With lots to look forward to in 2023, the Italian National Tourist Board wanted to share its latest news and dates for what will be a great year ahead
Latest News from Italy
Umbria is awarded Best in Travel by Lonely Planet 2023
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/best-in-travel
Umbria has been named one of the best places to visit by Lonely Planet in 2023, the region was chosen for the ‘Eat’ section detailing the fabulous food on offer.
National Geographic Traveller recommend Via Appia as a Top Cultural Destination to visit in 2023
Via Appia was recommended as a Top Cultural Destination by National Geographic Traveller for 2023. The destination, in ancient times, connected Rome with Brindisi and therefore with the East then known. Considered by the Romans the Regina Viarum, the queen of the roads, boasts 2300 years of history and an extension of 195 kilometres.
Italy takes the movie industry by storm
Cinephiles will be pleased to see famous Italian cities and regions featured in recent and upcoming blockbuster movies. The next Indiana Jones movie starring Harrison Ford, Antonio Banderas and Phoebe Waller-Bridge wrapped up filming in Sicily this year and is set be in Cinema’s on June 30th, 2023!
Bergamo and Brescia are Italian Capitals of Culture for 2023
https://bergamobrescia2023.it/en/
Established in 2014, one of the objectives of the Italian Capital of Culture is to support, encourage and foster the cities’ autonomous planning and implementation capabilities, so that the value of cultural leverage for social cohesion, integration, creativity, innovation, growth, and economic development is increasingly perceived. The title of Italian Capital of Culture is awarded for one year and the winning city will receive one million euros. This year Bergamo and Brescia have been awarded the Capitals of Culture for 2023 with the official inauguration taking place on the 20th, 21st and 22nd of January 2023: three days of celebrations, events and parades that will showcase the main theatres, squares, streets, and cultural venues of the two cities as they kick off a year that will make its mark on this region’s history.
Luigi Vanvitelli – Architect – 250th anniversary of his death
https://www.reggiadicasertaunofficial.it/art/luigi-vanvitelli/
2023 marks the 250th anniversary of talented architect, engineer, scenographer, and Italian painter Luigi Vanvitelli (Napes, 1700 – Caserta, 1773) death. Luigi Vanvitelli was a revolutionary genius with a tireless and concrete mind, and father of the neoclassical architecture. Visitors can book guided tours of the famous Royal Palace of Caserta, commissioned by King Charles of Bourbon to his architect who was none other than Luigi Vanvitelli.
Dates For the Diary
Exhibitions
Palazzo Reale In Milan 2023-2024
https://www.palazzorealemilano.it/en/mostre-in-programma
Delve into Giorgio Morandi creative process (September 28th 2023 – January 28th 2024), or Michelangelo Pistoletto’s commitment to peace, environmental and social sustainability (March 22nd 2023 – June 4th 2023), or perhaps El Greco’s work from his Italian period (October 13th 2023- February 4th 2024), these are just some of the phenomenal exhibitions at the Palazzo Reale in Milan 2023-2024.
Alessandro Magno and the Orient
From: 23 March 2023
The MANN will dedicate an exhibition to the figure of Alexander and his conquest of a universal empire. It is a moment in history which showcases the diffusion of Greek culture in Asia, Egypt and the Indian subcontinent, but above all highlighting how many different cultures interconnect. The exhibition will open at the MANN on March 23, 2023.
Picasso at the Mann
From 29 March 2023
Palazzo Reale in Naples
Caravaggio and his followers
Dates TBA
Festivals And Cultural Events
Villa Taranto
Lake Maggiore (Piedmont); 12th March – 5th November 2023
https://www.villataranto.it/en/
The wonderful Botanical Gardens of Villa Taranto is reopening to the public on the 12th of March 2023 to coincide with the arrival of spring. Known in its native Italian as the Giardini Botanici (Botanical Gardens) of Villa Taranto this amazing garden will be opening its gates to the public with an explosion of flowers, colours and fragrances through a vast number of plant varieties and rare botanical species from all over the world. Entering this immense picturesque park that is spread across 16 hectares and encompasses 20,000 plants is like journeying through distant countries and gives a tremendous insight into the botanical powers of plants.
