Italian May Daze

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By: Effetto Italy On: May 9, 2019 In: Italian Culture

Just after the Easter crowds depart, May arrives and proves to be a wonderful time to visit Italy. The temperatures are pleasant, ranging from mild to beachy, and a bounty of seasonal produce includes asparagus, strawberries, and cherries. While May is the true start of high season and can become crowded and more expensive, the many festivals can make it worthwhile. Looking for some interesting ideas? Read on!

The Greek Theatre Festival – The 55th annual festival of classical theater takes place at the Greek Amphitheatre in Siracusa from May 9 to July 6, 2019. Three performances are scheduled to be performed: Helen by Euripides, The Trojan Women by Euripides, and the comedy, Lysistrata by Aristophanes. It’s a real treat to see the venue returned to its original form.
Giro d’Italia – The three week Grand Tour cycling race will take place from May 11 to June 2, 2019. Starting in Bologna and ending in Verona, the race will circle two thirds of the country.
Il Giardino dell’Iris – Florence’s famous Iris garden is open for just 25 days to the general public, from April 25 to May 20, 2019. Located on the east side of Piazzale Michelangelo (and across the Rose garden – also not to be missed), the garden, started in 1957, contains hundreds of species from all over the world.
La Festa dei Ceri – The Race of the Candles takes place every year on May 16th in the Umbrian, medieval town of Gubbio. In celebration of the patron St. Ubaldo, 3 teams each carry a massive 650 lb wooden pillar, meant to represent a candle, bearing statues of different saints. Starting at 5:30 am, the teams race through the city’s winding and uphill streets.
Notte dei Museo – Spend May 18, 2019 at your favorite museum when all Italian state museums, joining others across Europe, are open to the public until 2 am for just one euro.
Cantine Aperte – Unlike wine regions in Napa or Sonoma, most vineyards of Italy do not have a walk-in tasting room so many of the nations’ wineries are not accessible to the general public. However, this changes during one weekend of the year (May 25-26, 2019) when Italy celebrates “Open Cellars” and wine lovers can drop in for tastings, tours and often local snacks.

Looking for more interesting options? Contact us and we are happy to help! Happy May! Ciao for now, The Effetto Italy Team