The Mille Miglia (Thousand Miles) is an open-road endurance race that has been taking place in Italy since 1927.
Since 1977 the name was revived as the Mille Miglia Storica, a parade for pre-1957 cars that takes several days.

Every May, Brescia becomes the meeting place for the rich, famous and passionate as they prepare to do battle over 1,000 miles (1,600 km) of Italian roads.

This edition of the race will start on May 14th in Brescia, will pass by Florence, Siena, Rome, Ferrara, San Marino and many other cities, coming back in Brescia in few days.

The history of the Mille Miglia is traced in all its glory at the Mille Miglia Museum in Brescia. This collection is a must for all amateurs of the automobile and its history and includes a fine collection of books and photographic works.

The Mille Miglia has the reputation of being the “the most beautiful road race in the world”, don’t miss it!

Info taken from wikipedia.

The “Museums Open Night” is an European initiative that will take place on 16 May.
Rome is the city with the highest number of museums partaking in this initiative. The Italian capital offers a wide range of events, including musical entertainment, and will open museums free of charge from sunset until two o’clock in the morning.

As regards other events, at Milan the Sforza Castle will offer guided visits to its secret passageand an exhibition of painting techniques, while Florence’s Oblate Gallery hosts “The poetry night”, a poetry reading given by both notable and emerging actors.

Each year, on Labour Day there is a huge free concert in San Giovanni in Laterano square in Rome.
More than 700 artists line up the 1st of May for a turn on that stage.
This year Vasco Rossi, Giorgia, Caparezza, Nomadi, Bandabardò, Edoardo Bennato and a lot of other Italian artists will perform for free on that stage

In 2007 there were approximately 700.000 people attending the event.
The First of May concert (Concerto del Primomaggio) began in 1989 and quickly became a popular event, heavily covered by TV and the press. To get a good view of the stage you have to arrive early in San Giovanni Square.

Carciofi alla Giudia (the Italian name for Jewish Artichokes) are a typical Roman recipe.
I found it on Food Network.

Ingredients

* 12 young artichokes
* 2 fresh lemons
* Salt
* Freshly ground black pepper
* 2 cups olive oil
* Grated Pecorino Romano, for garnish

Directions

Trim the outer leaves of each artichoke and the stem to 2 inches long. Using a peeler, peel the stems of each artichoke. In a bowl, combine the artichokes and juice from the lemons. Cover with ice water and allow to sit for 2 hours. Drain well. Using your hands, flatten each artichoke to the shape of a flower.

In a large earthenware pan, over medium heat, add the olive oil. Add the artichokes, side by side and stem up. Cook the artichokes until tender, turning the artichokes several times for overall browning. Using a wooden spoon, press each artichoke firmly to the bottom of the pan so that the leaves flatten out. Continue to cook for 10 minutes.

Carefully sprinkle a little water over the artichokes, this will crisp the artichokes. Continue to cook for 2 minutes.

Place the artichokes on a large platter and serve. Garnish with grated Pecorino Romano.

If you are in Italy and you want to go to mass, preferably understanding what you hear, you have to find one in English.

Mass in English in Florence: in the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore (the cathedral church)
Every Saturday at 5:00 pm

Mass in English in Rome: in S. Silvestro in Capite church at 10:00 am and 5:30 pm and
in San Patrizio a Villa Ludovisi church at 10:00 am

Mass in English in Venice: in San Zulian church at 11:30 am

These are just 3 of the main Italian cities, anyway contact me if you need further info.

A cruise is the perfect choice for those who want to travel a lot but with all the comforts. It’s so relaxing to sunbathe in the swimming pool and visit wonderful cities contemporary.

The problem is that when you land for the tours, above spending a lot of extra money, you often can’t visit everything you would like to.

That’s why I hypothesized the perfect holiday: a cruise plus private tours.
In Italy, for example, you can ask Italy Private Tour to plan a trip or rent a car with driver.
Their mission is to provide an alternative to the cruise ship’s tours. Their excursions are synchronized to your cruise ship’s schedule.

Better yet, Italy Private Tour’s shore tours often feature more variety, are usually more intimate and are generally priced below the cruise line’s offerings.

Italy Private Tour also provides in most services Mercedes-Benz Luxury Sedan and Van transportation for your Airport transfers, Excursions or Tours.

The Drivers/Guides can take you to out-of-the-way sites, and their Mercedes Benz vehicles are comfortable, brand new and always reliable.

Italian version

| Shore excursions in Rome | Private shore excursions in Rome | Limousine tours in Rome | Limousine service in Rome | Excursions in Rome |

Are you traveling in Italy? Do it in a stylish way…

You should rent a limousine with driver that takes you around.
Rome limousine touring is specialized in Limousine services, providing luxurious private cars and vans, with English speaking drivers, guides and tour escort.

Drivers and guides will bring you in historical and cultural excursions of Rome, Florence and Amalfi Coast… and any other area.

They take care of you from the airport and plan with you the travel you want to do: the service is available for small groups, individuals or couples.

Rome limousine touring also gives special care to those that need a car service with a driver, such as ceremonies, conventions and meetings.

For further info visit their website.

Italian version.

| Shore excursions in Rome | Private shore excursions in Rome | Limousine tours in Rome | Limousine service in Rome | Excursions in Rome |

If you are visiting Rome and you don’t want to eat in a touristic place my suggestion is Fresia.

Fresia is the Italian word for the flower Freesia.
Fresia is a bar, a restaurant and a wine-bar where Romans go daily for a cappuccino at breakfast,  for a brunch during the lunchbreak, for a drink in the late afternoon (during the happy hour), for  dinner or  after…

There you can taste traditional Roman cooking and Italian wines while listening to live music.
So, for a sandwich or a drink, with your family or for a romantic dinner, try out Fresia.

Italian version.

I found a place in Rome that can suit your needs: it’s a restaurant that also organizes cocktail parties and aperitifs, it’s a wine bar, a club and a sport café, a pizzeria and a location for parties and events…

This place is named Sport café.

With friends you should go there watching a soccer match and eat a pizza, with your girlfriend you should have a drink on the romantic terrace: they always got an answer!

Try it out…

Italian version

Elegant gentlemen with sophisticated tastes smoking cigars in a stylish cafè… those were the days!
In the heart of Rome, near the Colosseum, you can experience this ancient high society personally.

There’s an historic cafè, called Caffè Martini, that keeps this world alive.
Caffè Martini, besides the famous restaurant and coffee bar, also offers a Cigar bar, where to taste wines and spirits, while smoking a quality cigar.

Feel like a nineteenth-century intellectual!

Italian version.