Michelle Fabio
Articles by Michelle Fabio
On 17 January, several Italian towns celebrate the Festa di Sant'Antonio Abate or Feast of Saint Anthony the Abbot, also known as Saint Anthony the Gr…
Words by Michelle Fabio - Pictures by Paoletta S.
One of the best culinary skills I learned from my Italian-American grandmother was how to make gnoc…
Don't let the name fool you! Viterbo's La Macchina di Santa Rosa is no machine at all.
No, the Macchina di Santa Rosa is actually a five-ton, 30-metr…
Every 5 August, La Madonna della Neve, known as Our Lady of the Snow or Our Lady of the Snows to English-speaking Catholics, is celebrated throughout…
Words by Michelle Fabio
Picture by Infinitispazi / CC-BY-2.5
The first Sunday of August is reserved for the Quintana, a jousting competition capping…
Just off the coast of San Fruttuoso of Camogli in Liguria, 18 metres deep into the sea lies the "Cristo degli Abissi," Christ of the Abyss, a two and…
One of the biggest celebrations in all of Italy happens every third weekend of July in Venice: La Festa del Redentore.
As with many Italian f…
One of Sicily's largest and most celebrated festivals, Il Festino of Santa Rosalia, takes place in Palermo on 15 July; if you happen to be in the bust…
Words by Michelle Fabio
We've talked about the Black Madonna of Sovereto, and now it's time for La Madonna della Bruna in Matera, Basilicata.
You ma…
If you've always imagined your carpets made of vibrant, fresh-smelling flowers, you should check out the L'Infiorata festivals held throughout Italy d…
Calcio Storico Fiorentino, also known as Calcio in Costume, is a Florentine tradition dating back to the 15th century. Its origins aren't exactly clea…
In a small town 30 km outside of Naples, you’ll find Nola, famous for its late June Lily Festival known in Italy as the Festa dei Gigli. The celebrati…
The thirteenth of June marks the Feast of Saint Anthony of Padua, one of the most venerated saints throughout Italy. Celebrations include processions,…
Every year at the end of June, Pisa hosts the Gioco del Ponte, a giant tug-of-war type competition over the Arno River.
The Battle of the Bridg…
One of the most beloved Italian saints is St. Rita of Cascia, a native of Umbria who died in Cascia in 1456. Santa Rita is widely celebrated not only…
Every 15 May, on the eve of patron Sant’Ubaldo’s day, giant candles take over the streets of Gubbio in Umbria for the Festa dei Ceri; the festival dat…
The Festa di San Nicola, or Feast of Saint Nicholas, is one of the grandest celebrations in southern Italy, lasting for three days, the 7, 8, and 9 Ma…
The first of May is La Festa dei Lavoratori (Labor Day) throughout Italy, but in Cagliari, the day marks the beginning of the Festa di Sant’Efisio to…
Every 23 April, the citizens of Terlizzi in the province of Bari honour their patron, the Black Madonna of Sovereto, by transporting her sacred statue…
One of Italy's most celebrated holidays is 25 April, the Festa della Liberazione, or Liberation Day.
The day marks the liberation of the Bel Paese by…