New Year in Italy

Ever wondered where stars like Nicholas Cage, Vin Diesel, Jon Bon Jovi and Monica Belluci disappear at the time of New Year? 'The call of nativity', 'the return to originality' - whatever you may call it, but every year, on the 31st of December, you will find these stars going back to their sweet home, Italy. Indeed, celebrating the New Year in the romantic country of Italy is a treat in itself, providing you with moments that you will treasure and cherish throughout your lives. Everywhere you go, every corner you visit, you will be greeted by a strong sense of gaiety and festivity, which makes the occasion all the more special.

New Year Celebrations In Italy
Around New Year, there is an aura of jollity hovering in the different cities of Italy, which will definitely swift you in all its charm and glory. Be it Rome, Venice or Naples, every Italian city has its own charm that will definitely enchant you. The 31st of December or the New Years Eve is called La Festa di San Silvestro in Italy, while the New Year's Day is called Capodanno. Italians have their own ways and style, when it comes to celebrating any occasion.

A traditional New Year's Eve in Italy is celebrated with friends and family mebers, gathering together for a sumptuous and lavish feast, comprising of lentils, cotechino and zampone. Each of these dishes is unique to this region and had their own significance. The center of attraction of this festive feast is the lentils, which symbolize money and good fortune in the upcoming year. Zampone, on the other hand, is a stuffed pig's trotter and is a symbol of the richness of life in the coming year, while the cotechino is a large spiced sausage that is prepared in many parts of Italy.

Once the feast is over, many people head towards the streets to dance. Here, one can see the amazing firework displays at midnight. Huge bonfires are also lit, which last for a very long period. People sings and dance to the tunes of local songs and hymns. Most of the towns and cities have public displays in a common central square, but private parties are also not rare. In coastal areas or places, which are near to a lake or river, you will often come across innumerous boats and ships blowing their horns. Such a sight is really rare and hard to come across.

On New Year, bottles of champagnes and sparkling Italian wine called spumante or prosecco are opened and often people party and remain awake till sunrise, in order to view the first sunrise of the newborn year. A very old and popular custom which is still followed till date is to throw old things out of the window. This peculiar custom symbolizes your readiness to accept the New Year. Games such as the 'Tombola' are played and people have a really amazing and incredible time. This New Year, visit Italy in all its glory and get the experience of many lifetimes.