourism

Photo © WiltshireYan

And, while I don’t often feature articles from the Italy blogs in the round-up, I had to mention these two articles from Alex Roe, the blogger behind the excellent Blog From Italy:
Ballooning Over Tuscany
Floating Self-Catering in Venice

Photo © Carol Fletcher

Italy may not be the first place one thinks of for a golfing vacation, but it does have some terrific courses set in stunning locations, many of which are near the tourist routes of Rome, Florence, and Milan. So if you’re a golfer interested in hitting the links in Italy, you’re in luck!

Golf in Italy is still very much a wealthy (wo)man’s sport in Italy, but there are a number of public courses in Italy, too. As this is a travel site, this post is going to focus on some of the most beautiful golf courses in Italy, rather than the most challenging. Bear in mind that it can be difficult to obtain access to many of the private courses in Italy unless you are traveling with a golf vacation agency or are staying in the golf resort’s respective hotel. Ready to tee off?

Pevero Golf Club, Sardinia

Location: Costa Smeralda, Sardegna (Emerald Coast, Sardinia)
Architect: Robert Trent Jones
The Pevero Golf Club, commissioned by Aga Khan in 1972,  is nestled between the Cala di Volpe and the Pevero Bays of Sardinia. Although it is considered one of RTJ’s finest and most beautiful courses, it is also known to be challenging thanks to its rugged setting and occasional strong Mistral winds.
Area Info: Sardegna Tourism Board – Arzachena

San Domenico Golf, Puglia

Location: Between Bari and Brindisi, Puglia
Architects: European Golf Design
According to Fulvio Golob, Editor-in Chief of the Italy golfing magazine Il Mondo del Golf and author of Golf Around the World: The Great Game and Its Most Spectacular Courses, this par 72 golf course is “one of the best courses in our country.” It also boasts some amazing lodging options: Borgo Egnazia Resort, Masseria Cimino Guest House, and Masseria San Domenico.
Area Info: Puglia Tourism Board

Country Club Castelgandolfo, Lazio

Location: Castelgandolfo, a village in the area south of Rome known as the Castelli Romani
Architect: Robert Trent Jones
If God were a golfer, she’d probably golf here because the Pope would be her caddy! Castelgandolfo is famed for being the site of the papal summer residence. The club house at the Castelgandolfo Golf Course is inside the former residence of Cardinal Flavio Chigi, nephew of Pope Alexander VII, who purportedly entertained his mistress La Pavona (the Peacock) there.
Area Info: Province of Rome Tourism Board

Circolo Golf Villa d’Este, Lombardy

Location: On Lake Como, one hour north of Milan
Architect: Peter Gannon
One of the most prestigious golf clubs in Europe, kings and celebrities have played the links on this par 69 course. The actual villa of Villa d’Este, located about seven miles from the course, has long been acclaimed as one of the best hotels in the world. It even has a private helipad in case you want to drop in incognito.
Area Info: Lake Como Tourism Board

Photos © Golfers Delight, San Domenico Golf Club, Dan Petersen, Circolo Golf Villa d’Este

Tuscan Hills, a painting by William F. Renzulli

The beauty of Italy has inspired countless artists through the years, including ones who live here in the United States. Today, I am profiling artist William Renzulli, who was moved to paint his ancestral home Castelnuovo della Daunia in Puglia after a family reunion visit in 2008 and who will soon be headed to Bologna to paint that city’s gorgeous medieval lines and curves as well as the landscapes of Emilia-Romagna.

Violet Sky

You may recognize William Renzulli’s surname as it is exactly the same as mine. Yes…Bill Renzulli is my distant cousin, related to my husband’s side of the family. I have actually never met Bill in person, though we “found” each other online several years ago because of our love for Italy and our similar last name. Bill provided a detailed account of his visit to the small village of Castelnuovo on his blog Reflections on a Life in Medicine & Art, which also chronicles his love of food, his painting process, family, and life in Paducah, Kentucky, the artist-friendly community in which he lives. He also provides links to many of his beautiful paintings, several of which are Italy-related, while many others are abstracts and U.S. cityscapes and landscapes made in acrylic or watercolors. Bill is quite a prolific and dedicated painter, as you will see if you check out the gallery on renzulliart.com.

