Italy is land of Art and Culture. Opera is born in Italy in the XVI – XVII century . Opera is an art form in which drama, singing and music are combined in striking performances. From Italy it soon spread through the rest of Europe and now it is appreciated by fans from all over the world.

Some of the world famous Italian Opera writers are Rossini, Donizetti, Bellini, Puccini and Verdi.

During the summer period, the Opera performances move from the most prestigious Italian theaters to the gorgeous open air theatres. From  these beautiful Arenas located in equally beautiful landscapes, Italian summer evenings are brightened by great music!

In this section we will present the major Opera Festivals that will take place in Italy during the summer months.

55° PUCCINI FESTIVAL - Torre del Lago (Lucca) – TUSCANY , July 10th to August 22nd

Torre del Lago hosts since 55 years one of the most important opera festivals in Italy and Europe: the Puccini Opera Festival, founded  in 1930 by Giacomo Puccini itself that lived and worked in this enchanting village in the Tuscany Riviera, near Lucca and Pisa.

Bohème, Turandot and  Manon Lescaut  will be performed this year, together with a great new production of Tosca.

The nice village of Torre del Lago lies in Tuscany is a few kilometers away from one of the most exclusive beaches in Italy: Versilia. Near the beautiful art city of Lucca and close to the world known Pisa.

The official website of the Puccini Festival

ROSSINI OPERA FESTIVAL - Pesaro, from 9th  to  20th August

This year will be the 30th edition of the Festival dedicated by the town of Pesaro to the master Gioacchino Rossini.

Apart from the classic masterpieces of the Rossinian canon, which have here been restored to their authentic form  the Festival can also boast a long list of unknown titles, revived in important productions, which critics and audiences alike have greeted in each case as authentic cultural events

The 2009 programme includes the Opera Zelmira, La scala di Seta, Le Compte Ory and many concerts.

The official website of the Rossini Opera Festival

RAVELLO FESTIVAL - Ravello  - AMALFI COAST,  June 26th – September 26th

The Ravello Festival is one of the oldest festivals in Italy.

During the whole months music, dance a and various art performance make this gorgeous village in the Amalfi Coast even more attractive to Italian and foreignThe main festival location is an attraction by itself: a gorgeous open air theatre built on the cliff in the breathtaking Amalfi Coast.

The offcial website of the Ravello Festival

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53rd International Art Exhibition - Venice - Giardini and Arsenale - from June 7th to November 22nd, 2009

Sunday June 7th,  the 53rd International Art Exhibition opens to the public. This exceptional event is located in the two main exposition areas in the Giardini and the Arsenale  as well as in various other locations around the city.

In the beautiful Giardini area will be hosted the 29 Pavilions of the participating countries. Set amidst tall trees, the pavilions themselves form a sort of anthology of important twentieth-century architecture. While the Italian Pavilion is located in the Arsenale area: the renovated and enlarged Italian Pavilion will overlook the adjacent Giardino delle Vergini and will be one of the main innovations of this year edition. The Pavilion will also host a special exhibition within the exhibition, “COLLAUDI. Omaggio a F. T. Marinetti“.

The theme of the 53rd International art Exhibition is “Making Words” and wants to emphasize the process of artisitic creation, as each artist with his work of art wants to represent a vision of the world. Works from 90 artists from all-over the word and all forms of artistic expression are represented: painting and drawing, sculpture, photography, video and film, installation art, performance and a live parade.

A great number of collateral events will make the visit –if possible- even richer.

And, of course, the magic city of Venice, where art and culture are the tissue of the city and its life, will be the superb scenery for this great event.

For any traveler interested in Classic as well as Contemporary Art, a visit to Venice and the International Art Exhibition are a “must see”.

Discover our Exclusive Italy Tours from the “Italian genius” series that includes the musts sees of Italian Art and will always include a few days program in Venice.

Summer has arrived and this is the best moment to travel or to plan your dreamed holiday to Italy!

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* Discounts for “Family and Friends” and “Travel For Free” Offers cannot be combined, nor can be combined with other offers. Discounts are applicable only to final customers booking directly online through our website or through our customer service.

Spring is in the air … the plants in flower perfume the air, the weather is mild and sunny … and it is nicer and nicer to travel in Italy, to discover its territory and culture. To make this travel experience really unforgettable, you cannot miss the local traditional events that in this period of the year cheer daily life in Italy!

In this section we will present the major local events that will take place in Umbria during the month of June.

Cantine Aperte Long Edition - Montefalco, May 30 to June 01

“Cantine Aperte ” (Open Wineries)  is the most important wine celebration in Italy. Every year, during the “Cantine Aperte” week-end more than 1000 wineries all over Italy are open to the general public and tourists visits, and offer a variety of entertainment activities. This event is organized by the “Wine Tourism Movement”,  whose aim is promoting wine tourism and improving the wine areas’ image and prestige, as well as their economic development. In Umbria the main area involved is Montefalco, known for its Sagrantino wine.

The official website of Movimento Turistico del Vino

Giostra della Quintana - Foligno, 12 and 13 June

Foligno is a small town  in the heart of Umbria and Italy. The  Quintana is a jousting tournament which in June and September renews the challenge among the knights of its ten wards, since centuries. It is an exciting challenge where each knight, riding his horse, has to catch a series of rings (which gradually become smaller and smaller) hanging from a wooden statue called “Quintana”. It is a great feast of people, colors and passions, but also an accurate historical and scenic  reconstruction of the Italian Baroque, that reaches its highest expression during the historical parade, the night before the tournament.

The official website of La Giostra della Quintana

Le Infiorate - Spello, 13 and 14 June

This event takes place during the Christian Celebrations for Corpus Domini. As the Italian name indicates, the “infiorate” are flower carpets that represent beautiful drawings. For days before the event, the local artists prepare the drawings and the local people search for the fresh flower petals in the countryside. Then,  during just one night (one long night when the whole village stays awake) the “infioratori” decorate the village streets. The result is an incredible carpet woven with fresh flower petals in beautiful colors and decorations that covers the streets of the village, where the “Corpus Domini” Procession will take place, the morning after.

The official website of Le Infiorate di Spello

Il Mercato delle Gaite - Bevagna, from 19 to 28 June

This events  is a strict historical re-production of the village life in the Middle Age. Visiting Bevagna during this 2 weeks is like travelling with the “time machine”! The whole village will be transformed in a typical Umbrian village during the  1200s. You will encounter local people dressed with typical medieval costumes;  traditional workshops perfectly working are opened to the public in these days;  special “open air restaurants” will prepare local food according to the old recipes. Activities and entertainments during the whole period will make this event unforgettable!

The Official website of Il Mercato delle Gaite

La Fioritura di Castelluccio - Castelluccio di Norcia,  from 21 to 28 June

Would you like to visit Umbria and have the occasion to experience one of these incredible events? Browse our wonderful Tour in Umbria:“The Heart of Italy”

End of Tour

• After breakfast, private transfer from Pietrasanta to Florence and then from Florence to your departure airport by speed train.

(Meals: B – Private car + Train transfer from hotel to the airport)

End of Tour

• After breakfast, private transfer from Pietrasanta to Florence and then from Florence to your departure airport by speed train.

(Meals: B – Private car + Train transfer from hotel to the airport)

End of Tour

• After breakfast, private transfer from Pietrasanta to Florence and then from Florence to your departure airport by speed train.

(Meals: B – Private car + Train transfer from hotel to the airport)