Fun things to do in Italy

Have you ever thought about spending Easter in Calabria? This time of year is ideal for discovering the area during the off-season, avoiding the crowds, and immersing yourself in an authentic journey through Easter traditions, religious rituals, and popular culture. With the arrival of spring, Holy Week in Calabria become one of the most fascinating events on the local calendar. Calabrian Easter rituals, passed down through the centuries, bring villages and historic centres to life with solemn processions, sacred performances and intense celebrations, where spirituality and regional identity combine in an evocative and engaging atmosphere. From the north to the south of the region, Calabrian Easter traditions are a testament to a unique cultural heritage: collective rituals, ancient symbolism and influences from the ethnic minorities of southern Italy offer visitors a deeply meaningful experience that brings together faith, history and community. Perfect for those who love experience-based and cultural tourism, Easter in Calabria is a unique opportunity to discover the region's most authentic soul, surrounded by genuine emotions, spring landscapes and timeless traditions. It's the perfect trip for inquisitive travellers who love authentic destinations and experiences they'll never forget.

Have you ever heard of the traditional Calabrian character Giangurgolo? Let's have a closer look at Giangurgolo's costume, the playful character who conquered the entire commedia dell'arte from the Carnival in Calabria.

One of the most captivating ways to explore Calabria is through a journey to discover traditional Calabrian costumes. A world of vibrant colours, fine fabrics and handcrafted details that tell of centuries of history and culture. Observing up close the beauty of typical Calabrian attire and the distinctive features that set it apart from one municipality to the next means learning about the history of the communities that wear it, discovering the manual skills of the women who still make traditional Calabrian clothing for festive occasions today, and visiting some unmissable costume and folklore museums. Often, the history and style of Calabrian costumes are an expression of the ethno-linguistic minorities that still wear them with pride, bearing symbols, embroidery and colours steeped in ancient meanings.

Are you wondering what to do for Carnival in Calabria? You've come to the right place: this region of southern Italy offers a packed calendar of parades and traditional festivities, making the Calabrian Carnival one of Italy's most fascinating and authentic events. Carnival in Calabria has always been one of the most highly anticipated events of the year, appealing to adults and children alike with its unique blend of folklore, traditional costumes, music, floats and live shows. The celebrations are rooted in ancient folk customs and are renewed every year with events that are increasingly well organised and enthusiastically attended. The most well-known events include various historic carnivals, such as the celebrated Castrovillari Carnival, alongside numerous side events organised in the villages and towns of Calabria, that offer fun, culture and entertainment for all the family. Discover Calabria's six unmissable Carnival events and immerse yourself in the colours, traditions and distinctive atmosphere.

Carnival in the province of Salerno is much more than just a festival: it is a living cultural heritage, capable of uniting tradition, folklore and community participation. From Agropoli to San Mauro Cilento, from Trentinara to Olevano sul Tusciano, these events share deep roots in rural culture and rites linked to the cycle of nature. They celebrate the passing of the seasons, the end of winter and the beginning of spring, symbolising rebirth, fertility and renewal by organising processions and theatrical rituals populated by historic masks. A common element is the central role of the performers – local residents who take an active part in both the construction and the performance, passing down techniques, knowledge, and gestures across generations. The theatrical dimension, with improvisations and scenarios recited in dialect, characterises most of the parades, creating moments of comedy, satire and social liberation.

Pulcinella was born in Naples at the beginning of the 17th century, as a comic mask of the Commedia dell'Arte, and soon became the protagonist of many forms of theatrical, literary and musical tradition. His voice represents the Neapolitan language and amplifies its expressive potential, also contributing to the dissemination of Neapolitan culture outside the region. The mask is not limited to the stage: it crosses cinema, comics, artistic objects and even toys, demonstrating an extraordinary ability to connect popular culture with the most elitist and bourgeois. In puppet theatre, puppet masters, marionettists, and pupari – often born into the craft – have passed down skills and expertise for generations, while in the field of artistic craftsmanship, master presepiari (nativity-scene makers), together with young artisans, keep the tradition of figurative masks alive.Pulcinella thus becomes the common thread between past and present, becoming not only a stage figure but a magical guardian of the house and the workshop, a defender of the community and a messenger of the city. His presence stimulates the collective imagination and reflects the worldview of the Neapolitans, revealing their contradictions and values.In him, Naples recognises and tells its story, transforming the mask into a mirror of its own culture.