As mentioned above, Bill will be Bologna bound in May. Here he describes his goals for the visit:

My goal it to seek inspiration and gather new reference material for future paintings and I plan to get out into the countryside with my camera. But what I am most excited about is the opportunity to do a lot of sketching in the city, streetscapes, architectural, and the general busyness of the city shops and storefronts.

This seems like a lovely proposition. I love the look of Bologna, with its arcaded walkways and leaning towers and know that Bill will capture these icons of the city quite well.

I don’t think that Bill isn’t taking art requests at this time. But I do know that he is seeking Bologna and Emilia-Romagna travel tips: for painting subjects, special places, restaurant recommendations, etc. However, if you’re keen to purchase a painting derived from the upcoming Bologna trip, Bill is asking for folks to pre-pay for paintings that he will do upon his return – satisfaction guaranteed or money refunded. If you’re interested in contributing tips, funds, or both, you can contact Bill through either of his websites or connect with him on the Italofile Social Network.

Lovers on Lake Como

I like to do a romance-themed post every year around Valentine’s Day for obvious reasons. So given the popularity of crowd-sourcing (and the positive response I received from friends for last month’s crowd-sourced article on Rome When It Rains), I decided to give the power of the people on LinkedIn, Twitter, and elsewhere another try. Here was my query:

If you live in Italy, where is the most romantic spot in your area?

Not surprisingly, people had strong opinions about this topic. One commenter even said, “Melanie, we cannot tell you this otherwise in no time it will be full of tourists and not romantic anymore!” (-M.G.) My response was “Ha! You got me there, M.G. What if we promise to be really quiet?? ”

Luckily, my little bit of pleading worked. In fact, I received about two dozen comments from various sources which I will share with you after the jump. Some listings are plugs for (worthy) hotels, restaurants, and tours while others are just beautiful places – known and lesser-known – that Italy insiders and Italophiles wanted to share with the world*.

So, if you visit any of the places listed below promise me one thing: please be a nice, respectful tourist so  I can continue to get Italians and expats living in Italy to share their travel secrets!

1) OK! I am Costiera Amalfitana fan!!!

• Positano ( dinner: Ristorante Bar Bruno. Owner: Ornella/ Mario A magic panoramic view! Via Cristoforo Colombo, N° 83; TEL: 089 87 53 92 )
• Ravello: Romantic day to spend in the beautiful gardens!!
• Cetara: a very small village on the coast! Too small maybe! Ristorante Acqua Pazza – good seafood! -P.S.

2) Our farmhouse offers a romantic package – Amore in Le Marche – 3 nights accommodations in a romantic rustic farmhouse apartment with breakfast daily, a custom couples cooking class, five-course feast by candlelight with local wine, a bottle of prosecco upon arrival and a horseback riding trip into the hills for only €600 a COUPLE! La Tavola Marche Agriturismo & Cooking School, Sant’Angelo in Vado, Le Marche, Italy. -A.B.

3) I would definitly say Bergamo Alta, 30 miles outside Milan. -A.A.

4) Melanie, here are a couple of very special and intriguing places:

• Il Parco di Bomarzo
• The ancient town of Calcata -M.G. (yes, the same M.G.! She came around…:-) )

5) In Rome, Villa Borghese is the most romantic place IMHO -A.P.

6) I live outside of Rome, in the Sabina. This is a completely different world from Rome, yet it’s only 30 km. I think there are quite a few romantic places here; not really in the traditional sense, maybe a bit old-fashioned, but for those who enjoy medieval-looking villages, green hills and forests, traditionally prepared food and places uncrowded by tourists, it may be just right. Though I really recommend visiting in the summer; right now it is too cold!

