February 2017 – lisa loves to travel

The Great Italian Food Fight

February 27, 2017February 27, 2017@lisastravelguidesLeave a comment

Battle Aftermath

Oranges are the ammunition of this battle royale in the northern Italian town of Ivrea. Referred to as the “largest food fight” in Italy, the Battle of the Oranges engages over 5,000 participants inflicting pain by hurling 60 tons of blood oranges at each other. Ivrea, north of Turin and west of Milan, imports an entire train full of oranges from Sicily each year for the event.

The Battle is based on stories of real people from the rebellion 900 years ago. At this period in time, the “right of the first night” or jus primae noctae allowed the local Lord to sleep with a bride the night before her wedding. As the story goes, the mugnaia (miller’s daughter), went to the castle the night before her wedding, wielded a knife, murdered the Lord and cut his head off. The locals then started a three-day rebellion which is represented by the throwing of the oranges.

398726005_a7c96d4e35_b Activities for this Carnival period celebration started in January and culminate today and tomorrow with historical parades, feasts and of course, the famous orange fight this afternoon. Aranceri (orange handlers) on fifty carts battle the aranceri from the nine pedestrian teams. Spectators are strongly advised to purchase and wear at all times the beretto frigio; this red stocking cap identifies the innocent onlookers hoping to escape errant oranges. Nets are strung throughout the parade route with designated areas for spectators to gather beneath for protection. The orange throwing spectacle can be seen on Sunday (last night) and Monday nights (today) before dinner, refer to the full program schedule below for parade map and times.

8737767635_3f349bf2be_b — *Castello di Ivrea*

Historical Carnival of Ivrea – Information

Photo Credits:

BATTLE AFTERMATH – SEBASTIANO ROSSI VIA FOTER.COM / CC BY-ND

ORANGE THROWERS (LEFT) – SEBASTIANO ROSSI VIA FOTER.COM / CC BY-ND

ORANGE THROWERS (RIGHT) – PIGLIAPOST VIA FOTER.COM / CC BY-SA

SBANDIERATORI (FLAG THROWERS)- GIÒ-S.P.O.T.S. VIA FOTER.COM / CC BY

CASTELLO DI IVREA – GALLI LUCA VIA FOTER.COM / CC BY

It’s Gnocchi Friday (& More) in Verona!

February 24, 2017February 24, 2017@lisastravelguidesLeave a comment

If you are looking for an alternative to the carnevale crowds in Viareggio and Venice, Verona may hold the ticket. Gnocchi Friday in Verona is kind of like Fat Tuesday in New Orleans. It’s the first of FIVE days of celebration as the fun carnevale period ends and the Christian abstinence period of Lent begins. Verona is a city in the northern Italian province of Veneto, often thought of when Romeo and Juliet are mentioned.

GNOCCHI FRIDAY “Venerdi Gnoccolare” Starting around noon on Friday floats start to gather for their journey through downtown, starting around 2pm. Led by “Il Papa Gnocco” (the Father of Gnocchi), 70 floats participate along with bands and entertainers in front of 100,000+ strong crowd. The 6 km parade ends at Piazza Bra, but head over to Piazza Zeno where the real fun begins in my opinion (FOOD!). Gnocchi is made by mixing potatoes and flour, cutting into small squares and then boiling in water. It can be served with a variety of toppings; the Veronese eat it with a meat ragu and even have their own word for the after-effect of eating too much, GNOCCOLONITA!

22165647338_825605b41f_b-1 — Arena di Verona

The best of the rest:

HISTORICAL REGATTA (SATURDAY) “Regata Storica Sull’Adige” Since the fifteenth century, Prince Reboano arrives by canoe on Saturday afternoon and leads a masked carnival procession through the Filippini district and ending in Piazza Bra.

CARNIVAL ON LISTON (SUNDAY) “Carnevale sul Liston” A Carnival party begins in Piazza bra late in the morning and moves through the other districts of the City in the afternoon.

FEAST OF SANTO STEFANO (MONDAY) “Luni Pignatar” Traditional soup and plenty of music are on tap Monday afternoon in the Santo Stefano District of Verona.

FAT TUESDAY “Martedi Grasso” An afternoon party in the Porto San Pancrazio district on Shrove Tuesday begins at 2:30 pm and carries into the night.

6932953786_03472063fd_b — *Gnocchi with Ragu*

INFORMATION

Carnevale Verona Official Website (Italian)

Verona on Google Maps

ABOUT

Lisa M. Vogele is the author of Food & Folklore: A Year of Italian Festivals, a travel reference guide that “helps you go local” by incorporating festivals into your travel planning. The second book in her Food & Folklore Series on Festivals of Spain will hit the shelves in 2017. You can find out more information about Lisa’s books, custom itineraries and small group tours at Lisa’s Travel Guides. BROCHURE: Fun with Food & Festivals Tours!

PHOTO CREDITS

Arena di Verona rick ligthelm via Foter.com / CC BY

Gnocchi with Ragu I am Jeffrey via Foter.com / CC BY-NC-SA

All other photos from Carnevale Verona Official Committee

connect. experience. savor. Lisa’s Travel Guides 2017 Tours

February 13, 2017@lisastravelguidesLeave a comment

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SIX DAYS & NIGHTS OF FUN WITH FOOD & FESTIVALS!

