On Vacation in Italy

UPDATED  JULY 9, 2016

Everyone knows that  Italian beaches  are very popular, in fact the most read article   on my blog  is  about them.

But not all Italians spend their vacations  browning on  the beach  and not all of Italy closes down in August. Most of the people you will find walking around in Rome, Florence, Venice and Milan in these days are  probably  tourists, for residents try to escape the heat by getting out of the city. For this reason  the small towns  fill up. Here the homes stay cool  for thanks to the metre-thick stone walls we have natural  air conditioning ! 

Here are just a few of the alternative vacations you can enjoy in Italy, without going to the beach.
  

Here is  20 year old  Russian violinist Sarkis  who spent some of his summer taking a Master Class in Cremona, the violin capital of the world. 

Music-the Tuscia Opera Festival and Baroque music festival are very popular in Viterbo. 
House concerts  take place in Vetralla,  in the magical  gardens of Palazzo Piatti, thanks to Opera Extravaganza. 

cooking risotto at Opera Extravaganza concert July 8, 2016
Paola, Ruud, Paolo and hostess Susanna Ohtonen of Opera Extravaganza 

Anna Carbonera, Ugo Tarquini and Alessandro Manetti  perform "Gran Risotto del Belcanto " 

concert program for July  2016

Here is  20 year old  Russian violinist Sarkis  who spent some of his summer taking a Master Class in Cremona, the violin capital of the world. 

Irina, Lavinia, Nelly and Catalin enjoying the concert 

Art – many artists from all over the world  come to Etruria and there are summer programs in Viterbo and Civita Castellana that draw  painters from around the world  to  enjoy the magical light  found only in Italy.  

You might want to join  a group of artists like this summer painting group next year .

  Catalin, a Moldavian painter who works in Munich, came  back to Italy for a short  holiday.

prize winning painting at the Accademia di Belle Arti 

Sagre and Festivals  - most local towns celebrate local  food  with communal dinners eaten in the main piazzas and film festivals brightened up the nights in  Montefiascone  and  Viterbo.

 Theme Parks –kids love the  amusement parks that dot Italy: the best are  Mirabilandia and Italia in Miniatura, both in Romagna, near Rimini

Italia in Miniatura 

photos from the Mirabilandia website 

Massimo enjoyed the scary rides and shows like this one  at Mirabilandia 

Travel- many families take  the kids to see another part of Italy,  or maybe a different country, like San Marino.

Bianca and Mauro visited the castle in Senigallia with their parents

Relax with family and friends- long days and warm nights are perfect for getting together, catching up  with old friends, and making some new ones. 

checking out the olive grove 

making new friends  is easy in summer;   Florette, Irina, Nelly, Lavinia 

For ways to stay cool in summer in Italy just use the search box at the top and type in  "cool places ".

How are you spending  your mid summer  vacation ? Leave a comment in the  box below and share  with friends using the Facebook and Twitter icons.  Whatever  you are doing, have a wonderful  mid-summer holiday !