Here are a few places that come to mind:

• The village of Toffia: a small, medieval village with narrow twisted streets. They have one of those village festivals in the summer where everyone participates and private houses transform into boutiques, galleries and restaurants.
• Rocca Sinibalda: similar kind of village, but with a castle, situated above a lake.
• Then there is this farm house which I have been wanting to stay in, but I really live way too close to justify spending money to stay the night. I can vouch for the food and the surroundings.

Like I said, these are quite different, not for everybody kinds of places. But I’m sure everyone already knows the major ones in Rome, Florence, etc., so I thought I’d add something different. -L.V.

7) Polignano a Mare (Puglia), about 25-30 km from Bari on the Adriatic Sea. It is a magical town built on cliffs, overlooking the Adriatic Sea. Eat the best luscious and decadent ice cream in the whole Italy at Il Mago del Gelato – Mamma Mia, che delizia!

La Grotta Palazzese and Il Covo Dei Saraceni are two different hotels/restaurants: really magical places, to die for. The views are breathtaking but you might not like their prices. Fish, the freshest of the Adriatic, is their specialty, but you might leave the wallet there. It is all how you measure pleasure: in money or in memories and experiences. -V.C.

Nothing was more romantic than San Marco’s square in Venezia with the lights and the music playing at night. @PRluna

9) Sardegna! The Coral Coast (north east) is one of the most wonderful (and romantic) places in earth….absolutely no exaggeration! -A.C.

10) Check this portal from Salerno (Campania). -V.A.

11) Romance and adventure… Da Vinci Capers ~ A Personal Renaissance Journey in Ravello… A private boat trip to Positano, a swim in the caves, a dinner at the Caruso (or, for a quarter of the price – at Bruno’s), sip wine on Villa Maria’s terrace, a cooking class at Villa Eva. My Fav… -B.H.

12) My most romantic spot is on Sardinia, in the North of the island, next to where I have the privilege to live! Castelsardo and also Costa Paradiso – just breathtaking! -S.T.

13) Alice Relais and Chateaux, just outside Treviso, mmmm -M.G.

14) Melanie, if you’re writing an article, please write something different than every article for every Valentine’s Day. There are so many beautiful places in Italy from north to south for fine dining, fantastic wines and sex. (i.e., see G. Podesta’s book, A Romantic’s Guide to Italy) – from farmhouses to the Hassler. But, I like the idea of more personal effort made (not just flashing the Visa); cooking or choosing the food together for a picnic in the gardens of Villa Cimbrone (Ravello); a personally-written poem read while on a boat around Capri; taking a painting class together (my husband & I do this each year) – could be of a nude model (fantastic!) and giving each other your painting; stating ones aspirations in life while taking a walk up the Valley of the Mills (from Amalfi); make the paper first (same place) and write a love letter… you’re getting my drift. This is more from the heart and becomes meaningful and is totally fun! Barb -B.H.

15) In Sicily, the Eolie (Aeolian) Islands ( by sail boat ) and another city like Castelmola – don’t miss it!! -P.S.

16) Italy is not only the traditional crowded cites (like Venice,Rome, Florence…) or famous spots on the coasts (like Amalfi, Positano,the Emerald coast in Sardinia , Capri and many others)…..there are also the Alps! Check places like Ortisei or Cortina in the Dolomites and you will discover romantic and sweet places to stay as well. -G.P.

17) Sorrento! And I personally recommend this family-managed hotel with a fantastic view on the Naples bay. @ChiaraCosenza

18) In my area, Friuli Venezia Giulia, I’d have to say on the coast, at Duino at the Restaurant Dama Bianca in the evening looking out over the north end of the Adriatic Sea to watch the sunset in the summer

If I expand the area, I’d also say Venice in a not so touristy area, let say Nuova Fondamenta, Murano, or anywhere where you can be with your loved one

I’d suggest Alta Badia in Trentino Alto Adige rather than Cortina as it is all too crowded. The Dolomites are wonderful! I’ve really only discovered them this year through ski mountaineering trips almost every other weekend there A lovely place is between Merano and Bolzano in Trentino Alto Adige, it’s called the Vigilius Mountain Resort. Just stayed there two weekends ago: very nice and very romantic! There are so many other places to stay in lovely locations; really it’s just finding the kind of location and accomodations that fit your style (and budget!!!) and enjoy!
Thomas -T.K.

