ItalyUpdate

The popular seaside resort of Bibione (Veneto) is to host this year's Fisherman's Friend Strongmanrun, hailed as the world's toughest fun race. Sponsored by Fisherman's Friend, manufacturers of the famous throat-protecting lozenges, invented in Britain in 1865 for fishermen working in the icy and stormy conditions of the North Sea,

Unsung heroes of the First World War will be spotlighted as part of the Italian centenary commemorations at the OPEN Gallery in Mestre (Venice) between the 5^th - 30^th May 2015 with a photographic exhibition entitled: 1914/18: the war and the animals. Silent troopers at the service of the army..

Between the 2^nd - 4^th May 2015, Tuscany gives Milan a taste of its big food event, IN Piazza a Firenze programmed a couple of weeks later on the 22^nd -24^th May in Florence itself. The event centres round one of Tuscany's big attractions of local foods, with a fair of gastronomic products typical of the region running for the entire three days in the Chiostri Umanitaria venue near the Duomo.

The humble cork is the protagonist of the exhibition dedicated to the late James Irvine, the English furniture and industrial designer who collaborated with cork manufacturers Amorim Cork Italia to produce art objects for the company's innovative Materia Collection.The exhibition runs concurrently with the International Furniture Fair of Milan 2015.

One of Italy's more unusual collections, the Fisogni Museum of Petrol Stations, is due to reopen on the 26^th April 2015. The Museum, founded by businessman Guido Fisogni in 1966, has moved from its former site in Milan to more spacious premises in Tradate, near Varese (Lombardia) with 400 sqm covered exhibition space, plus an inner courtyard and a surrounding garden.

Five hundred and fifty years ago, in 1465, Italy's first printing press was set up at the Benedictine monastery of San Benedetto at Subiaco (Lazio). The event will be celebrated throughout the year at the sister religious house of Santa Scolastica where the library contains a fascinating collection of ancient books, illuminated manuscripts and parchments.

Between the 16th-19^th April 2015, the streets of Perugia (Umbria) will be filled with the magical atmosphere of Fantacity, the annual children's festival of creativity. The event offers a vast range of activities, featuring many entertainers, speakers and VIP guest stars.

The Green Island project of Alveari Urbani Â (Urban Bee-hives), to be held shortly before the opening of the Milan World Espositon 2015, EXPO Milan, attracted accolades as one of the most interesting proposals combining design and ecology that will feature in the EXPO IN THE CITY event. between the 13-15 April 2015.

Italy's leading gastronomic guide, Il Gambero Rosso 2015, has published its selection of this year's best Italian extra virgin olive oils. Presented at the Sol & Agrifood Fair dedicated to olive oil production, which runs concurrent with the Vinitaly Wine Fair of Verona, the guide lists 311 oil producers and 471 oils described and rated.

 HAPPY EASTER TO ALL OUR READERS