Passion for Italy Travel would like to wish a Merry Christmas to you and yours right around our whole world. We wish for Peace in our global village. Peace begins in our own hearts and at Christmas time with our own families. The holiday period is a good time to try to practice peace with our loved or (not so loved ones) and to heal rifts that can often occur over the years.
The internet has connected us all and allows us to intertwine our cultures and languages. It is a wonderful experience to work with clients from all over the world all wishing to travel to Italy. We have had nearly every country in the world viewing www.passionforitaly.com this year except for maybe Antartica..!!! I guess the internet cables would freeze over down there!!
Wherever you are, whatever you will be eating or drinking or sharing on Christmas day have a peaceful joyful day!!
Passion for Italy Travel will be closed for Christmas from 23 Dec - 9 Jan 2012 to enable all our staff to spend time with our own families and we look forward to organising your holiday in Italy in 2012.
Merry Christmas!
Passion for Italy Travel www.passionforitaly.com
Most little villages have beautiful Christmas markets where all the local artisans can sell their hand made products.One of the nicest I saw when in Italy for Christmas, was in Perugia where they were displayed in an ancient underground building that had been newly renovated and full of nooks and crannies. It was used as a shelter during the war and to escape from the Nazis but now is being put to a joyful use. Perugia is the capital of Umbria and is a beautiful hilltop town with amazing views.
We waited in the cold, wind and rain for midnight mass outside the Catholic church in Grosseto Tuscany. It was a high mass sung in Latin which dutifully put my children and their father to sleep with those wonderful gregorian chants. The presipe or nativity scenes in the churches are very impressive in Italy. They are usually very large with life size statues. Grosetto's was unveiled in a solemn ceremony and blessed at the end of the mass and was enormous.
Most Italians build a new nativity scene in their homes every year and no scene is the same. Lined with moss and lights they are a work of art. The best presepe are found down south in Napoli where there is a whole street devoted to selling all the nativity statues in all varying sizes as well as the stables with accompanying lights. People travel all over the world to see this street and it is very impressive.
One of the churches in the village of Pozzuoli near Napoli had made a presepe that was so huge that it took up three rooms under the church. Four men took four months to construct the village made out of pottery with all the people in the village represented. A delightful way to spend one's creative time but a lot of work. These guys need more recognition. They are artists in their own right.
Ravello is one of the most magical towns in Italy. It had been four years since my last visit, so returning in September this year was a delight - and it reminded me just what I love about Ravello... its quaint piazza, pedestrian-only streets, the quiet and calm found nowhere else on the Amalfi Coast, beautiful villas and gardens, breathtaking views.
Unfortunately the Ravello Festival had finished a week before my visit, so I wasn't able to enjoy the incredible music this town is famous for. For anyone visiting in July and August attending an open-air performance during the festival is an absolute must-do, contact us for accommodation and festival ticket bookings. The festival is also known as the Wagner Festival, as his music is at the core of each year's programme (Wagner found inspiration in Ravello for his opera Parsifal).
Another Ravello highlight is Villa Cimbrone. For me, nothing can compete with the views from its Terrace of Infinity. Simply stunning. It is very easy to lose track of time here as you wander through the gardens - often you will see weddings in the cloisters and gardens. Ravello is a very romantic place.
Whether you choose to spend a number of relaxing days in Ravello, or just visit for the day, Ravello is a Passion For Italy highly recommended destination.
Click here to see our beautiful Ravello hotels. Click here for our Ravello cooking class.
