Italy

                             Introduction

Italy, a country full of art, exquisite culture and numerous monuments. It has quite interesting and striking festivities, inviting you to enjoy not only good music and dances, but also quite striking traditions.

1. Venice´s Carnival: After the Epiphany (Christian festival for the adoration of Jesus by the Magi and his appearance and manifestation to the world, but, it is also when the witch Befana will distribute gifts to children), the streets of Venice are transformed into a great stage where events such as the Taglio della testa del toro on Thursday of Lardero or il volo del Angelo, which is celebrated on February 19, take place. This year the carnival begins on January 27 with the feast of the Marias and will end on February 13 with Shrove Tuesday with parades, processions, parties, workshops and streets full of locals and tourists.

During the carnival, a hundred boats cross the Grand Canal of Venice guided by the Pantegana, a boat shaped like a giant water rat, surrounded by Venetians and visitors waiting for the carnival to begin. Days later, the Cannaregio canal is dyed in lights and San Marco hosts one of the most wonderful moments of the year: the Flight of the Angel, in which an acrobat launches himself from the Campanile and flies over the famous square.

2. Easter in Florence: Scoppio del carro: Nowadays, the ceremony takes place on Easter Sunday morning. Around 10 o'clock, in the church of the Holy Apostles, a candle is lit with the stones of Pazzino. From here there is a direct procession to the cathedral. Simultaneously from the square of Porta al Prato begins the path of the cart, pulled by four oxen.

When the cart reaches the square in front of the Cathedral, an iron cable passes from a column in the center of the cathedral choir to the cart. This will be the path of the Colombina (dove), the rocket that ignites the cart. At this moment the explosions of the fireworks begin!

This is a tradition to which Florentines are very faithful, an unmissable opportunity to really get to know the city.