ItalyUpdate

NEW METRO FOR A ROMAN XMAS

Rome has had a special Christmas gift in the form of two long-awaited underground stations linking the historic centre. The new Metro C line opens two new stations at Porta Metronia and the Colosseum, thus amplifying a much-needed network connecting the city's historic heart with its densely populated eastern suburbs.

The two stations are planned as showcase museums, displaying many archaeological treasures found during construction. The new Colosseum stop, which created infinite difficulties in construction work that had also to respect conservation, is situated at a depth of 20 metres under the Roman Forum. The line is planned to continue on to the very heart of Rome at Piazza Venezia, which is planned as a major hub on nine levels and with three entrances. The Colosseum already serves the historic Metro B line inaugurated in 1955 and originally intended by Mussolini to connect the centre with his ambitious new EUR district.

Rome's mayor Roberto Gualtieri (elected in 2021) had promised that the connecting line and stations would be ready during the Holy Year 2025 influx of tourists to Rome. Just in Time!

Source: ANSA news agency

ITALY SCOOPS 61^st UNESCO NOMINATION

Italy celebrated the entry of its national cuisine in the UNESCO list of Global Intangible Cultural Heritage with a triumphant banner projected onto the side of the Colosseum. This is Italy's 61^st nomination in the UNESCO lists of cultural heritage and confirms its position of total leadership on the world heritage stage.

Oscar Farinelli, founder of Eataly, in a TV interview, explained that although a few characteristic dishes of some other countries have had their national signature specialities already listed, Italy is unique in that it has been nominated for its entire regional culinary traditions, based on the inventive use of sustainable local produce, few ingredients and centuries of traditional cooking handed down through generations and variating from region to region.

The nomination received a unanimous vote at the New Delhi 20^th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Protection of Global Intangible Heritage, as reported by “La Cucina Italiana”, part of the Conde Nash group.

Info: Tel. +39.02.868080 https//:www.lacucinaitaliana.it

EXPLORING THE CAVES OF THE CYCLOPS

Geologists exploring new areas deep in the Pertosa-Auletta caves near Salento (Campania) in the heart of the Alburne Mountains, have uncovered new evidence of human habitation deep inside the heart of the string of grottos famous for their spectacular display of stalactites and weirdly-shaped rock formations.

The remains of a prehistoric stilt village inside the caves has been informally baptized: “The Home of Polyphemus”, after the one-eyed Cyclops who captured the Greek hero Ulysses and his crew, as described in Homer's celebrated “Odessey.”

The similarities with the description in the epic poem are striking. The opening of the grotto is in the wall of a steep rocky cliff 263 above sea level, where it is easy to imagine the enraged giant standing hurling his rocks blindly at the Greek hero's escaping ships.

Recent explorations by a team of Italian, French and British scientists have uncovered new evidence of the life led by the prehistoric inhabitants of the stilt village, including the expansion of the stilt village deeper into the caves. Other clues into life style have come to light in the form of ceramic fragments, bronze implements and traces of food like cereals, berries, figs and the seeds of grapes dating back 3,500 years

The Pertosa-Auletta caves are protected by the Mida Foundation which also runs boat trips along the underground river that traverses the caves.

Info: Tel. +39.0979.397037 info@fondazionemida.it

A TRIUMPH OF NEOCLASSICISM

Canova's Colossal Horse is stealing the show at the current exhibition “Eterno e Visione” (“Eternal and Visionary”) in the Galleria d'Italia museum in Milan.

The Horse, a towering 4m-high gilded plaster cast model, was originally intended by Canova to be the prototype of a heroic statue of the Emperor Federico Bourbon of Naples but the finished work was never carried out, due to the shifting political patterns of the era.

The Colossal Horse was divided into sections and stacked away in the basement of the Civic Museum of Bassano del Grappa, where it languished forgotten until it was recently “rediscovered”.

