PUCCINI OPERA FESTIVAL 2011 - July and August

Torre del Lago, home of the Puccini Festival, lies between the Lake of Massaciuccoli and the Tyrrhenian Sea, 4 kilometres from the magnificent beaches of Viareggio on the Tuscan Riviera, and only 18 kilometres from Lucca and Pisa. 

The festival attracts approximately 40, 000 spectators every year to its open air theatre, just a few steps from the Villa Mausoleum where Giacomo Puccini lived and worked.  His mortal remains are now in a small chapel just outside the villa. 

Torre del Lago is a favourite destination of opera lovers and tourists who wish to visit the places where the most beloved composer of the 20th Century lived.

Vogalonga is a 30km non-competitive rowing race where hundreds of boats of every shape and form get together with hundreds of Venetian and foreign rowers. It is being held in Venice on Sunday 12th June 2011.

This day of festivity, completely devoted to rowing, makes it possible for Venice and the lagoon to be rediscovered along the race's singular course.

The first edition of the Vogalonga originated in 1974 to find a solution for the degradation of the lagoon due to noisy boats with outboard motors. Five hundred old Venetian boats gathered following the same route today.

Now the boats number more than 1700 with about 5000 rowers and Venetians are almost a minority in comparison with vigorous crews coming from all over the world. A medal is given to all the participants that cover the whole itinerary.

For accommodation in Venice during Vogalonga, contact us.

ROME’S ALL NIGHT CELEBRATIONS FOR UNIFICATION

MARCH 16 2011

NOTTE TRICOLORE

For the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy, the city of Rome has put together an entire program of events which begins with the Notte Tricolore (translated as the “three-coloured night” - the three colours being green, white and red of the Italian flag) on the evening of the 16th March.

Romans have been invited to decorate their windows, balconies, terraces, gates, courtyards and shop windows with the Italian colours.

The city centre will become one big coloured stage, hosting street performances and fireworks, military bands in concert, musicals, plays and lectures, guided tours. Many of Rome's most beautiful historic buildings will be lit by spectacular architectural projections.

Almost all of the events are free of charge, and the party kicks off in the Piazza del Campidoglio at 7pm.