19) Sardegna, Costiera Amalfitana… all well and good, but obvious.

For me the most romantic place in Italy is dead-center of Piazza Santo Stefano in Bologna, one of the few triangle-shaped “squares” in Italy. It is also a very spiritual place, once home to a temple dedicated to Isis, now to a complex of seven churches (not all visible). It’s a mysterious and ancient place… -L.M.G.

20) As beautiful as they might be, Tuscany, Sardinia,etc are full of tourists and are an easy cliché. Polignano a Mare, the Cathedral Square of Trani… Those are really romantic and still uncontaminated by the global tourism…
Puglia in general. -C.R.

21) Venice, of course! For example Punta della Dogana, Venezia.

For a change, you could consider some places in the north of Italy, for example on the lakes:

• Santa Caterina del Sasso and Isole Borromee on Lago Maggiore
• Sirmione with Grotte di Catullo and Castello di Malcesine on Lago Garda
• Bellagio, Lago Como -P.F.

22) In Liguria: Portofino, Vernazza in the Cinque Terre, and Tellaro. -N.C.

23) Aperitivi at Villa San Michele in Fiesole sitting in their gardens overlooking breathtaking views of Florence. The roof top bar at Hotel Continental overlooking the southern side of Florence including Piazzale Michelangelo. -L.S.

24) Sirmione on Lago Garda -S.C.

Photos © canvascafe

Note: Comments and tips have been edited for grammar, syntax, or clarity at Italofile’s discretion.

Carnevale Masks in Venice

It’s Carnival time again in Italy, when Italians prepare to say “goodbye meat!” (Carnevale) by throwing lavish parties and parades before hunkering down for 40 days and nights of denial during the Holy Lenten Season.

Many travelers think that Carnevale only takes place in Venice. While Venice has the best known Carnival in Italy, there are many other cities with long carnival traditions. Let’s have a look at them:

Viareggio, Tuscany
After the Venice Carnival, this carnival, located in the seaside Tuscan town of Viareggio, is perhaps the best known and attended with around 1 million revelers expected in attendance. The Viareggio Carnival is not the oldest in Italy – it began in 1873 – but probably most resembles the type of Mardi Gras celebrations that you might see in New Orleans with papier maché floats gliding down the 2km-long Passeggiata route on several successive Sundays. Throughout Carnival time, the city also celebrates with sporting tournaments, musical events, and promotions at Viareggio restaurants.

Ivrea, Piedmont
Located near Turin, Ivrea claims fame for its historic and unusual carnival, better known as the Battle of the Oranges. This fruity but fierce battle is said to have origins back to the 12th century when the people of Ivrea ousted a local tyrant for indiscretions against a local girl. Another origin of this festival comes from the 19th century, when the Ivreani rebelled against their feudal master by discarding the food he had given them. How the town came to throw oranges at one another, I haven’t been able to figure out; Piemonte certainly doesn’t strike me as a citrus growing region. Similarly, I’m not sure what this has to do with Carnival, other than it takes place on the Sunday, Monday, and (Fat) Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. But the event is indeed one of the biggest sanctioned food fights in Europe so it may be worth checking it out.