The subsequent restoration, accomplished by a team of highly skilled experts, has been hailed as a “brilliant achievement”.

The “Eternal and Visionary” exhibition, organized together with the City of Milan and the Bibliotheque Nationale de France, contains over a hundred paintings, sculptures, drawings, and marble reliefs dating to the Napoleonic golden era in which both Paris and Milan were the Neoclassical capitals of Europe, attracting artists and artisans from all over.

Intesa Sanpaolo is Italy's biggest banking group, with a long tradition in art and culture sponsorship. The bank also possesses a network of museums in Italy's major cities.

The exhibition “Eterno e Visione: Roma e Milan” runs until the 6^th April 2026.

Info: Tel. +39.800.167610 https://gallerieditalia.com

RAIL TRAVEL REVOLUTION

Italian rail travel is taking on a new dimension with the focus gradually shifting from straightforward transportation to ways of making the trip more pleasurable. A new idea of travel for families was presented recently by Trenitalia (the Italian national rail company) that recently launched its Intercity Zootropolis train inspired by the latest Disney film, which will have a new family area on board offering a selection of board games to alleviate the tedium of long journeys.

The “ La Dolce Vita Orient Express”, Italian owned companion of the fabled Venice-Simplon-Orient Express, launched in the spring of 2025, offers exclusive VIP travel within Italy, linking the most celebrated art cities and places of scenic beauty. The carriages have been meticulously restored to revoke the atmosphere and glamour of the fabulous '60s when Italy was unrivalled world leader of design and luxury. The catering in the Restaurant car is in the hands of celebrated Michelin-starred chef Heinz Beck.

The cost of a trip? As someone (believed to have been USA financier J.P.Morgan) once said: “If you have to ask the price you can't afford it!” Let's leave it at that!

MStenhouse

Info: Tel. +39.0281480333 https://www.orient-express.com ladolcevita@orient-express.com

CANDLE FEST AT CANDELARA

The quaintly named Candelara (place of candles), a hamlet near Pesaro (Marche Region) comes into its own at the festive season when it transforms into a Christmas Festival of Candlelight.

During the four weekends between the 22^nd November - 14^th December it holds its Candles at Candelara Festival, in which much of the historic centre is lit by candlelight, creating a fairytale atmosphere for the traditional Christmas market with stalls offering themed crafts, toys and regional food specialities, while entertainment is provided by street artists, wandering musicians, stilt walkers and jugglers.

The little town has cleverly played on its name to make it one of the most desired destinations for lovers of the Christmas market atmosphere. According to local writer and historian Luigi Michelini Tocci, the name derives from Latin “festum candelarum” - literally a source of light or a fire. According to legend, a wandering band of herdsmen looking for a new home chose this site after a lit candle was not blown out by the wind. The town coat of arms echoes the theme, depicting three hills surmounted by candles.

M.STENHOUSE

Info: Tel +39.0721 286693 www.candelara.com

REGGIO CALABRIA - NEW TOURISM REVELATION ?

Since a popular low cost airline announced an increase in routes to and from the airport of Reggio Calabria this winter, the Calabrian region expects to gain a boom in foreign tourism for the summer season 2026.

The many attractions of the Calabria regional capitol till now have been largely ignored by the mass tourism market, despite unique world famous treasures like the celebrated Riace bronzes in the state Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Reggio Calabria (MApRC), the many unspoiled beaches and the forests and mountains of the Sila National Park.

Even lesser known and just waiting to be “discovered” is what has been dubbed “Italy's mosr beautiful kilometre” - the panoramic Lungomare Falconata seafront esplanade, overlooking the Strait of Messina, and named after former mayor Italo Falconars who was responsible for the re-qualification and reconstruction of the area last century

The promenade, which joins up with another three scenic avenues (the Lungomare Matteotti, Corso Vittorio Emanuele III and Viale Genovese Zerba), flanked by characteristic 19^th century villas in Liberty style, has been doggedly rebuilt after a series of natural disasters and earthquakes spanning several centuries and today it is a monument to the resilience of the local citizens.

