ItalyUpdate

The heroic little island of Lampedusa, which, with little outside help, has coped for years with the flood of illegal immigrants arriving from north Africa, launches its fifth LampedusaInFestival between the 19-23 July 2013.

The perfectly preserved medieval Castle of Monteriggione (Tuscany) will provide a memorable natural setting for Verdi's evergreen opera La Traviata on the 2 August 2013. There will be no conventional stage but instead the singers will move around the central court and alleyways, along the castle walls and towers and on the steps of the church.

Between the 10 July-2 August 2013, Siena (Tuscany) puts on a dazzling show of evening entertainment against the splendid backdrop of Piazza Duomo.

A good combination! Jazz and mountains for those who prefer the cool wide spaces to the beach. The Meranojazz Festival takes place between the 9-13 July 2013 in Castel Kallmunz park, in the centre of the town.

The town of Carmagnola (Piemonte) sees off summer in style with its annual Sweet Pepper Festival, held between the 30 August-8 September 2013. The Festival is a major event, with a ten-day programme of music, cabaret, treasure hunts, vegetable sculptures, vintage tractor gatherings  and the Piazza dei Sapori - the Fair proper with 185 stands in a vast area dedicated to gastronomy.

The Adriatic coast from Comacchio, Ravenna, Cesenatico, Rimini to Cattolica, ever popular with lovers of sea, sand and fun, launched its 2013 summer season on the 5 July.

The ancient Roman Arena of Verona, world famous for its summer season of opera under the stars, celebrates its centenary this year with a special homage to Giuseppe Verdi, whose bi-centenary also falls on 2013.

The International Short Film Festival Urban Islands will be back this year on Tiber Island, Rome, screening this year's winning shorts during July 2013. The event, which has grown in popularity since it was introduced three years ago, is open to international film-makers from all over the world, in any language but with subtitles in either English or Italian.

The splendid renaissance city of Urbino (Marche) has announced its candidature as European Capital of Culture 2019. The official presentation was backed by an international promotional committee headed by Jack Lang, former Minister of Culture with the Mitterrand government, France, and included top personalities from the world of culture.

For the first time, visitors to Turin's celebrated Cinema Museum will be able to visit the hitherto closed interior of the dome of the monumental Mole Antonelliana, seat of the museum. Open to groups of 15 persons, the entire tour takes 60 minutes and includes the ascent on foot from the Meeting Point on the ground floor to the inter-space of the dome, with its network of girders and supports, to the panoramic terrace of the lantern.