Page 438 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Europe

436  IT AL Y AND GREECE

Entertainment outdoor concert venues. The
1st-century Teatro Romano
With world-class sporting and a host of cultural events, Italy (see pp412–13) in Verona also
has something to offer everyone. The cities boast a varied stages open-air concerts.
and lively nightlife, while its Riviera resorts, hill villages, and
classical sites are ideal for the avid sightseer or walker. Skiing Opera
in the Alps, water sports of all kinds on the coast, and pony Opera is one of the great cultural
trekking in the countryside, are tourist favorites. The open-air delights of Italy, whether experi-
theater and music performances in summer are world- enced in the magnificent opera
famous. Or simply join the Italians in their traditional houses of La Scala in Milan or
evening stroll, the passeggiata, followed by a drink at Venice’s Teatro La Fenice, or in a
a bar or café in a picturesque piazza. spectacular open-air venue like
Verona’s superb Arena. The opera
house of Naples, San Carlo, also
boasts world-class performers.
Entertainment Listings Tickets for popular music Rome’s Teatro dell’Opera has a
Information about what’s on in concerts are normally sold late winter season and an open-
Rome can be found in Trovaroma, through record and music air summer festival in the Terme
the weekly Thursday supplement shops, whose names are di Caracalla archaeological park.
to the La Repubblica newspaper. displayed on the publicity The opera season at the
Where Rome magazine, available material distributed. Verona Arena runs from the first
for free in hotels, has up-to-date Whereas tickets for classical week in July until the beginning
entertainment listings. concerts are sold on the spot of September, and every year
In Florence, the monthly for same-day performances, features a lavish production of
magazine Firenze Spettacolo has opera tickets are purchased Verdi’s Aida.
restaurant and café guides, as months in advance. Prices vary
well as details of concerts, significantly according to the Clubs and Discos
exhibitions, and sporting events. artists scheduled to perform
Milano Mese is a free brochure and the type of venue. Cities and resorts in Italy are
listing concerts and other packed with trendy discos, and
cultural events held in and Entertainment Venues upscale night-clubs. Gilda, with
around the city. its two elegant restaurants and
Un Ospite di Venezia (A Guest Rome’s city churches and the large dancefloor, is a favorite
in Venice), produced by the Parco della Musica are favorite with Rome’s jet set. A younger
Hotels’ Association, comes venues for classical music lovers. crowd frequents Goa. In the
out fortnightly in summer Venice also makes good use of summer months, the nightlife
and monthly in winter and its most magnificent churches shifts to the Roman seaside
is free. as concert halls. La Pietà was resort of Fregene.
If you can read Italian, Vivaldi’s own church and is Currently attracting the
regional newspapers are also still used for classical music fashion crowd of Milan is the
a good source of information performances. In Milan, by Hollywood club. Venice’s
about current events. Local contrast, the San Siro football historic casino Casinò di
tourist offices display posters stadium is often used as a Venezia draws well-dressed
advertising forthcoming events. concert venue along with gamblers from far and wide.
the 5,400-capacity Pala AJ. There are a number of discos
at Mestre on the mainland.
Tickets
Open-Air Venues
Making advance reservations
for concerts is not the custom During the summer, Italy’s Italian Festivals
in Italy, where decisions are historic buildings and classical The distinctive regionalism
often made on the spur of ruins become dramatic settings which has survived in modern
the moment. To guarantee a for open-air events. Concerts Italy is marked by the diverse
seat you may have to visit the are held in the grounds of local festivals celebrated each
box office in person, although Rome’s Villa Celimontana and year. For example, on April 25,
online agencies such as Villa Ada, while Greek and Venetians commemorate St.
Ticketone (www.ticketone.it) Roman plays are staged in Mark with a gondola race, and
and Listicket (www.listicket.it) the restored theater of Ostia on June 24, Florence relives its
sell tickets for many events. Antica, southwest of Rome. past with a procession of people
You may have to pay an In Venice the gardens of the in 16th-century costumes. The
advance booking supplement, Baroque palace, Ca’Rezzonico, Sienese celebrate the Palio – a
or prevendita, which is and the ornate, enclosed bareback horse race dating from
generally about 10 percent courtyard of the Doge’s Palace 1283 – on July 2 and August 16
of the ticket price. (see pp418–19) are used as each year. Traditional dress is

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