Italian culture traditions: Festivals
The Italy food culture is celebrated by what can only be described as diet busting Italian food festivals. Bring it on.In Rome it feels like a food festival every weekend. If money belts are supposed to be buckled tighter nobody mentioned that to the Romans. Oil, gold and property mortgages may drop and fluctuate but restaurants in Rome are doing a brisker trade than ever!
Most food festivals, or should I rather say, more food festivals happen in Summer. In Rome and Lazio

Amatrice in Rieti celebrate Amatriciana. The full name is "Sagra degli spaghetti all'Amatriciana". The 30th and 31st August. They celebrate their Amatriciana pasta - fried bacon and tomato sauce.

Ariccia in Castelli Romani (just outside Rome) celebrate "Sagra della Porchetta" in the 1st week of September. There is a youth festival with music and good food (good prices).

Montefiascone (Viterbo) has a BIG and widely praised wine festival, dedicated to a white wine called "Est, Est, Est!"

A Cardinal named Johannes de Fuch was sent by King Henry V to mark the best cellars with the words "Est" - "IT IS!". Apparently the cardinal was so impressed with the wines from Montefiascone he marked "Est, Est, Est" on the taverns, what's more, after having done the wines thorough justice he was later buried in the graveyard of San Flaviano Montefiascone.

Italian culture traditions: Italian religion

Italian culture traditions: Italian religion

Almost all Italians are baptized but perhaps only 40% are practicing Catholics. About 85% ofItalian Religion is accounted for by the Catholic faith. The remainder of Italian religion is made up of Muslims, Protestants, Jehovah's witnesses, Jews and Buddhists. Freedom of worship is written into the Italian Constitution. 
The Roman Pantheon was the first building in Italy (and perhaps in the whole world?) dedicated to the people of Rome to freely practice their religion/spirituality.

The general audience given by the pope is usually every wednesday morning at 11Am in St Peter's square or the Papal Audience Chamber. Tickets are free but you need to book. Fax the "Prefettura della Casa Pontificia" at fax.06 6988 5863.
There are also blessings from the library window at noon on Sundays.

Italian culture traditions: Carnivals and celebrated holidays in Italy

Italian culture traditions: Carnivals and celebrated holidays in Italy

There are many celebrated holidays in Italy separate from the National holidays in Italy. In the ancient Roman Empire at one stage there were 182 celebrated holidays in Italy and Rome!
Today in the smaller towns of Italy you can find the most colorful carnivals.

Tufara in Molise re-enact the sacrificing/burning of a figure called "Carnevale" a huge straw puppet and a metaphor for all the sins of the population.

 





Nocera Tirinese in Calabria still practice medieval rituals and at Easter a few devotees flagellate themselves.
Spring is a time of rejuvenation and many towns throughout Italy celebrate with free theatrical shows of music and dance.

At Cocullo in Abruzzo they even celebrate with many snakes around the statue of St Dominic the Abbot who is the protector of snake bites. 

In Siena they celebrate the "Palio", arguably the most famous festival in Italy. On the 2nd July and 16th August bareback jockeys race around the main square of Siena in races with "no holds barred".

In Rome at Easter you have the famous marching of the cross from the Roman Colosseum to the Palatine on Good Friday.

The Blue Dragon River in Portugal