Pulp Can Move, Baby!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xrg51k4K65w

A Carnival Float in Acireale

Acireale, Sicily
I don’t know about you, but I think Carnival is best celebrated in a warm climate (a la Rio). Warm weather just goes better with the Bacchanalian feast that Carnival and Mardi Gras fests have grown to become. So Sicily seems like the perfect sunny spot in Italy to spend a later winter holiday. (Note that the weather is not exactly balmy here at Carnival time, but typically warmer than you’ll find in Venice, where harsh Adriatic winds can chill you to the bone.) The Sicilian town of Acireale, located between Catania and Taormina, hosts Sicily’s most famous carnival, with plenty of floats and masks. “Crewes” [my word, not theirs] compete in three different categories: flower, allegorical, and miniature.

Rome
Rome hasn’t been really known as a place to celebrate Carnival for some time now. No, this is the place you come when Carnival has ended and you need to repent your sins, follow the Stages of the Cross, and all those other things on the Lenten Calendar that go with observing Christianity’s most somber season. But this year, the Eternal City has thrown its cappello into the ring and announced the revival of Carnival in Rome. The festivities are set to include a procession from Piazza del Popolo down Via del Corso to commemorate a horse race from the 15th century called the Corsa dei Berberi. There will also be commedia dell’arte performances in Piazza di Spagna, Piazza del Popolo, and Piazza Navona, as well as other fun activities throughout the Centro Storico (historic center). We’ll have to wait and see how successful this Carnival revival will be. But, come on – it’s Rome. It’s bound to be fun no matter what.

Mamoiada, Sardinia
Being cut off from the mainland of Italy all these years has allowed Sardinia to develop and more closely preserve many of its own traditions. This is certainly true of Carnevale in Mamoiada, which appears to be the most traditional – if not the most scary-looking – carnivals in Italy. This festival, which pits the black-masked Mamuthones and the white-masked Issohadores in a sort of dance with cowbells and lassos, is thought to have originated from pagan rites which were later incorporated into the pre-Lenten celebration. Truly bizarre and I’m sure truly memorable if you have a chance to visit Sardinia to witness this event.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bWIIT6IF8U

Venice
Now to the grandaddy of them all: Carnevale in Venice. This is one of the Lion City’s premier events as well as one of the biggest events of the late winter in Italy. The 10-day festival takes place across the entire city’s sestiere (districts), including San Marco, San Polo, Cannaregio, and Dorsoduro, and the islands of the Venice Lagoon (Murano, Lido, and others). Activities include magic and puppet shows for children; music, dance, and theater performances; cooking contests and food fairs; and costume contests and masquerades that see Venetians dressed in traditional clothing and, yes, those beautiful and sometimes elaborate masks that have been a symbol of Venice since Renaissance days.

In 2010, the Carnevale di Venezia also has an official game. Carnivalia is a sort of scavenger hunt across the city that lets locals and travelers get involved in the festivities in a magical way.

Carnivalia is based on twenty tales set in twenty different places in Venice. With Carnivalia, you’ll get a fulfilling adventure in the city as you’re led by Giacomo Casanova and the secrets he has decided to reveal. These tales, written by Alberto Toso Fei, are about the fun and original aspects of the Venetian carnival tradition.

As a side note, Carnivalia was devised by a company called WhaiWhai, which has created similar fantasy games for other Italian cities and currently at work on games for Paris, London, and Prague. Whaiwhai’s tagline is “Storie che cambiano il modo di viaggiare” (stories that change the way you travel), which sounds like a great way for tourists, school groups, and others  to have a fun and interactive experience with a historic city while on vacation.

Photo © Radumanolescu, lagendina

Causes you can volunteer for include teaching English, land preservation, farming help (e.g., grape and/or olive harvesting), archaeology assistance, building homes, and environmental cleanup, to name a few. Trips range from easy to challenging, making them a perfect fit for about any age group.

One of the best places to look for information on volunteer vacations in Italy is on the site Transitions Abroad. They currently list opportunities such as helping elderly and/or disabled Italians in sites near Milan, Verona, and Torino; dolphin and whale watching research in Liguria; and assisting archaeological digs near Rome.

