ItalyUpdate

Italy is synonymous with the fine arts and its world-famous painting and sculpture galleries. Lesser well-known are the numerous museums dedicated to its rich industrial and crafts heritage. The Italian Touring Club has recently published a guide book entitled Turismo Industriale in Italia, listing a vast variety of museums large and small documenting this fundamental aspect of Italian life.

Some examples of places of interest include: the Galleria Ferrari, Maranello, near Modena, resplendent with its mythical racing car models, trophies and photographs, as well as the Alfa Romeo Historic Museum at Arese (Milan) exhibiting some of the companys finest cars dating from 1910 to the present day, the Guglielmo Tabacchi Safila Gallery at Padua, specialised in examples of spectacles and optical instruments from the Middle Ages onwards, the shoe paradise of the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum, Palazzo Spini Feroni, Florence, with over 10,000 pairs of shoes designed and produced by the celbrated footwear manufacturer and cocktail king Martini & Rossis Museum at Pessione di Chieri, near Turin.

Other industrial gems include the National Railway Museum (Naples), the Barilla pasta manufacturers historic archive (Parma), the Fiat Archive and Historical Centre (Turin), the Olivetti typewriter and calculator Historic Archive (Ivrea) and the Alessi Museum with a display of its innovative designs in household objects (Crusinallo di Omegna, near Verbania).  

For information: www.museimpresa.com

 Naples celebrated San Carlo opera house is to undergo a vast three-year restyling operation.

 

For a taste of gracious living in Umbria, Italy Green Heart, the charming Relais Todini near Todi (Perugia) offers 8 luxury rooms and 4 suites in a country mansion dating back to the 14 th century and owned by the Todini family.

 

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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-GB style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB">According to a survey published by Swedish furniture stores IKEA, 86.8% of Italians are satisfied with their family life. 69.6% declared that they enjoy being with their families and 64.4% appreciate sharing the ups and downs of everyday life with family members.</SPAN></P>

On the 28 th November, Donatellos famous bronze statue of David will once more be on view to the public after a long and complex restoration.

Palazzo Strozzi, Florence, is staging a unique tribute to two great Medici women who had enormous influence on the course of events in their times.

Throughout November and December 2008, the province of Lucca, Tuscany, is staging a programme of events to celebrate the 150° anniversary of the birth of its famous son, the composer, Giacomo Puccini, born in the town of Lucca in 1858.

 

Verona historic town theatre, which first opened in 1846,  has found a novel way to finance necessary roof repairs.

 

The 18 th century Villa Pisani at Stra, near Venice, has been nominated The Most Beautiful Park in Italy for 2008.