Isole Borromee
Borromea (Piedmont); 16th March – 5th November 2023
https://www.isoleborromee.it/en/
The stunning Borromean Islands reopen on the 18th of March 2023. The amazing archipelago located in the Borromean Gulf, in front of the charming Stresa, on Lake Maggiore is a magical destination to visit. The archipelago can be visited via a trip by mini-cruise around the Borromean Gulf and never fails to leave visitors speechless! Travellers should take their time and visit the most notable to these islands which include Isola Bella, Isola Madre and Isola dei Pescatori.
Bif&St – Bari International Film & TV Festival
https://www.bifest.it/questo-e-il-bifest/
Puglia: 24th March – 1st April 2023
Bif&st Film and TV festival is back for the 14th year. The Bif&st Bari International Film&Tv Festival has 75,000 spectators every year and has become one of the most important Italian film events. The headquarters of the Bif&st is in one of the most spectacular theaters in the world, the Petruzzelli Theater.
Corsa All’Anello
Narni (Umbria); 24th April–14th May 2023
Travellers can take a step back in time and discover what life was like in medieval Umbria. During the Spring months between April and May, the picturesque and medieval town of Narni transforms into a historic re-enactment with traditional foods, costumed participants and competitive horseback jousting.
Festa Dei Ceri
Ceri (Umbria); 15th May 2023
Festi Dei Ceri is back to give travellers insight into one of the oldest Italian folkloric traditions. Three Gubbio teams are set up representing the three districts of the village each of which carry heavy statues up the steep streets of the city up to Monte Ingino. The tradition has been followed since its inception in the 1890s with very little change made since then.
Salone Del Libro
Turin (Piedmont); 18th – 22nd May 2023
The 39th instalment of the Turin Book Fair will be held in Lingotto. The great book festival is back to reflect on contemporary issues with numerous authors and personalities from the world’s cultural scene with a strong focus on safety and spaces as well as sustainability and digitization. The book fair welcomes all types of book lovers from readers to writers, editors and librarians as well as booksellers, teachers and students.
Festival Internazionale Bande Musicali e Majorettes
Giulianova (TE) 24th-27th May 2023
https://www.bandeinternazionali.it/
The “International Festival of Musical Bands” of Giulianova (TE) is a musical festival, taking place on the 24th to 27th May, which has grown year by year, which has seen bands from five continents parade and perform in Giulianova: United States, Mexico, Malaysia, China, Japan, Polynesia , South Africa, the Caribbean.
The event showcases the Italian state military bands, such as: Carabinieri Fanfare on Horseback, State Police, Navy, Taurinense Brigade Fanfare, Bersaglieri Brigade Garibaldi and also foreign ones: Band VI Flotta Americana, Band of the NATO, Odessa Military Band (Ukraine), Bulgarian Army Main Orchestra, Estonian and Lithuanian Military Bands, Moldavia Army Band, French Navy Bagpipe Band, Moscow Cadet Band, Bahrain Defense Forces Band, etc.
Infiorata
Spello (Umbria) – 10-11th June 2023
https://www.infiorataspello.it/
Villagers from the town of Spello spend weeks preparing for the event where incredible murals cover the streets and walls of the town depicting various religious and candid images using only flower petals. These colourful murals cover over a hundred square metres of the city and is truly a sight of wonder to admire.
Festival Dei Due Mondi
Spoleto (Umbria); 23rd June – 9th July 2023
http://www.festivaldispoleto.com/
A performing art festival that takes place every year in Spoleto, it features world premiere performances, fine art installations and musical shows to enjoy in the Roman theatre, churches and other venues throughout this delightful artistic town.
Stresa Festival
Stresa (Lake Maggiore, Lombardy); July 2023
Stresa Festival is one the best-known classical and jazz music festivals in Europe; every year it offers performances by internationally famous artists. The Stresa Festival continues its long-standing festival for 2023 as it opens its doors to the public carrying on its tradition of excellent music, art and culture, held in a number of venues around Lake Maggiore, Lake Orta and Val d’Ossola.