The Lungomare Falconara is endowed with three enigmatic contemporary sculptures by Rome artist Rabarama representing the evolution of the human spirit.

Info: Tel. +39.0965.3622735/3622570 https://turismo.reggiocal.it

ALL SET FOR THE FLORENCE MARATHON

Florence is gearing up for one of its major sporting events - the Florence Marathon, which has now become a fixed feature in its annual sports calendar. Launched in 1984 with some 850 competitors enrolled, this year's version expects to welcome something like 10,000 participants from all over the world, eager to run through the streets of one of the world's greatest art cities.

The Florence marathon race is strictly modelled on the original 490 BC Marathon of the Ancient Greeks, when the heroic Athenian runner Pheidippides covered the distance between Marathon and Athens to bring the news of the defeat of the invading Persian army to the anxiously waiting populace, The total Florentine run is therefore the equivalent distance of 42.195 kms and is reserved for competitive athletes. However, amateurs and families have their own special itineraries geared to their individual paces. Alternative “mini marathons” include the 10 km Florence Marathon, still competitive but open to all, the 21 km Firenze Marathon Charity fund raising run and the 3 km Ginky Family run. Also popular is the Cetilar St. John's Night Run, with a 9.9 km competitive run and an alternative shorter 4 kms run, which give a unique opportunity to admire Florence's monuments and buildings by moonlight.

The Florence Marathon is scheduled for the 30^th November 2025.

1000. STENHOUSE

FAENZA & LA SPEZIA: NEW UNESCO CREATIVE CITIES

FAENZA & LA SPEZIA: NEW UNESCO CREATIVE CITIES

The towns of Faenza and La Spezia are the latest Italian entries into the UNESCO Creative Cities network (UCCN).

The Creative Cities category is aimed at communities worldwide that have successfully re-invented themselves, promoting their local culture, crafts and traditions and adapting them to modern times.

On the surface, these two towns do not have much in common. La Spezia is a traditional seaside resort which has, however, given its historic centre a facelift with contemporary art installations and sculptures, whereas Faenza has a centuries-old tradition in refined pottery-making with a distinctive decorative style and has activated an far-reaching programme to revive the historic centre after the disastrous flooding it suffered in 2024.

The Creative Cities network, which operates under the wing of UNESCO, was first launched in 2004 and now counts a membership of 408 townships spread over more than 100 countries

worldwide, protecting and encouraging local folklore, art, crafts, design, music, gastronomy, literature and so on.

According to UNESCO 2024 has been a record year of success for all its activities, with funding received from governmental and multilateral institutions as well as from private donators.

Info: https://www.unesco.org>creative-cities

TRIUMPHAL RETURN OF ST. BENEDICT

The 31^st October 2025, Feast of All Saints in the Roman Catholic calendar, marked the rebirth of one of the most important monuments of Christianity. The 14^th century Basilica of San Benedetto (St. Benedict) in the eartquake-shattered town of Norcia in Umbria re-opened its doors once more.

The painstaking restoration project was completed in what could be considered a record four years (from December 16^th 2021) due to the difficulties involved. The massive reconstruction, estimated at a cost of 10 million euros, half of which contributed by the EU Regional Development fund, involved the use, wherever possible, of the original material recovered from the rubble, including the marbles and the soft pink coloured stone of the facade.

The basilica, believed to be built on the site of the original house where Benedict and his sister St. Scolastica, were born, rises in the heart of the medieval town of Norcia, a popular tourist destination, as well as a centre of pilgrimage. The recovery spearheads the restoration of the town and the entire surrounding area which suffered extensive damage during the 6.6 magnitude scale earthquake of the 30^th October 2016.

St. Benedict, founder of the Benedictine Order, was born in 480 AD and is the patron saint of Italy along with St. Catherine of Siena.

Info: Vatican News www.vaticannews.va