When I’m not visiting Italy or writing about Italy I really enjoy watching travel shows about Italy. The Travel Channel, PBS, BBC, and other outlets all show Italy travelogues from time to time and I love them. I’ll almost always pause to watch aerial views of Capri or listen to historical details about the Colosseum. But many of these videos leave me wanting more: more views of real life and real people in Italy.

Enter “A Year in Italy,” a new video by travel journalist Steven McCurdy. This video love letter to Italy begins with a montage of video clips from Italy trips from the 1960s and continues with gorgeous, modern-day shots of famous and not-so-famous spots from all around Italy, from fountains to gelato stands and from village markets to bustling ports. McCurdy introduces his film by answering the question he is often asked, “What is your favorite place in Italy?”

“It depends. It depends on whether I’m talking about art, or history, or sheer beauty. It depends on whether I’m talking about the people, the piazzas, the pizza. It depends on the time of year and time of day. It depends because I like so many different places for so many different reasons.

“The real answer may be that I try not to have favorite places. I try to have memorable places. I have so many memorable places I would hate to list them as favorites for fear that a new discovery would upset the whole balance. After all, I still have so many places yet to explore.”

I think all of us who have had the opportunity to see Italy on more than one occasion can certainly agree with McCurdy’s sentiment. I feel like I have so many more places in Italy to discover and I have discovered some new ones with “A Year in Italy.” Some of the less-visited corners featured on the 4-hour, 2-disc set are Sardinia, Procida, Gubbio, and Matera, and McCurdy also goes to hidden spots in Rome, Naples, and Venice. The titles on each of the discs are “My Private Italy,” “Bringing Home Sardinia,” “Postcards from Italy, ” and bonus features “Every time I come to Rome” and “Montage of Venice.” Here is a little sample of type of lovely film-making you’ll see on “A Year in Italy”:

Steve McCurdy’s Venice

McCurdy really does cover the whole of the boot. If you want to know more about this and other travel videos, visit the website for Questar Entertainment.

It has been a pleasure to watch “A Year in Italy,” so I wanted to give Italofile readers a chance to enjoy this lovely video set with my first giveaway!!

Here are the details of the contest:

• To enter the “A Year in Italy Video Giveaway” contest, leave a comment below answering the question, “How would you spend a year in Italy?” Be as concise or as elaborate as you want.
• Anyone can enter. Please note, however, that this DVD is NTSC Region “0″ and will not play on all DVD players. See these DVD format guidelines for additional information.
• If you want to write a whole tome on how you’d spend a year in Italy, you can write a post on your blog and have two chances to win! Blog entries, please link to this post (http://www.italofile.com/2010/05/12/a-year-in-italy-video-giveaway/) and comment below with a link to your post.
• Winner will be selected at random from all entries. There will be no extra points for creativity, though I may re-tweet the best blog entries on Twitter.
• Contest deadline is 11:59pm EDT on Thursday, May 20, 2010.

Good luck and spread the word!

Full disclosure: Questar provided this video for my review and for the giveaway.

Related posts

• Visiting the Vatican and Rome During Easter
• The Lost Leonardo
• Six Places to Celebrate Carnival in Italy
• Round-up: Italy in Winter, Hidden Salami, Timelapse Tuscany, and more
• Pocket Film Prize: I Make My World

In my first round-up of the Hill Towns of Umbria, I discussed the towns of Assisi, Gubbio, Montefalco, and Orvieto. The list of hill towns in Umbria is, in fact, exhaustive, and also includes the region’s capital Perugia. In this post, I wanted to focus on a few more worth visiting. They are Spello, Spoleto, Todi, and Trevi.

Spello: Walls, Flowers, and Frescoes

The steep streets of Spello

Situated a few miles south of Assisi, this little walled town with a serene air overlooking the Valle Umbra reminds me of a miniature Assisi. Although it’s well-known for its medieval walls and Roman gates (built when the town was known as Hispellum), Spello has a softer, artistic side. The annual event Infiorate di Spello brings visitors from all over the region and Italy to view gorgeous, sweet-smelling portraits and dioramas made only of flowers. If you can’t be in Spello in early June (the typical date of the flower fair), it is still worth going on a side trip here to enjoy the astounding Pinturicchio frescoes in the Baglioni Chapel in Santa Maria Maggiore. These frescoes are considered some of the artist’s best work, prompting many to call the Cappella Baglioni the “Cappella Bella.”