Puccini Festival
Torre del Lago, Viareggio (Tuscany); 14th July – 26th August 2023
The Puccini Festival was created by Giacomo Puccini himself in 1930 and, since then, it has been continually held from mid-July to mid-August. The festival takes place in the open-air theatre of Torre Del Lago (Tuscany), located a few steps from “Villa Mausoleum”, the house where Puccini lived and worked; an amazing venue to enjoy the masterpieces of one of the most outstanding and esteemed Italian artists worldwide. Operas on show this year are: Madame Butterfly, Turandot, Tosca and Il Tabarro.
Arena Di Verona Opera Festival
Verona (Veneto); 16 June – 9 September 2023
The International Opera Festival presents a rich calendar of events. The operas to be performed this year are: Aida, Carmen, La Traviata, Madama Butterfly, Tosca, Barbiere di Siviglia, Rigoletto, Nabucco. Arena di Verona welcomes once again artists and public in its magnificent setting.
La Notte Rosa – Pink Night
Adriatic coast of Emilia Romagna and Marche, July – August 2023
For one night the entire Riviera (Romagna and Marche) turns pink. There will be shows, events, theatre sets, and scenery. Each resort will interpret the theme in a creative and original way. The whole Riviera will become an enormous stage where everyone has a part to play. La Notte Rosa will take place all along the coast, from the Lidos of Comacchio to Senigallia, but the heart of the event is the Riviera of Rimini. It’s an event that attracts thousands of Italians to head to the Adriatic coast and is quickly becoming an international attraction
Mito Settembre Musica
Turin (Piedmont) and Milan (Lombardy); September 2023
Since 2007, MITO Settembre Musica has united the cities of Milano and Torino with a rich array of musical events. Developed from the thirty years’ experience of Settembre Musica, this Festival connects the two biggest cities in the north of Italy in a programme of refined and stirring concerts, presenting best orchestras, baroque opera, medieval and jazz music, open-air shows and night-time concerts.
Venice Film Festival
Venice (Veneto), 30th August – 9th September 2023
This year the Venice’s 79th annual Film Festival will turn the city into a buzzing hub of culture. Thousands of visitors, hundreds of projections and dozens of celebrities are expected during the ten days of the festival, which promises to bring an incredible atmosphere and glittering parties to the Lido of Venice, the famous Island located in the Venice Lagoon.
The Festival Of The Mind – Festival Della Mente
Sarzana (Liguria) – 1st – 3rd September 2023
The Festival of the Mind is the first European festival dedicated to creativity and thought processes and is back on the 1st-3rd September. During the three days of the festival, which is held in Sarzana at the end of summer, Italian and international speakers submit events, lectures, performances and workshops and moments of cultural exchange; writers, artists, musicians, architects, film and theatre directors, as well as scientists and philosophers, investigate the nature of this most fascinating and mysterious human skill.
Festival Letteratura
Mantua (Lombardy); 6th – 10th September 2023
Every year world-famous writers and poets, essayists, musicians, artists and scientists from all over the world take part in Festival Letteratura, an incredible Festival of Literature held in the World Heritage City of Mantua. By attending readings, performances, gatherings and concerts, artists and visitors can get first-hand experience of the truly unforgettable literary atmosphere.
Trentodoc Festival
Trentino – October 2023
https://www.visittrentino.info/it/articoli/lifestyle/trentodoc-festival
The city of Trento and the wineries of Trentino will host the second edition of the Trentodoc Festival: three days to taste, learn, share and make friends with mountain bubbles. A party that involves guests, insiders, journalists and enthusiasts, with a rich calendar of events: guided tastings, DJ sets, experiences in the city and in the vineyards, talks and meetings with sommeliers, chefs, oenologists, winemakers and well-known names from around the world of art, design, fashion, literature and gastronomy.
Torino Film Festival
Turin (Piedmont); 25th November – 3rd December 2023
This year the International Film Festival in Turin will celebrate their 40th anniversary. Founded in 1982 by film critic Gianno Rondolino as the Festival of Young Cinema, it has been known since its inception as one of the most established cinematographic event in the world. Thanks to its commitment to the support of independent filmmaking and personal vision, the film festival is renowned for showcasing emerging and established filmmakers from all over the world.
