ItalyUpdate

The 29 th edition of the Black Truffle Fair at Acqualagna (Marche), scheduled for the 19 February 2012, coincides this year with the Carnival season and organizers have dreamed up a sure crowd-puller to make the day truly special.

<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 6pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><IMG class=rg_i name=wjekBPOx65V_FM: src="http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRkOUWkZhyII617U4sRwYOPeM6nZH-zd1K1smQaGflLfqT3H1kv-cCdsgqB" width=189 height=118><BR><BR>The luxury Baglioni hotels chain has concocted a series of romantic happenings for couples who wish a special St. Valentine's celebration. Packages include a 3-hour session at the Spiga & Spa wellness centre of the Carlton Hotel Baglioni, Milan, with massage, sauna and VIP treatment-for-two, culminating with offerings of champagne, strawberries and chocolates.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>

Cinema in Verticale is the delightful name given to the special programme of films and documentaries centred on the theme of mountain life, running between the 3 February to 3 March 2012 in a group of small towns in the Valsusa area.

Ever fancied a hemp pie? The University dei Sapori (University of Taste) in Perugia (Umbria) has just launched a new secret ingredient which they hope will become a fundamental part of the Mediterranean diet.

Some 6 million data, gathered over 60 years of careful monitoring Brunelleschi's celebrated dome in Florence, were presented for the first time during a two-day international convention on the 19-20 January at the Centro Arte e Cultura dell'Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore.

The town of Rimini has re-issued a special package deal for visitors that gives a series of discounts and free entrances to museums. 

 

 

One of Rome's most distinguished hotels, the 120-year old Eden, in the heart of the Dolce Vita Via Veneto quarter, is to employ staff who speak Mandarin Chinese from the end of February 2012 to satisfy the needs of a constantly increasing clientele from China, Singapore and Malaysia.

 

 

Rome enjoyed a record increase in visitor numbers in 2011 when the city welcomed 1 million more tourists than in 2010, with total arrivals recorded as 11,405,160, a percentage increase of 18.36% over the previous year.

The Fabbri company, best known for its Amarena, or maraschino cherry liqueur, will hold the prizewinning ceremony of the fourth edition of the Fabbri Art Prize on the 28 January 2012.

Active in Italy since 1966, WWF Italia has just celebrated the 20 th anniversary of the passing of Law 394 sanctifying conservation and the institution of protected areas in Italian territory. Italy now has 23 National Parks and 871 protected areas for a total of 3,163,000 hectares of land and 2,800,000 hectares of sea areas, covering a total 10.42% of national territory.