Spoleto: Roman Past, Artsy Present

View of Spoleto and its famous bridge

Right along the Via Flaminia (yes, that same Via Flaminia that leads from Rome right outside Piazza del Popolo) is Spoleto, a strategic city for the Romans (then called Spoletium) and even site of a battle with Hannibal during the Second Punic War. Spoleto has tremendous Roman, medieval, and Renaissance roots, boasting a Roman amphitheater, the six-towered Rocca Albornoz citadel, and the Ponte delle Torri, the massive “towers bridge” that was an impressive feat of engineering in the 14C.

While the city has lots of the typical central Italian attractions, it is today known chiefly for the Festival dei Due Mondi, or the Festival of Two Worlds. The comprehensive arts festival goes on for two weeks each summer (usually from mid-June to July) and includes opera, theater, dance, and other performances. The festival was begun in 1958 by Spoleto native Gian Carlo Menotti, but is now run by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs resulting in quite a controversy in Spoleto and certain arts circles. You can learn more about the Menotti’s side of the controversy here or just visit the Festival dei Due Mondi’s official website. Let’s hope that this conflict over intellectual property rights and a family legacy will not spill over to end what has been one of Italy’s longest running and best known arts festivals.

Todi: “World’s Most Livable City”

Todi's lovely Piazza del Popolo

A town that’s been billed as the “world’s most livable” must be a nice place to visit, right? Absolutely! Spread on a hill overlooking the Tiber Valley, Todi has what some consider the most beautiful square in Italy. Three medieval palaces – the Palazzo dei Priori, the Palazzo del Capitano, and the Palazzo del Popolo – front the Piazza del Popolo, producing a scene so picturesque that the square has been used multiple times as a film set. Todi’s compact city center has also earned it accolades from a University of Kentucky architecture professor who, in the 1990s, proclaimed Todi as an ideal city because of its human scale. For better or for worse, that proclamation set off a real estate frenzy among buyers from all over Europe and the United States. But there are still plenty of Tudertini to keep the local traditions alive. Though Todi is charmer, the best reasons to visit are its antique fairs – the Rassegna Antiquaria d’Italia (in April) and the Mostra Nazionale dell’Artigianato (in August and September) and the spectacular temple of Santa Maria della Consolazione, a masterpiece by Bramante and one of the best examples of Renaissance architecture in Umbria.

Trevi: Ancient Temple, Fountains, and Olive Oil

Vertical Trevi, a classic Umbrian hill town

Unmistakable Trevi and its medieval buildings flower on the Umbrian hillside like clusters of edelweiss on a mountain. Some visitors even compare Trevi to an Umbrian Positano (the famous town on the Amalfi Coast) because its appearance from a distance resembles the practically vertical nature of the cliff-side village. Trevi was yet another outpost during Roman times because it was at the crossroads of three roads (“tre vie”), including the Via Flaminia. Trevi boasts dozens of churches, including the church of Sant’Emiliano, whose belltower crowns the hill upon which Trevi sits.

Two of Trevi’s most famous attractions, however, aren’t in Trevi at all; they lie just below the town by the Clitunno River. The Fonti del Clitunno, a series of lagoons, islands, and springs, is an oasis in landlocked Umbria. The tranquil spot was lauded by Byron, Italian poet Giosué Carducci, and Roman poet Virgil. The other sight near the River Clitunno is the Tempietto del Clitunno (Little Temple of Clitunno), long thought to be a Roman construction but it actually dates  from sometime between the 6-8C. It’s a beautiful example of classical architecture that’s unusual to find in these environs. Finally, Trevi, which is surrounded by gorgeous, silvery olive trees (including the olive tree of Saint Emiliano, dated at about 1,700 years old) is known throughout Italy for its fine olive oil. That is some accolade given that the region as a whole is known for its oil! If you are passing through Trevi, stop by and pick up a bottle of its delicious, artisanal oil. Two good places to try are Frantoio Gaudenzi and Gradassi, located in the hamlet of Campello sul Clitunno. Gradassi also runs its own trattoria which features typical Umbrian fare.

A video of pure tranquility: The Fountains of Clitunno

If you are unable to see the video, click here.