MEI National Museum of Italian Emigration
Liguria – Newly opened
https://www.museidigenova.it/it/mei-museo-dellemigrazione-italiana
The Newly Opened MEI – National Museum of Italian Emigration, is a must visit for tourists in 2023. Housed in the Commandery of San Giovanni di Prè, spread over 3 floors divided into 16 areas where you can retrace the many stories of Italian migration, from the Unification of Italy (and even earlier) to the contemporary. Genoa is a city strongly linked to emigration where millions of Italians left for the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Australia. The stories of migrants’ lives are told through first-hand sources, such as autobiographies, diaries, letters, photographs and through newspapers.
Antroposcene – Museo Etnografico a Cielo Aperto
Liguria – Newly Opened
Anthroposcene is the open-air Ethnographic Museum that tells the widespread rural heritage of the territories of Dolceacqua, San Biagio della Cima and Soldano. 34 km of paths, 20 points of interest, 6000 years of dialogue between man and nature. An ethno-anthropological journey guided by digital media and immersive dynamics that enhances and gives voice to the precious good that surrounds us.
Carnivals
Carnival Of Viareggio
Viareggio (Tuscany); Dates TBC
Among Italy’s most flamboyant events in Italy, particular mention goes to the Carnival of Viareggio. The floats made in papier-mâché are the stars of this carnival; huge, majestic, and thought-provoking, they are inspired by Italian and international politics and other current events, often represented in satire form, most times with a lot of irreverence. These parades draw thousands of visitors of all ages, who come to participate in the festive air that can be breathed in the town on the days of the masquerade processions. Events include big parties, sports events, slang theatre show and food stalls.
Sports Events
Giro D’ Italia – Tour Of Italy
Budapest to Verona – 6th – 21st May 2023
The most important bicycle race in Italy, the Giro d’Italia, dates back to May 1909 and, over time, has become an iconic race all over the world. This year the Giro will start on 6th of May 2023 in Ortona (Abruzzo) and will end in Rome on 21st May.
Mille Miglia
Various locations across Italy; 13th -17th June 2023
The Mille Miglia is a unique event that attracts thousands of car lovers from all over the world every year. Over the past few decades, this incredible race has brought vintage cars, traditions and emotions along a non-stop itinerary from Brescia to Rome and back.
Monza Motor Grand Prix
Monza; 1st-3rd September 2023
The Italian Grand Prix is one of the most important running events on the Formula One calendar. The Monza circuit is known as The Temple of Speed, since its foundation in 1922 it has been able to constantly renew itself to keep up with the world’s best motors.
Ryder Cup 2023
Rome- 25th September – October 1st 2023
https://www.rydercup.com/attend/2023-ryder-cup-tickets
The 2023 Ryder Cup will be played in Italy for the first time from September 25 to October 1, 2023, at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club, located just outside Rome.
New Adventures
Italian Tuk-Tuk Adventures Exploring Northern Italy
Departing from Milan – April – October 2023
https://www.largeminority.travel/adventures?search[country]=Italy
Travel specialist company Large Minority will be spreading their wings to introduce their Tuk-Tuk adventures to Europe next year. Italy is the company’s first European destination having developed a new base for a fleet of Piaggio Apes near Milan. Italy presents the perfect location where taking a slow and picturesque tour by Tuk-Tuk can combine fun, adventure and great food with an element of cultural immersion using the classic three wheeler Ape, otherwise known as a Tuk-Tuk with an Italian accent!
Trips will be offered as set date group departures where friends, families and couples can join as teams of two or three people in a unique week long self-drive Tuk-Tuk tour of northern Italy, or alternatively can be booked for individual travel for flexible durations.
New Flights
British Airways will introduce a daily flight London-Heathrow to Florence as from 26 April 2023 www.ba.com
Ryanair will introduce a flight from Dublin to Trieste twice a week as from April 2023 www.ryanair.com
About Italy
Italy is a vibrant peninsula in Southern Europe, which is known for its world-renowned art, architecture, food, and sports. Home to extraordinary cities such as Rome, Vatican City, Florence, and Venice, it boasts unparalleled local culture and experiences. Several famous monuments such as the Pantheon, Colosseum, Sistine Chapel, and Leaning Tower of Pisa can all be found in Italy. As the birthplace of the Renaissance beginning in the 14th century, the country has had irrevocable influence on modern society’s artistic and intellectual development. Now as the 2021 winners of both Eurovision and the UEFA European Championship, Italy’s unfading impact continues to this day.
http://www.italia.it/en/
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