ItalyUpdate

The world's finest wines will be competing for the prestigious WineHunter Award at this year's Merano WineFestival (9-11 November), South Tyrol. 

The increased interest on the part of consumers for niche food products as opposed to mass brands is creating a new approach to the cultivation of basic crops like grain and legumes. 

The Herculaneum Conservation Project is entering its final stages with the creation of the Via Mare (the Sea Road) initiative which will connect the archaeological park with the heart of the modern city. 

Lake Scanno, in the heart of the Abruzzo mountains (L'Aquila) and bordering on the Abruzzo National Park and nature reserve, has entered the list of Italy's favourite romantic spots.

Eurochocolate, billed as the biggest European Festival dedicated to chocolate, is in full swing in Perugia (Umbria) until the 27 October 2019.

The ancient buried city of Pompeii continues to yield surprises thanks to a renewed excavation campaign in Regio 5, an area of the city that has not been previously explored.

The invasion of what were once wild forest and mountain animals has become increasingly worrying for Italian citizens.

Highlight of the second weekend of the annual horse chestnut festival at Vallerana (Lazio) 12-13 October 2019 will be the presentation of a book recounting the extraordinary story of Alessandro Messina, the down syndrome boy who has overcome prejudice and obstacles in his efforts to realise his dream of enrolling in the special Italian Carabinieri police corps.

New gastronomic products are launched regularly by many Italian food producers, experimenting with time-honoured ingredients to renew the made-in-Italy market.

Participant figures of this year's version of the festival filosofia centred in Modena, Carpi and Sassuolo, confirmed the increasing popularity of this unusual and thought-provoking event. Over 200,000 visitors attended the three-day festival, up on last year's figures.