If you are planning to visit any of Umbria’s hill towns, don’t just do it on a day trip from Tuscany. Consider renting a villa in Umbria to enjoy the slower pace of life and (relatively) smaller crowds.

Photos © BlueSky71, VisitSpoleto, VivianaG, TreviTurismo

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Springtime is a very popular time to visit Rome and the Vatican City. And for good reason. The weather is warmer. The gardens and parks are in bloom, with huge pots of azaleas providing a burst of color on the Spanish Steps. And for the thousands of churches, it is time to celebrate Easter.

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

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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!

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.

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

Related posts

• Italy Summer Article Round-Up 2008
• What’s On in Italy: February 2009
• What’s On In Italy: April 2009
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• The 2008-2009 Opera Season

This installment of Italy travel articles includes two videos that I thought were worth sharing. Enjoy the round-up!

Skiing in Abruzzo [The Guardian]
Luxury Bargains: Italy in Winter [The Independent]
If You’re Ever in Florence, You Have to Visit This Mediocre Trattoria I Know [The Onion]
CBP to Foodies: No Hiding the Salami [Update: Travel Better]
Is Italy the ‘Citizen Kane’ of Travel? [World Hum video, below]

Venice in Winter [Financial Times]
Alone (or Almost) with Michelangelo in Vatican City [New York Times]
Fresh Powder Meets Fine Dining at Cortina d’Ampezzo [NYT]
The 31 Places to Go in 2010 (includes Gargano, Puglia) [NYT]
Tuscany – Timelapse Impressions [Matador TV video, click on the link]

Photo © madiash

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Examining the ampoule of San Gennaro's blood

No matter if you’re a devout Catholic or a curious non-believer, you should make a point to check out a few of Italy’s many religious relics. More than 2,000 years of Christianity has produced numerous fascinating, if not gruesome, stories. And it seems that for every Biblical tale, there is a relic housed in Rome, the Vatican, or in one of Italy’s thousands of churches. Here are a few unusual relics that you can put on your next Italy itinerary.

The Shroud of Turin
This is perhaps Italy’s most famous relic, housed in the Cathedral of Turin (Duomo di Torino) in the Piemonte region. The Shroud is a linen cloth that bears “the image of a man who appears to have been physically hurt in a manner consistent with crucifixion,” according to Wikipedia. In short, the image on the Shroud bears a striking resemblance to the collectively agreed upon image of Jesus Christ and is thought to be Christ’s burial shroud – thus, the relic’s significance among Christians.

As with all religious relics, the Shroud’s authenticity has been doubted. Even the Catholic Church has yet to formally endorse the Shroud. And a recent scientific study confirms the shroud as a relic of the Middle Ages (i.e., NOT 2,000 years old). Nevertheless, this sacred relic (called Santa Sindone in Italian) is well-protected by the Brotherhood of the Holy Shroud.

Because of the Shroud’s delicate nature, it is not always on display. However, in 2010, Turin will host an exhibition for the Shroud. From April 10 to May 23, 2010, the Shroud of Turin will be on exhibit for thousands of visiting pilgrims. As of this writing, online tickets have yet to go on sale. So check back with the Torino Tourism website for more information.

The Blood of San Gennaro
It’s hardly surprising that a hot-blooded place like Naples would have a relic made of blood (see main photo above). Each year, the city of Naples awaits the liquefaction of the blood of Saint Januarius (San Gennaro), which is stored in an ampoule in a reliquary in the Naples Cathedral. An early saint of the church, having been beheaded during Emperor Diocletian’s anti-Christian raids in the 4th century, San Gennaro is the patron saint of Naples. The liquefying of his blood, which can happen up to 18 times per year, is thought to signify a miracle and helps protect Naples from calamities, such as the eruption of Mount Vesuvius.

Michelle Fabio explains more about the Feast of San Gennaro for Italy Magazine. She has also posted a link to the video of the Procession of San Gennaro, which you can watch below:

The Holy Foreskin (Currently Missing)
David Farley’s book An Irreverent Curiosity: In Search of the Church’s Strangest Relic in Italy’s Oddest Town was one of the inspirations for this post. In his book, Farley writes about the town of Calcata, located in the region of Lazio (Rome’s region), where the Holy Foreskin – yes, the skin from Jesus Christ’s circumcised penis – was kept for centuries until its disappearance in 1983. Farley has devoted himself to this subject, so you’d do well to read his book to learn about the relic and Calcata, which is known as a “village of freaks.” But here’s an interesting tidbit: apparently Saint Catherine of Siena wore the Holy Foreskin as a ring. Now that’s some devotion.

