Italian Clubs, Events, Lifestyle; Travel Italy

If you have never seen an old Fiat 500, you can admire one perfectly preserved in this photo (click over to enlarge it) taken in a narrow street in the center of Rome.

Maybe few of you (non-Italians) know that Fiat 500 also had often served as a family car in Italy late ‘50.
(photo by valerius25 - via Flickr.com)

Carnival season is ongoing. Should you visit Italy these weeks prior the ‘Martedì Grasso’ day (‘Fat Tuesday’, the Carnival closing day, on Feb 5), we suggest you of attending a Carnival parade. You have so many options. Parades are taking places the three Sundays prior the Carnival closing day, on  Shrove Tuesday, and on ‘Martedì Grasso’ (Carnival closing day).
The most renowned Carnival is in Venice. Below is a list of more major Carnival celebrations taking place across Italy.

Tuscany: Foiano della Chiana ( see on the map), Viareggio ( see on the map) and Florence (where a Cosmopolitan Carnival celebration is held on Feb.3).

If you visit Piedmont these days the famous Carnival Orange battle (see video) in the town of Ivrea (on Shrove Tuesday and Fat Tuesday), is not to be missed.
Also the Carnivals of Cento (in Emilia-Romagna see map) and of Putignano (in Apulia, see map) deserve to be included among the most important ones.

If you travel to the islands, we suggest the carnival of Sciacca (Sicily see map), and of Oristano (aka ‘Sartiglia’, in Sardinia see map).

For lovers who want to spend an exciting Valentine night in the Big Apple we suggest a show taking place on Saturday, February 9th, 2008. Tenor Aaron Caruso, performs in a Valentine Show at Nicola Paone Restaurant, 207 E. 34th Street, New York, NY.
Dinner will be served promptly at 6 pm; the show wll start at 8:15 pm.  Tickets are $75.00 with a cash bar. (Please call Maria at 718.256.6794 for reservations and instructions)

When: February 9th, 2008.
Where: New York, NY - 207 E. 34th Street (at Nicola Paone Restaurant).

If you are planning for a holiday break in January and you like shopping designer items, Italy is your destination. Even though most of visitors who plan to travel to Italy in January are willing to avoid crowds and peak season prices, shopping is one of the favorite activities for those who choose this month for a trip to ‘Bel Paese’.

That because the fashion sales season starts early January. It ends in March (see the calendar below), however in the early weeks you can grab the best deals. Where to get the best deals. All of the shops in the country offer discounts. If your stay is based in the large cities and are looking for design sales, here you have a quick guide.

- Milan - The leading designer shops are concentrated within the Golden Triangle, just east of Piazza della Scala and bordered from Via Montenapoleone, Via Sant’ Andrea and Via della Spiga.

- Rome - Rome’s high fashion in the city center is mostly in Via del Corso, Via Condotti, and in the other streets close to Piazza di Spagna.
However you can get the best designer deals in the large only-designer malls located outside the city.
– McArthurglen Outlet in Castel Romano (15 km away from Rome Eur).
Directions: from Rome EUR, take Via Cristoforo Colombo, then Via Pontina (SS 148), then Castel Romano exit;
or from EUR take Via Laurentina, then Via di Trigoria, then Castel Romano.
See directions and map details here
– Valmontone Outlet, along the motorway A1 Rome - Napoli. See details

- Florence - In the center of the city. However you can get the best designer deals at another McArthurglen’s outlet, in Barberino d.Mugello, about 20 miles north of Florence.
Also don’t forget Prada outlet, in Levane-Montevarchi; directions: take train in Florence, stop in Montevarchi, then take the bus to Levane.

Below you have the fashion sales calendar in Italy

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