The Earthwatch Institute has been offering educational volunteer opportunities all over the world since 1971, so it is a great site to browse if you’re looking for a diversion with a difference. For 2010, they have one working vacation with an adult and teen version. Discovering Italy’s Ancient Roman Coast allows volunteers to “excavate the Roman maritime settlement of Poggio del Molino, document all finds, collect organic samples with a palaeobothanist, and survey the area surrounding the dig site to collect, clean, and document artifacts such as pottery shards, mosaic, fresco, metal, and coins.” The teen volunteer component requires a larger monetary donation.

One of the coolest volunteer projects I’ve come across in my research is for the Art Monastery Project. Its mission is to transform an old monastery in Umbria into an international nonprofit arts production house. Although the project has already been featured in The Guardian as one of Five Great Workaway Working Holidays, the “Art Monks” still require assistance from art-loving volunteers in working “on arts projects, maintaining the grounds, cleaning the pool and guestrooms, organising concerts and artistic productions.”Leave it to these artsy visionaries for getting out the word about their needs, too. You can follow them on Twitter (@artmonastery) or on Facebook before you decide to volunteer (or to check the status of the project after you have left.)

The most typical volunteer opportunities in Italy involve working on farms. I profiled a volunteer vacation in the Cinque Terre on Italofile last year which offers travelers the chance to contribute to sustainable tourism efforts at a farm overlooking the Ligurian Sea. One of the best-connected organizations for finding volunteer opportunities on a farm are available through WWOOF, which stands for Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms. In order to work on an organic farm in Italy, you’ll need to become a member of WWOOF:

WWOOF Italia…provides obligatory accident insurance cover for WWOOFers and, providing both host and WWOOFer can produce membership cards, justifies the presence of a voluntary collaborator on a farm. The WWOOF Italia list includes biodynamic and organic farms and smallholdings, some hosts live from farming and sell their products while others just want to be self sufficient, or simply to grow their own organic vegetables. WWOOF hosts do not expect that you know a lot about farming when you come, but they do expect you to be willing to learn and fit in with their lifestyle.

Finally, Volunteers for Peace is an organization doing good throughout the world as well as in Italy. Although at the time of this writing VFP had no projects listed for Italy in 2010, it has brought on volunteer travelers for more than 200 past projects in Italy, including manual labor jobs, working with kids, environmental works, arts projects, and more. The following video explains the agency’s mission. And you can also follow them on Facebook to find out about upcoming working holidays, whether in Italy or elsewhere:

Please note that volunteer vacations, which often involve manual or moderate labor, are the cause of many accidents abroad. If you do intend to take a volunteer vacation anywhere, make sure you check in with your country’s consulate or embassy before you travel so they have a record of you should you need medical assistance.

Do you know of other volunteer vacations in Italy? I am especially eager to learn if there are any ongoing needs for volunteers in earthquake-ravaged Abruzzo. Please comment with any details below!

Photo © clickr62

Am going to Rome in late March/early April with three young kids. I lived there for a year when I was younger, so I know all it has to offer, but I have one fear. What do we do if it rains???

Rome is a city best seen outdoors, what with sights like the Forum and the Colosseum and activities like window-shopping and piazza strolling. Of course, there are also plenty of indoor options if your Rome vacation is sidelined by rain. While I had a few ideas to offer, such as tucking inside some of Rome’s magnificent churches, I decided to “crowd-source” answers to this question on Twitter, LinkedIn, e-mail, and elsewhere. Here’s what friends had to say:

