ItalyUpdate

The new excavations in the hitherto unexplored Regio V area of Pompeii continue to bring to light unexpected discoveries. After the as-yet-unresolved mystery of the true date of the eruption, then the remains of a commander's horses, archaeologists have now uncovered a Thermopolium

"Leonardo da Vinci. La Scienza Prima della Scienza", a major exhibition currently running at the Scuderie del Quirinale exhibition hall in Rome, to mark the 500th anniversary of the death of the renaissance genius, gives a new prospective towards understanding one of the greatest minds of western civilization.

Two UNESCO World Heritage sites and the ancient Roman Temple of Hercules, all in Tivoli (Lazio) are now available for civil wedding ceremonies.

Rome has taken up the traditional Japanese Hanami Flowering Cherry Tree Festival. Romans and visitors can enjoy the spectacular blossoming of 2,500 Sakura cherry trees donated by the city of Tokyo to Rome and planted in the Park of the Laghetto, an artificial lake in the EUR district.

The Botanical Gardens of the University La Sapienza in Rome's Trastevere area also put on a fine show of cherry tree blossoms through April 2019, in collaboration with the Japanese Institute of Rome.

There are many other places in Italy where the Cherry Tree blooms can be admired, such as at Villanova sull'Arda (Piacenza), where the trees line the banks of the Ada river and produce the  fruit on offer at the local June Cherry Festival, as well as the Road of the Cherry Trees at Scandicci (Florence). The principal sight in Milan is the Hill of the Cherry Trees in via Sarca, an artificial mound created from the rubble of the former Pirelli factory, now converted into the HangarBicocca Museum, a contemporary art museum and exhibition space.

Info: www.wantedinrome.com- www.zingarate.com

Twenty-four different biological areas have been mapped out on the sea bed in the Neptune's Kingdom Protected Marine park in the Bay of Naples around the islands of Procida, Ischia and Vivara.  

Using  a robot equipped with the latest hi-tech, scientists combed the 11,256 hectares of the park, studying the different types of biological habitats and communities.

The historic town of Buonconvento (Siena, Tuscany) organizes its popular Nova Eroica Festival on the 26-28 April 2019, with its "open to all" cycle run that includes all types of bikes, from vintage to the latest models. The itinerary runs along beaten tracks that wend through some of the most beautiful unspoiled Tuscan countryside.

Eight towns in the Castelli Romani area in the Alban Hills near Rome will be involved in a series of walking marathons following the ancient pilgrims' route of route of the Via Francigena that led from Canterbury to Rome on the 28 April 2019.

On  International Poetry Day, March 21 2019, the town of Modena (Reggio Emilia), along with a group of neighbouring small towns will hold a Poetry Festival where all the hostelries, wine bars and cafčs will mill with poets and writers reciting their works.

For many years, a great number of Italy's remote borghi (historic villages) have suffered from a constant decline in population, as their young people move away to find work and better  prospects. These villages are usually in spectacular natural surroundings and have beautiful old churches and monumental buildings.

 The Cruise Roma, flagship of the Naples Grimaldi shipping line, will repeat its book lovers' trip, Una Nave di Libri, (A Ship full of Books) between the 20-25 April 2019.  This is the tenth edition of the ever popular event, in which passengers can indulge in literary pursuits.