Genzano is a charming town built on one of Rome’s hills. Every year it hosts the Infiorata di Genzano, when its main street, the Via Italo Belardi, is carpeted by 2,000 square metres of enormous tapestries adorned with flowers. This artwork uses up nearly 500,000 petals, flowers and seeds meticulously placed to form intricate pictures inspired by religious themes. It is a collaborative venture involving many of Genzano’s inhabitants. Just as painters have their palette, for the Infiorata, different types of flowers are selected according to each colour – carnations are used for reds, broom for yellows.

For the three-day duration of the festival, the town’s shopkeepers set up their marquees from where they sell the region’s typical food products, such as olive oil or pane casereccio, a famous crunchy bread and one of the most emblematic of local gastronomic products. TheInfiorataremains on the streets until the so-called Spallamento, the moment when the music bands and the town’s children walk over the infiorata, until the whole carpet is trampled underfoot.

The Origin of the Flower Carpets

These colourful flower carpets are laid down in many other towns around the world. Notable examples are the Temps de Flors in Girona and the Alfombras de Sal in Lanzarote. Their origins go back to theCorpus Christicelebrations of the 13th century, when flowers were thrown during the Holy Week procession in Rome, a tradition that then spread to many other Catholic countries. Other towns in Italy also have their own infiorata, but the one in Genzano is the oldest and most famous, dating back to 1778.

The Historical Towns of Castelli Romani

Genzano is one of thirteen historical towns that make up the so-called Castelli Romani (Roman castles), which roughly correspond to the area of Colli Albani (Albanian hills) south-east of Rome. For centuries it has been a favourite spot for well-heeled Romans seeking a more temperate climate, to escape from the often suffocating heat of Rome and also to get away from the city bustle and dense traffic. The towns in the Castelli Romani Regional Park stand out for their medieval and Renaissance buildings and for their excellent wine, the so-called white Frascati. You can taste this wine, accompanied by olives, cheese andporchetta– a roast pork dish with herbs – at the local taverns or fraschette.

Genzano – A Charming Setting

Genzano, like other towns in the Castelli Romani, is set on the external slope of the Lake Nemicrater. Indeed, the volcanic origin of the soil is what endows the grapes used in the wine-making with their excellent quality. Its historic centre has a large number of historical and art vestiges for a town of its comparatively small size, including the Collegiata della Santissima Trinità (Collegiate Church of the Holy Trinity), the Annunziata, the Church of the Cappuccini, and the Sforza Cesarini and Villa degli Antonini palaces. Lake Nemi’s claim to fame is that two of the largest and most luxurious vessels from antiquity were found in the crater – both had belonged to Caligula. For 2,000 years they rested at the bottom of the lake before eventually being salvaged in perfect condition, on account of the mud found caked around them. You will delight in the natural surroundings of the Genzano area, which is ideal for cycling. A bike tour will take you along scenic routes featuring lakes, craters and forests.

If you don’t want to miss this year’s Infiorata di Genzano, prepare your trip to this picturesque Italian town for 13, 14 and 15 June 2015. You will enjoy a spectacular event that draws thousands of visitors. Check out our flights here.

Text by Scanner FM

Images by Fabio | Claudio Vaccaro | supermiagolator | supermiagolator | Malega | Deblu68 | Valerio_D

Holy Week coincides with the onset of spring, a season associated with milder temperatures. Although you should still pack some warm clothes – jerseys, jacket, raincoat, gloves, cap and scarf – it’s unlikely to snow in Warsaw, unless you’re in the higher mountain areas. And, by early April, the days are quite long and sunny. Unlike in other European countries, during Holy Week in Poland both the Thursday and Friday are working days and most of the museums and shops are open to the public. Visiting hours at churches may be different, however, as in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, where the largest Good Friday procession of all Poland is held.

As in other areas where the Catholic festivities are traditionally observed, Palm Sunday is celebrated here in style. Like in Spain, in Poland the faithful carry palms, but here they are far more elaborate. Dried flowers and paper flowers go into their careful making by hand. They are so popular here that many towns and villages organise palm contests. We recommend taking the two-and-a-half-hour drive to Łyse, in the region of Masovia, where you can find palms of up to 6 metres high.

Cultural activity also revolves around Easter. The keynote event is the Ludwig van Beethoven Easter Festival. Held in Warsaw, as well as in Krakow and Gdansk, it attracts classical music virtuosos from all over to perform a number of works based on Holy Week themes. The festival alone makes it well worth visiting the city. Over the festive period churches host classical music concerts. The programme features religious works, pride of place going to the staging of the Lord's Sepulchre. This is undoubtedly a good reason for visiting the holy precincts of Poland’s capital city. Even under the Communist regime the uncensored sepulchres stood for the most important political events of the time.

