Forget ducking in to hundreds of tiny shops with restricted hours, these bustling outdoor markets are what shopping during the Christmas season is all about in Italy. We’ve picked the liveliest ones where you’re most likely to find local handicrafts. Buone feste!

Related resources:
For year-round shopping–
Designer Bargains in Italy

Discount outlet database

Milan
"Oh Bej! Oh Bej!"(oh beautiful, in Milanese dialect) street fair…Started off as a street party for the city’s patron, St. Ambrose in 1288, has morphed into a long weekend with a big market From 6-9 December, around the square of St. Ambrogio, navigli area.

Florence
Inaugurates its first Christmas fair, from Dec. 6-22 in piazza Santa Croce. Modeled on the city of Heidelberg’s the square will be filled with little cottages for booths.

Bologna
Fair of Santa Lucia in Strada Maggiore, until Dec. 28 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Naples
From Dec. 1-31 in the streets of San Gregorio Armeno and San Biagio dei Librari, famous for hand-carved crèche statues. This year’s sell out is sure to be Vittorio Emanuele di Savoia. Per information tel. 081.5523328

Rome
The eternal city has t wo Christmas markets:Piazza Navona Dec. 1-Jan 6, ornaments, crèche statues, delicacies.Natale Oggi 7-15 Dec. Also good for clothing, antiques, books, music. Via Torri in Sabina 14 (info tel. 06-86328824)

Northern Italy has the oldest tradition of Christmas markets, here are a few:

Trento
In piazza Fiera until Dec. 24 . Ornaments, dried flowers, candles, typical sweets and local handicrafts. For info: tel. 0461.983880

Bolzano
In piazza Walther until Dec. 23. The town livens up considerably for the Christkindlmarkt look out for related concerts, entertainment for kids and special tours of the city. For info: tel. 0471.307000

Bassano del Grappa (VI)
From Nov. 24-Dec.24, in Piazza Garibaldi. Home & tree decorations, crèche figurines.

Merano (BZ)
One of the few markets on until Dec.31, every day from 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Christmas decorations, gifts, scented candles, local sweets and spices, wood crafts. Entertainment for kids every day around 5 p.m. For info: tel.0473 235 223.

The Eternal City pays homage to the old god of the grape with a new space dedicated to wine — including free tastings. The Temple of Dionysus, which takes up three floors formerly dedicated to a convent library, is now all about regional wines spanning the Bel Paeseand a permanent exhibit on the latest techniques in wine production. Afternoons are set aside for tastings for small groups with a sommelier as a guide.

The Rub:
Events (concerts, exhibits, wine tastings) are free but for the latter you must reserve.
"Il Tempio di Dioniso," via Quattro Fontane 113, Rome
tel. 06-57301575
email: info@iltempiodidioniso.it

Recognizing an overwhelming desire to own land under the Tuscan sun, the regional government has decided to auction off over 250 farmhouses and villas — some starting at 49,000 euro.

Although agricultural councilor Tito Barbini pointed out that the 264 lots aren’t of particular historical value and many are in need of restoration, leagues of Toscana lovers would probably be interested in snapping up an abandoned mill in the hills surrounding Arezzo.
In Casentino, province of Arezzo, an entire village is up for grabs starting at 300,000 euro while in the Mugello region near Florence, bidding for the Villa al Giogo with surrounding woods will start at 210,00 euro.
When properties go on the block at the end of this month, it will be the second auction the region has held in two years. Villa Tegoni is undoubtedly the jewel of the auction, near Radicondoli (Siena), with a stunning mosaic courtyard, well, chapel and 60 hectares of farmland.
Rumor has it that the Villa, for which bids start at 2 million euro, has attracted the attention of a member of the English royal family as well as reigning rock king Bono.

Related resources:

www.regione.toscana.it

The Most Beautiful Villages of Tuscany

For many visitors to Italy, any small village may seem picturesque enough but some of the most quaint ones are now competing for special certification.
The national association of cities (ANCI) has awarded the title, compared to DOC certifications for wines, to the “most beautiful villages of Italy.”

Some, like Paciano, had to make some creative moves to meet strict standards. Inspectors visiting the town in the province of Perugia were horrified by antennas marring the otherwise perfect medieval views to lake Transimeno. City officials scrambled to find a solution and finally hit upon one which satisfied judges — painting the antennas pink to blend in with buildings. Over 50 villages applied, but about half were found to meet standards.

Sperlonga, sea side village south of Rome was thought to be a cinch for the "beautiful village" title but harsh inspectors criticized visible phone and power lines. After pleading with judges, the village was admitted on grounds that it will find a solution to the modern eyesore. The towns, all with 2,000 or fewer inhabitants, will be re-certified every two years.

