Festa del Nodo D’Amore /Tortellini Festival in Valeggio-sul-Mincio, Italy
Event Date: June 17, 2014
Valeggio-sul-Mincio is the capital of the original homemade Tortellini. Every year about 4,000 guests attend this spectacular must-see festival celebrated with an elegant dinner on the Visconteo Bridge crossing the Mincio River.
Since 1993 the love knot festival or Festa del nodo d’amore takes place every year on the third Tuesday of the month of June. Guests are seated along two tables of about 600 meters, for nearly 4,000 guests on the Visconteo Bridge of Borghetto-sul-Mincio, which is said to be one of the most romantic villages in Italy. It is called the undiscovered Italy because it doesn’t appear in the usual travel magazines. Guests come from all over Italy as well as from other countries to taste the famous “Tortellini di Valeggio” poetically called “Love Knot”.
The festival officially starts with a parade of medieval costumed extras, to recall the protagonists of the legend, which the festival was named after. Each year over 600,000 tortellini are handmade one by one by voluntary cooks. It takes about 500 kg of grana padano, 10,000 eggs and 8 tons of flour to make the tortellini. In addition, 3,750 bottles of wine Bianco di Custoza are served to accompany the dishes and 850 bottles of sparkling wine (Prosecco) to offer guests an aperitif that kicks off the evening. In addition to the tortellini other entrees like fish or meat dishes are being served and a dessert, of course. Around 11pm a huge display of fireworks is on the program, too. It takes place right over the Scaligeri castle situated high up on a hill.
Reservations and tickets are required. Due to its popularity tickets are generally sold out weeks if not months in advance.
Tickets can be purchased by calling +39-045-7951880 or via Email: tourist@valeggio.com.
Guests can stay at a hotel in Verona, which is only about 18miles from Valeggio-sul-Mincio or at one of the spectacular hotels at Lake Garda.
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Outdoor Opera Performances at the Arena di Verona, Italy
From June 20 to September 7, 2014
Even for people who are not heavily into opera this is a spectacular event, which takes place in the heart of Verona, the home of Romeo and Juliet. This event could easily be combined with the Tortellini Festival in Valeggio-sul-Mincio, which is only 18miles from Verona.
Arena di Verona Outdoor Opera
The 92nd edition of the Opera Festival at the Arena in Verona is starting on June 20, 2014 with Un Ballo in Maschera and continuing in this order with Carmen, Aida, Turandot, Madama Butterfly, Placido Domingo sings Verdi, Carmina Burana, Roberto Bolle & Friends and Romeo e Juliette.
Suggestion: An open date ticket for the Arena di Verona would make a great gift!
http://www.arena.it/en-US/prezzi_arena_2014en.html?idblock=1787#.U1qXIq1dVfQ
Hotel recommendations
Hotel Accademia is located in the heart of Verona’s exclusive shopping street and close to the Arena: http://www.hotelaccademiaverona.it/it/hotel-verona.aspx
The distance between Verona and Milan is about 100 miles with the magical Lake Como area close by. The majestic luxury hotel Villa D’Este is located in Cernobbio, one of the picturesque towns along this beautiful lake. This is where the main scenes in the novel Desperate Pursuit in Venice take place. http://www.karynnesummars.com/blog/villa_deste_cernobbio_lake_como/
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Outdoor Opera Performances at Lake Constance, Bregenz, Austria
Bregenzer Festspiele, Austria
From: July 23 to August 25, 2014
The floating stage is an amazing construction and built right into the lake making the performances even more spectacular. Imagine a mild summer night watching a magical performance surrounded by a majestic body of water. A must-see. Premieres of different operas are staged every other year; repeat performances in the years in-between. In 2014 Mozart’s The Magical Flute, which premiered on the Lake Constance floating stage in 2013, will be repeated. http://www.bregenzerfestspiele.com
For visitors not staying in Bregenz but on the other side of the lake in Germany there is a passenger ship, which operates on the evenings of the Floating Stage performance to bring visitors from Lindau (Germany) to Bregenz and back again after the show. The ship moors directly at the stage. Tickets for the crossing can be ordered at www.bregenzerfestspiele.com or purchased directly from the Bregenz Festival Ticket Center. Ph. +43 5574 407-6.
After the opera performance you may want to visit the elegant Casino Bregenz, which is located gambling on the same grounds as the floating stage. Casino Bregenz. Info Tel. +43 5574 451 27 or at www.casinos.at
Bregenz Floating Stage History Facts
1946: The First Festival was held in Bregenz playing Mozart’s early work Bastien et Bastienne
One year after the end of the Second World War, the first Bregenz Festival was held: the weeklong Bregenz Festwoche. The inaugural performance was staged upon two barges moored on Lake Constance – one carrying the stage structures for Mozart’s early work Bastien et Bastienne, the other the orchestra.
2003 Leonard Bernstein’s musical West Side Story was performed on the floating stage. The musical was directed by the American Francesca Zambello, choreographed by Richard Wherlock, and the stage set designed by George Tsypin.
Another important milestone for the Bregenz Floating Stage came in 2007/2008 when the James Bond movie Quantum of Solace was filmed there for 10 days while Puccini’s opera Tosca played on the Floating Stage on the lake. Not only did the stage set provide spectacular footage but also Puccini’s music provided a dramatic soundtrack for the James Bond Film.
2013/2014 Last year’s The Magical Flute Premiere, which was another winner, will be repeated in 2014.
Bregenz and the Lake Constance Region
Bregenz is an enchanting Austrian town located right at Lake Constance; quaint in some areas yet has a lot to offer including great shopping and fabulous restaurants. The area offers a great experience of nature and culture.
In addition to the outdoor opera performances on the world’s biggest floating stage, you can visit the arts center Kunsthaus Bregenz, take a boat trip on Lake Constance and take the cable car up Pfänder mountain behind Bregenz to go hiking.
Hotel & Restaurant Recommendations:
The elegant upscale Deuring Schloessle Hotel & Restaurant is great venue not to be missed for an unforgettable dinner and excellent ambiance. http://www.deuring-schloessle.at
The casually elegant restaurant and hotel Weisses Kreuz located in the center of Bregenz offers impeccable food and service. http://www.hotelweisseskreuz.at and the Hotel Schwaerzler is another charming 4 Star hotel and restaurant to consider when in Bregenz. The center of Bregenz is about a 15-minute walk from the hotel.
http://schwaerzler.s-hotels.com/?gclid=CM6Kt77N9L0CFa47OgodIRoAjA
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Author: Karynne Summars
Author of the award-winning romance thriller Desperate Pursuit in Venice and Executive Producer of the psychological thriller feature film Disturbed (2014), a KeeranVaani Creations production. Website: http://www.karynnesummars.com
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