Another high moment of the holy celebration is the blessing of the food. Starting on Easter Saturday morning, crowds of people congregate at the churches bearing adorned baskets containing, in addition to the classical hand-painted Easter eggs, bread, salt, pepper, sausage and an endless assortment of Easter pastries to have them blessed. Once the ritual has been completed, they may then eat meat. In bygone days the baskets’ contents were indicative of the purchasing power of the various families – the greater the amount and variety of food, the high their economic status.

Easter eggs are decorated in different ways and this is often the favourite activity of the younger members of the household. Once boiled, the easiest thing is to colour them with polychromed powders dissolved in water. These colours are sold in small sachets at this time of year. A more natural technique is to boil the eggs in a pot with onion skins, giving the eggshells a dark tinge and, the more onion skin you use, the darker the colour. After the eggshell has dried out, it can be drawn on or incised using a sharp needle.

Easter Monday is noticeably more playful in character and closely linked to rural traditions. In Polish it is known as Lany poniedzialek – “Water Monday” – as Slavic tradition has it that throwing water over the girls is believed to ensure their health and fertility. So, make sure you keep your eyes skinned because even today you can have a bucket of cold water thrown over you.

Cuisine is important in Poland at Easter and tables are decked out with Easter eggs, symbols of a new life. Confectionery also plays a major role, particularly mazurek, a cake based on butter and very thick cream, eggs, sugar and flour. It is also stuffed with nuts, chocolate and fruit (orange or lemon). Another cake typically made during this festive season is kaimak. Although similar to mazurek, the dough contains liquid toffee.

Are you eager to go? Check out our prices here!

Text by ISABELYLUIS Comunicación

Images by Polish National Tourist Office

When we hear the word “Palio” mentioned, what instantly springs to mind is a picture of the Piazza del Campo di Siena thronging with jockeys dressed in colourful period garments participating in a vigorous horse race. To our surprise, we discovered that the Palio is not exclusive to Siena and that Ferrara has its own, which also happens to be the oldest in Italy. Surprised? Both festivities go back to the Middle Ages and have endured over the centuries. They are nowadays the perfect excuse for letting ourselves be transported back to a time filled with gestures, horses, beautiful damsels and rivalries between the variouscontrade(parish districts.)

Il Palio di Ferrara – the Origins

The first Palio di Ferrara was held in 1259, the year in which Azzo VII da Ferrara, commander of the papal troops, defeated Ezzelino III da Romano, known as “il Tiranno”, commander of the imperial troops, at Cassano d’Adda. To celebrate the victory, parades were organised all over the city, as were donkey and horse races. This way of celebrating immediately became very popular and for a time was applied to Ferrara’s two major festivities – St George, the city’s patron saint, and the Assumption, known here as the “Virgin of August”. In some instances they were also extended to births and weddings among Ferrara’s most powerful families. However, as of 1600, the races were gradually phased out and replaced by parades. The races and the Palio were only reinstated in the early 20th century, eventually becoming the festivity that we know today.

May in Ferrara – Games, Parades, Sbandieratori and Races

What are we likely to find if we visit Ferrara in May? To start with, the perfect setting for being transported back to another era, as this city in Emilia Romagna boasts a historic centre full of medieval and Renaissance landmarks. The Palio festivity involves eight competing teams from the contrade (four rioni or parish districts within the walled city) and borghi (four districts located outside the city walls). Throughout the month of May, every weekend features a parade, game or flag-waving competition at which the rival contrade are San Giorgio, San Giacomo, San Paolo, Santo Spirito, Santa Maria in Vado, San Luca, San Giovanni and San Benedetto.

Particularly stunning is the Historical Procession at which about a thousand people in Renaissance costume parade from the Porta degli Angeli along the Corso Ercole I d’Este to the Castello Estense. Also a must-see are the competitions at which the sbandieratori show off their flag-whirling skills in the course of a veritable display of dexterity, beauty and colour.

The Palio festivities reach their climax in the races staged on the last weekend in the month. The large Piazza Ariostea, designed by the architect, Biagio Rossetti, is the magnificent setting for this event. A total offour races are held: the Boys’ Race (Palio di San Romano), the Girls’ Race (Palio di San Paolo), the Donkey Race (Palio di San Maurelio) and the Horse Race (Palio di San Giorgio).  The prize, a large hand-painted cloth, is known as the Palio, from which the tradition takes its name.

Discover Ferrara and one of its major festivities!

Text by ISABELYLUIS Comunicación

Images by Il Palio di Ferrara (photographer: Geppy Toglia)

After two decades of ripping up the urban rulebook, Bilbao continues to fast forward into the future with new projects like the colossal Zorrotzaurre island development. The city retains its traditional character, however, in the Old Town and its famous pintxo routes (the Basque spin on tapas). Check out our list of the 6 most offbeat things to do on your next visit to Bilbao.