ItalyUpdate

Save the Stairs is the name of the appeal launched by the Passionist Brothers who are responsible for the upkeep of the Holy Staircase at the Basilica of San Giovanni in Rome.  

Anyone thinking of Murano glass as beads, miniature animals or old-fashioned chandeliers should think again. The glass masters of the Venetian island are constantly reinventing themselves and at the top end of the scale, Murano glassware is for collectors only, who are prepared to pay for something exclusive.

Jazz lovers wont want to miss the 4-day Piazza Jazz event in the unique setting of Piazza Armerina, Enna, Sicily between the 28-31 July.

This year contest for Italys Most Beautiful Garden lists ten finalists calculated to give judges a hard time choosing a winner. The contestants range from Ventimiglia on the French border of Italy to Sicily in the south and all have outstanding features and character.

Italyupdate takes a special interest in the work of the local tourist offices of small towns and communities in Italy, so we are particularly pleased to report on the success of initiatives undertaken by the Unione Nazionale delle Pro Loco d'Italia (National Union of local Tourist Information Centres).

The newly recreated Medieval Garden in the moat of Palazzo Madama, Turin, opened at the beginning of July. The historic garden was first documented in 1402 when, according to city archives, Prince Ludovico of Acaia, Lord of Piedmont and founder of the University of Turin, dedicated garden space around his castle.

The 54 th edition of the world famous Festival of Spoleto in Umbria closes with the traditional concert in the main square in front of the duomo.

Romes Opera House, the Teatro Costanzi, reports a successful season, with 32% more spectators than the previous year 2010. The season, that ran between November and May 2011, saw an increase of 30% in season tickets and an average of 1200 spectators for every show.

After a series of restorations extending over four years, the Villa dei Vescovi, considered a masterpiece of Renaissance architecture, has re-opened its doors.

The ever-expanding Slow Food Movement has recently opened a new biodiversità centre in the Alberese regional park in the heart of the traditional farming area of the Maremma.