ItalyUpdate

The Under Water Team Italy and the Nettuno Diving Centre, coordinated by local subs Jos Amici and Cristian Mandici, celebrated Christmas with a dive down into the cold waters of Lake Nemi (Lazio) where they brought up bottles of local wine which they had planted on the lake bed a week earlier for the Christmas toast.

The medieval city of Siena has transformed the Fortezza Medicea (Medici Fortress) into a Christmas wonderland presided over by Santa Claus, enthroned in his palace, with his study, his bedroom, his kitchen and his workshop where the elves are busy sorting out the Christmas post.

For most Italians the traditional crib wins over the Christmas Tree as the true symbol of Christmas and the exhibition of Nativity scenes at Govone, half way between Asti and Alba (Piedmont) is already drawing the crowds.

The Art that Protects, Contemporary and Sacred Painting" is the title of an exhibition currently showing at Ascoli Piceno (Marche) until the 13 January 2019 at the Palazzo dei Capitani del Popolo.

The city of Rome's 2018 Christmas Tree has duly arrived and been set up in the usual place in Piazza Venezia in front of the Victor Emanuel Memorial. After last year's flop with the drooping  pine which arrived in poor condition, earning the nickname of "Spelacchio" ("Scruffy"), the city council was determined to take no risks.

The bones of a young sperm whale, washed up at Cape Milazzo in June 2017 will be the focal point of a new "Museum of the Sea" set up in the bastions of Santa Maria nel Castello of the town of Milazzo (Messina, Sicily).

 

According to the latest figures, Italy expects to close this year with a record increase of foreign visitors.  Over 126 million tourists will have chosen to visit the "Bel Paese" ("Beautiful Country") in 2018, with an average stay of 3.37 overnights (totalling 216 million presences) and thus notching up an increase of +2.7% arrivals compared with the preceding year.

The Orchestra Maggio Musicale Fiorentino Festival celebrates the 90-year landmark of the foundation of its world-class orchestra on the 9 December 2018. The Maggio Musicale Fiorentino was Italy's first musical festival. Founded by Vittorio Gui in April 1933, it is held annually in Florence during the spring months.

A treat for opera buffs: Giuseppe Verdi's classic opera "Rigoletto" has its own special show at Modena between the 30 November and the 2 December 2018.

The Campania Region scooped up prizes in three out of the four categories for this year's Gruppo del Gusto (Gourmet Group) of the Rome Foreign Press Association awards.