• Musei Capitolini, Centrale Montemartini, Crypta Balbi, and Palazzo Massimo [these latter two part of the National Museum of Rome -MMR] are my favorite museums at the moment; visit to the Roman excavations under the Vatican; Taste the BEST ice cream in Rome at Mela e Cannella. I repeat: the BEST! -B.G.
• More museums: Galleria Borghese, Vatican Museums (very big! you can lose a day inside it and you don’t see everything!). FYI, the Vatican Museums are *free* the last Sunday of the month; this is also the only Sunday it is open. If you are a musicophile, go to the Auditorium. Currently there is also a “Science Festival”. Going around for churches when it rains means getting a lot of rain -A.P.
• You can also check Il Museo dei Bambini, in Via Flaminia. -M.G.
• Other tips: Palazzo delle Esposizioni – on the Via Nazionale: this is one of the most modern cultural centres in Rome, hosting exhbitions and cultural events. Till February 14th there is an interesting exhibition to commemorate Galileo Galilei: the man who first pointed his telescope towards the sky. For more info: http://www.astrieparticelle.it. Interesting also for children.
  * The Ara Pacis , a more than 2,000 year old Altar of Peace; it is housed in a modern building designed by the U.S. architect Richard Meyer.
  *Why not also to try a typical ESPRESSO COFFEE at one of the most famous caffetterias in the city: Caffè Sant’Eustachio; This small place near Pantheon has been roasting its own coffee beans since 1938! -D.N.
• Galleria Borghese is a must!!! There’s an exhibition right now featuring Caravaggio and Bacon, not to say the “permanent exhibition”: statues (Bernini at his best, Canova, …) and paintings (Raffaello, Caravaggio, Canaletto, and more). The palace is beautiful in itself, and if it stops raining after you exit you are in Villa Borghese…
  Another wonderful museum is Palazzo Massimo, near Termini Station, with a huge collection of coins (really impressive), statues, paintings, etc. from the Roman age.
  Musei Capitolini (on piazza del Campidoglio) deserve also a visit: of course Musei Vaticani too but there you’d likely spend a all day (prepare to a huge queue or book somehow your ticket).
  Nice exhibitions are also held in Chiostro del Bramante, near Piazza Navona, Scuderie del Quirinale, and Palazzo delle Esposizioni, both in the same zone (near Via Nazionale).
  A beautiful church is San Clemente, between Colosseum and San Giovanni, along Via di San Giovanni: it is a church (actually a Irish monastery) with mosaics, frescos and gothic architectures built upon an old basilica which, in turn, was built upon a mithraic temple: and you may visit them all. Just a time travel…
  Also in San Pietro in Vincoli (not far from the Colosseum) you may enjoy Michelangelo’s tomb of Giulio II with the famous “Moses”.
  There are some cinemas which play undubbed movies, for example Warner Moderno, Metropolitan and Nuovo Olimpia.
  And, by the way if the rain is not heavy, to walk in the narrow streets of Rome is lovely and romantic: the Ghetto, Trastevere or also the English cemetery near Piramide Cestia (among the graves of Keats, Shelley and Gramsci) in Testaccio are wonderful under the rain. -P.C.
• What about the possibilities to discover the mediterranean cuisine, with some small cooking lesson and ideas about seasonal menu? A lot of people don’t know the right time to eat fruits and vegetable and images strawberries grow all the year!! Chocolate: what a wonderful world: a little lesson about chocolate and ice cream: story, components, productions, menu. -S.C.

All of the above are pretty good suggestions and I’ll add a few more:

• Check out the MAXXI, a contemporary art museum that recently opened in the heart of the city.
• The kids may like the Museo Civico di Zoologia, or the Natural History Museum, which is located in the Villa Borghese. It has all sorts of animal skeletons, insect exhibits, and a T-Rex skull.
• Also for the kids: a visit to a toy store. There are a couple of good ones near Piazza Navona, including Al Sogno.
• A bus tour may also get you out of the rain for a while. Consider the Archeobus, which can be picked up on the fly at several locations throughout the city using a Metrebus card or a Roma Pass card. It is a relatively inexpensive way to see the sites of the Appia Antica in the comfort of a dry coach.

My experience with spring rainstorms in Rome is that they are sudden and soaking, but don’t usually last for long. So, be sure to pack a small umbrella and/or lightweight raingear in case you are caught in a downpour. There are also a lot of hotels in Rome that are attractions unto themselves. Another great idea to while away the time is to find the nearest trattoria or pizzeria while you wait out the rain.

Photo © Beppe 1977