ItalyUpdate

For the tenth year running, Ortisei, the famous Alto Adige-Trentino ski resort, will be holding its ice sculpture contest. For four days between the 14-18 January 2013, 18 students of the Ortisei Art College and the School of Arts and Handcrafts will be furiously at work, modelling blocks of ice of various dimensions.

Thanks to the success of the National Living Crib events at Matera (Basilicata) and Greccio (Lazio), organized by the Union of Italian Local Tourist Information Offices (UNPLI), this very special Italian Christmas representation will be extended to take place in a northern Italian region in 2013, UNIPLI President Claudio Nardocci recently announced.  

 The number of people in Italy who are more than a century old increased by 138.7% in ther last 10 years ( 2001/2011) the Italian statistics agency ISTAT said Wednesday, according to the results of Italy's October 2011 census.

The Bergamo Town Council presented its Candidacy for the 2019 European Capital of Culture to the Ministry for Culture and Heritage on 11 July 2011.

Walkers will greatly appreciate the new guide to the 200 km tract of the Via Francigena, the historic pilgrims route to Rome from Canterbury, that runs between Radicofani in Tuscany to the Eternal City.

In order to raise funds to complete the restoration work of Berninis monumental colonnade at St. Peters, the Vatican has announced that it will issue two commemorative stamps, complete with certificate of authenticity.

The consortium of Mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP has embarked on an extensive promotional drive to make consumers aware of the difference in quality of the genuine product and its many imitators.

Italy expert restorers of old buildings, monuments and works of art recently demonstrated their skills during the Restauri Aperti (Open Restoration work-in-progress) project involving a number of prestigious Venetian buildings, including the famous Gritti Palace hotel, Palazzo Papadopuli, the Church of the Jesuits and  Corner della Regina. 

Milan magnificent gothic cathedral has 135 spires, all in desperate need of restoration and the Venerando  Fabbrica del Doumo, which has been in charge of maintenance since the Duomo was built in 1387, has launched an appeal for sponsors to help with repairs.