The winners probably won’t ring a bell (yet) with most Italy lovers, but may well become popular destinations:
Apricale (IM), Compiano (PR), Vigoleno (Comune di Vernasca, PC), Dozza (BO), Montefiore Conca (RN), Orta San Giulio (NO), Vipiteno (BZ), Chiusa (BZ), Poffabro (Comune di Frisanco, PN), Asolo (TV), Arquà Petrarca (PD), Castellaro Lagusello (Comune di Monzambano, MN), Poppi (AR), Castiglione del Lago (PG), Paciano (PG), Bevagna (PG), Collalto Sabino (RI), Castel di Tora (RI), Sperlonga (LT), San Ginesio (MC), Visso (MC), Moresco (AP), Castelmezzano (PZ), Otranto (LE), Morano Calabro (CS), Scilla (RC), il Ricetto di Candelo (BL) and historical centers of Venosa (PZ), Acerenza (PZ) and Cisternino (BR).

The Most Beautiful Villages of Tuscany
Views guaranteed…

Almost ten years after a Mafia bombing ripped it apart, the ‘Room with a View’ hotel has reopened in Florence.
Room number 411 of Hotel degli Orafi was used to frame the unforgettable kiss between newlyweds Lucy and George in the film version of the E.M. Forster classic — because the hotel stand-in for the fictional Pensione Bertolini had, in fact, no view.

The night of May 27, a Mafia bomb near the Uffizi tore apart the most historically dense center of the city — killing five people, injuring over 100, damaging art works, destroying the Gergofili Academy as well as historic hotels like the Orafi and the Hotel-Pensione Quisisana, which also had a part in the 1986 film. After nine years of restoration, the hotel with its famous view to the Ponte Vecchio has opened to guests again.

Related resources:
Read this classic tale of Italy’s influence on a young woman’s life

Take a virtual visit to Florence with the film version…

Photo gallery of the destruction & restoration of the hotel…

Mummies galore, bomb shelters, Roman cisterns, waterways and haunted freezer chambers are some of what’s underfoot in the country’s main cities.
Exploring the underbelly of Italian cities brings out the Indiana Jones in even the most jaded visitor, but information on how to start “excavating” isn’t easy to come by.
Here’s what you’re likely to see Palermo, Naples, Milan Turin and Rome and how to go about it.

Naples
The city boasts one of the most extensive next work of underground passages –an estimated 279 miles. Visitors descend 30 steps through a trap door at the "Underground Association" (Associazione Sottosuolo) to behold a Greco-Roman cistern.
www.napolisotterranea.com
Site for group organizing tours. Hours: Monday-Friday noon–4 p.m., Thursday 9 p.m. Weekends 10-6 p.m.

Palermo
The underground of the island’s main city is lies the "well-populated" city of the dead where 8,000 mummies elegantly wrapped, line the corridors. The practice of burying the defunct underground continued until 1881 when it was finally declared unhygienic. The only changes made since were the metal grates–to keep stray bones from falling on visitors. The Catacombs are in piazza dei Cappuccini, directly under the convent.
They’re open daily from 9 a.m. to noon and from 3-5 p.m.

Rome
Only five of the eternal city’s 60 catacombs are open to the public and all of them keep different hours.
Staff pick: San Sebastiano.
St. Agnes, -Via Nomentana, 349 (closed Sunday momings/Monday afternoons)
Priscilla, – via Salaria, 430 -(closed on Mondays)
Domitilla, via delle Sette Chiese, 282/0 (closed on Tuesdays)
St. Sebastian – via Appia Antica, 136 (closed on Sundays)
St.Callixtus – Via Appia Antica, 126 – (closed on Wednesdays)
www.catacombe.roma.it
Info and image gallery.

Turin
Elegant palazzi from the 1800s house secret passages that allude to the city’s more tumultuous past– underground raid shelters from WWII and passage ways used in military defense in the 1700s.
The famous natural ice caverns called "little hells" (infernotti) are said to be haunted by the ghost of a young girl murdered in the 1800s.
The tours, which last three hours, are offered Wednesday and Friday nights at 8:30 p.m.
www.somewhere.it
Info and reservations online.

by Nicole Martinelli
posted June 26 @20:32

After the success of street theater for sun-baked tourists stuck in long lines for the Uffizi, the city of Florence has organized another series of summer concerts. While waiting to see Botticelli’s Venus, visitors will be lulled by remakes of the Beatles in a jazz key and classical music from Haydn to Vivaldi. This will hopefully distract them from writing on walls and depositing gum, currently two popular time killers while waiting to view masterpieces.
“We aim to improve life in the piazza and foster a high quality of tourism,” said culture assessor Emilio Becheri. “The initiative helps meet the expectations of visitors.” Apparently, this includes being entertained while standing in a line that sometimes snakes all the way down to the river Arno. Some 44 concerts are planned from Tuesday-Sunday, morning and afternoon, until September 22.?1999-2004 zoomata.com
This is an original news story. Play nice. Please use contact form for reprint/reuse info.