Sign up for one of our scheduled tours or inquire about a custom/private one! The Brochure for our 2017 tours based on the book FOOD & FOLKLORE: A Year of Italian Festivals is now available!

2017 BROCHURE: 2017-lisas-travel-guides-tour-brochure

WELCOME to Lisa’s Travel Guides. Our guided travel experiences are designed to help you “go local” at a moderate pace and savor the moment. They are personally curated to create special memories in a small group setting:

experience local festivals
connect with locals
explore the countryside & hilltowns
drive past vineyards and sip the wine they produce
taste locally cultivated olive oil
learn how history shaped the region
stay in historic homes on working estates
meet artisan cheesemakers and sample their products
visit the family workshop of local leather artisans
tour with professional licensed, multi-lingual guides

See our brochure for further details www.lisastravelguides.com

Lisa Vogele, Chief Travel Addict, lisa@lisastravelguides.com or 970-987-4096

EVENTS: A Year of Italian Festivals – FEB 15 in Boulder & FEB 16 in Edwards, CO

February 13, 2017February 13, 2017@lisastravelguidesLeave a comment

Wednesday, February 15, 2017 @ 7:00 – 8:00 PM – Changes in Latitude Travel Store – 2525 Arapahoe Ave. Boulder, CO – 303-786-8406

Thursday February 16, 2017 @ 6:00 – 7:00 PM – The Bookworm of Edwards
295 Main Street C101, Edwards, CO – 970-926-7323

food-folklore-a-year-of-italian-festivals-front-cover-2-top-half

Have you ever just arrived in Italy and missed out on a cool local food festival or historical reenactment? Colorado author Lisa Vogele will introduce you to a diverse collection of food & folklore festivals highlighting various regions. This presentation will interest foodies, history buffs, Italophiles and offer tips for incorporating festivals into your travel planning.

The presenter, Lisa Vogele is an Italophile, festival-lover, and travel-addict. Her blog “Lisa Loves to Travel” has been created to share her love of festivals with fellow travelers and enthusiasts. She loves hearing suggestions, recommendations, and experiences around festival travel. The “Food & Folklore” series is published by Lisa’s Travel Guides and highlights food, fun, and festivals to help others go local as a traveler, not a tourist. Author book signing to follow.

http://www.lisastravelguides.com.

Feb 15 2017 Changes in Latitude – Boulder, CO Link

Feb 16 2017 Bookworm of Edwards – Edwards, CO Event Link

EVENT Feb 10th Denver: A Year of Italian Festivals

February 7, 2017@lisastravelguidesLeave a comment

Hosted by the Dante Alighieri Society of Denver – February 10, 2017 @ 7:30 PM Mt. Carmel Parish Hall – 3549 Navajo St., Denver, Colorado

http://www.lisastravelguides.com.

February 10, 7:30 p.m. at Mt. Carmel Parish Hall, 3549 Navajo St., Denver.

MAP 3549 Navajo Street Denver

Spain’s Five Day Fiesta of Saint Blaise in Bocairent, Valencia

February 5, 2017@lisastravelguidesLeave a comment

panoramic-of-bocairent-spain — *Panoramic of Bocairent Spain*

Bocairent is located in the Spanish province of Valencia. It’s five days of fiesta honoring Saint Blaise occurs annually February 1st – February 5th. Costumes, fireworks, food and folkloric dance demonstrations provide exciting entertainment. This is the town of Bocairent’s main festival day of the year and everyone turns out to line the streets and celebrate together. During the fiesta, the town’s population swells significantly with over 2,000 participants in a town of only 4,500.

amedeo-campili-dancers — *Dancers in Bocairent Spain – by Amedeo Campili*

The town of Bocairent has been celebrating this patron Saint of bodily ills and portraying the historic Moors and Christians characters for so long (158 years) it even has its own museum. The museum opened in 2003 and displays the typical dress for each group represented in the village. Historic festival photos and written histories line the walls and document this culturally rich event.

amadeo-campili-form-above — *Soldiers in Moros y Cristianos Procession from Above by Amedeo Campili*

Moors and Christians (Moros y Cristianos) festivals happen throughout Spain at different times of the year but are particularly numerous in the Valencia area. They commemorate the battles between the Christians and Moors during the Reconquista period in Spain (8th – 15th centuries).

market-in-bocairent-spain — *Market in Bocairent Spain*

@bocairenturisme

INFORMATION

Bocairent, Valencia, Spain Official Tourism Site

Moors & Christians Festival Museum in Bocairent

Bocairent, Valencia, Spain on Google Maps

ABOUT

PHOTO CREDITS

Panoramic of Bocairent Spain alcebal2002 via Foter.com / CC BY-SA

Dancers in Bocairent by Amedeo Campili via Facebook

Procession from Above by Amedeo Campili via Facebook

Market in Bocairent Spain XuRxO via Foter.com / CC BY-SA

lisa loves to travel

Guides that help you go local – Fun. Food. FESTIVALS.

Month: February 2017