Mary’s Holy Belt
The Virgin Mary didn’t leave behind a piece of her body for future Christians to revere. But she did leave behind a belt. The story goes that Mary gave this sacred accessory to Apostle Thomas as she ascended to heaven. The Prato Cathedral acquired the relic in the 14C and has kept it in a precious silver reliquary ever since. In fact, a special chapel was built to house the relic and the church also commissioned artists Michelozzo and Donatello to build an exterior pulpit, from which the relic is ceremoniously displayed to crowds below.

Unlike the Shroud of Turin, the Sacra Cintola is made of a more durable material – green wool – so the church readily displays it five times a year: Christmas, Easter, May 1, August 15, and September 8. Prato is located in Tuscany, just north of Florence, so it is hardly off the beaten track should you wish to visit.

Relics in Rome
Being the center of the Christian universe, Rome has, perhaps, the most holy relics per square mile of any other city in Italy. And here you will find some wonderfully odd ones, including Saint John’s severed head in the church of San Silvestro in Capite (also the National Church of Great Britain in Rome); the “doubting finger” of Saint Thomas (in Santa Croce in Gerusalemme); papal innards in the church of SS. Vincenzo e Anastasio near the Trevi Fountain; the Santo Bambino in Santa Maria Aracoeli; and “evidence” of souls trapped in purgatory at the Museo delle Anime del Purgatorio (nicely explained by Jessica at WhyGo Italy).

I’m sure I’ve missed a ton of unusual relics in Italy. So, what’s your favorite?

Photos (top to bottom): sangennarofeast.org,Torino Turismo, Gwilbor.

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Here’s a great way to bring Italy home – learn how to make Bolognese sauce! There are dozens of instructional videos out there, including this recent one from Epicurious.com. But two of the best I have found – that adhere to the original ingredients and techniques from Italy – come from Mario Batali, the Italian-American chef who used to have a fantastic show on the Food Network, and from ItalianFoodNet.com, an Italian language website devoted to food.

It’s fun to see Mario and Chef Alessandro preparing the ragù. I’m definitely inspired to make my own!

Chef Mario Batali’s Bolognese Sauce

Ragù alla Bolognese fron ItalianFoodNet.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHzN6232c60

Photo by Carpe Feline

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As part of the 53rd Venice Biennale, there is an online video-making competition aimed “at young people from around the world aged between 18 and 26 years of age for video-works made using mobile phones.” To enter Pocket Film Prize: I Make My World,” participants must submit a video of any genre no longer than 1 minute in length and pay a €5 entry fee. Uploads will be accepted until September 30, and prizes will be awarded on October 30.

If you’re a young videographer between 18-26, this is your chance to make history and have your video featured on La Biennale Channel, the video website for the Venice Biennale. Additional details about the competition are available here.

Photo by Fensterbme

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Italian wine enthusiasts (that includes most of us, right?) may find this past weekend’s 60 Minutes story on Italy’s Antinori family intriguing. Considered one of Italy’s premier winemaking clans, the Antinori have been in the wine business for more than 500 years. Today, even the Antinori daughters are in on the act. To learn more about the Antinori family empire, which includes vineyards and restaurants in Tuscany, Umbria, and around the world, check out antinori.it.

Watch CBS News Videos Online

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Over the weekend, 60 Minutes had a fascinating piece on “The Lost Leonardo,” which is Leonardo da Vinci’s storied painting of the Battle of Anghiari. Italian art historian Maurizio Seracini believes that the missing artwork lies behind a giant Vasari painting in the Palazzo Vecchio:

“He is convinced Leonardo’s mural lies protected behind an immense painting, which was done by the artist and architect Giorgio Vasari when he remodeled the palazzo in the mid-16th century, 50 years after Leonardo.

“Seracini believes the Leonardo mural is on a second wall behind Vasari’s painting, separated from it by a small air gap, which appeared on a radar scan. Of the six Vasari murals in the room, only the one has an air pocket behind it.”

Watch the video to see how Seracini and his team are using modern technology to “see behind” Vasari’s painting and to look at other underdrawings beneath Leonardo’s paintings.

Photo from Wikipedia

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