In today's interconnected world, effective communication across languages is vital for businesses aiming to expand globally. Quality translation services play a pivotal role in this journey, enabling companies to access new markets and opportunities. Let's explore the significant impact of top-notch translation on business expansion, backed by reliable data from trusted sources.

Quality translation services have a transformative impact on global business expansion. The ability to cater to diverse linguistic needs fosters inclusivity, amplifies brand reach, and paves the way for enhanced customer engagement. For freelance translators aiming to assist businesses in their global pursuits, positioning services strategically becomes imperative.

As freelance translators dedicated to facilitating global business ventures, we understand the critical role that quality translation plays in achieving success in diverse markets. By embracing linguistic diversity, respecting cultural nuances, and ensuring precision in translation, freelance translators become indispensable allies in the global success story of businesses across industries.

I can help.

I’ll adapt your English and French materials into Italian and make sure your company stands out in the Italian marketplace. As well as being a certified Italian translator, I also translate marketing and legal content for Italian businesses. This means I know how to persuade local customers and help your business expand.

Explore my Italian translation services and contact me for a free quote today.

Interested in finding out more about doing business in Italy? Read my blog on Italy’s consumer market.

Christmas, or Natale in Italy, is traditionally about food and spending time with family.
 
Due to Italy’s Christian heritage, Christmas is celebrated in a similar way to the UK. But there are some key differences.
 
If you’re planning to expand your business into Italy or run a Christmas marketing campaign, you need to be aware of the local customs, symbols and traditions to tailor your message to an Italian audience.

The Italian festive period starts around 8th December and ends on 6th January.
 
As well as Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, these dates are public holidays in Italy.
 
The religious Feast of the Immaculate Conception, 8th December, is usually when Christmas markets and decorations start to appear.
 
6th January, or Epiphany, is widely celebrated in Italy and comes with a unique holiday figure.

As well as recognising religious figures like Jesus, Mary and the Wise Men, and secular characters like Father Christmas (Babbo Natale), Italian children hang up stockings for La Befana on 5th January.
 
La Befana is said to be an old woman or a sort of ‘good witch’ who rides on a broomstick, bringing fruit, nuts and gifts for Epiphany. If children have been naughty, she gives them lumps of coal instead (or edible black sweets that represent coal). Local communities often have Epiphany celebrations where adults dress as La Befana and give out presents.

Christmas trees and lights adorn the streets in Italy but usually aren’t accompanied by the light switch on ceremonies that are popular in England. Poinsettia and holly are common decorations and mistletoe is given out in bunches at New Year for good luck.
 
Nativity scenes (Presepe) decorate churches and squares, especially in Naples, which is famous for its hand-made scenes. You can even catch live nativity scenes where performers act out the Christmas story.

Italian-style Christmas markets, selling food, drinks and toys, line the streets and the Sforza Castle in Milan is transformed into a huge Christmas village every year called Oh Bej! Oh Bej!
 
On Christmas Eve (La Vigilia), many families attend midnight mass at their local church and, in Cortina d’Ampezzo, there’s a beautiful torchlight parade where skiers whizz down the slopes carrying torches.
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Turkey isn’t a Christmas dinner staple in Italy and menus vary throughout the country.
 
In the area I come from in the north, Cappelletti, a stuffed pasta (similar to Tortellini) in broth, is a popular first course, followed by Zampone, pig’s trotter filled with pork mincemeat, and mashed potato.
 
You won’t see Christmas puddings, mince pies and yule logs on the table either. Italians commonly eat Panettone or Pandoro, a sugary bread, for dessert.
 
On Christmas Eve, some families observe the Catholic tradition of eating fish instead of meat. Lentil dishes are popular on New Year’s Eve as they’re associated with good luck.

Christmas marketing often uses festive symbols, but these may not be universally understood.
 
For example, Italians don’t have Christmas crackers, so phrases like ‘You’d be crackers to miss this deal’ would need to be transcreated by a professional Italian translator to find a relatable alternative.
 
The Budweiser advert that said, ‘Wise men don’t drink and drive’, would also need to be transcreated to retain its meaning. In Italy, the wise men are known as I re magi, ‘the three kings’, so the wordplay wouldn’t translate directly across.
 
Similarly, images of Santa, reindeers and elves are common, but using snowmen or referring to a ‘white Christmas’ would be maybe more relevant in the snowy north of Italy than the warmer south.
 
By being aware of Italian Christmas customs, you can tailor your marketing messages to a local audience and ensure your campaign is successful.
 
Planning an Easter marketing campaign? Here’s how Easter is celebrated in Italy.

Planning to expand your business into Italy or sell your products or services to an Italian market?
 
You may be wondering about the way of doing business in Italy and if it’s compatible with, or similar to, UK business culture.

Although there may be political instability in both countries, Italy and the UK have advanced economies, are well developed and have modern infrastructures. They’re both in the top 10 richest economies in the world.
 
Italy ranks 17th out of 50 in Commisceo Global’s list of the easiest economies to do business in, not far from the UK which comes in at number 10.
 
This suggests both countries have relatively simple cultures for businesses to grow in.
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It’s quite easy to get to Italy from many UK airports and the time difference is only an hour ahead of the UK, so business hours are similar.
 
This means distances and time zones shouldn’t impede your ability to trade with Italy, speak to Italian clients or attend important meetings.

According to Hofstede Insights, a website that compares countries and their cultures, the value systems in Italy and the UK are similar. Both countries score closely on how ‘masculine’ they are, meaning they’re ‘highly success oriented and driven’. Hofstede Insights indicates that competition and achievement drive both societies and can instil these values into students from an early age.
 
This suggests ideas about success are similar in both countries, which should make growing your business and making business connections easier. But bear in mind that these comparison scores may not necessarily be true of every part of Italy and everybody in Italy.

Many clichés crop up around business etiquette in Italy. Some common ideas include that your business will be judged by your appearance, that the North is more direct than the South and that Italians prefer doing business with people they know. Whilst clichés usually have an element of truth to them, it doesn’t mean to say this is definitely the experience you’ll have when selling your products or services in Italy.
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Ultimately the key to successfully marketing your business in Italy is the same as it is in the UK.
 
The way you conduct yourself, whether you turn up to meetings on time and what you wear may play some part in your success (just as it would in the UK). But it all comes down to having good business ideas, your USP, if there’s a market for your products or services and how well you communicate with your customers.

Don’t focus on perceived cultural differences or stereotypes. Instead, do your own research into your target audience, finding out the problems they have and what makes them tick. Then, in your marketing materials, show them how your products and services will make their lives easier.
 
To make a connection with prospective Italian customers and influence their purchasing habits, you’ll need to speak their language, literally and metaphorically.
 
Using the same words and phrases your target market uses is a good place to start. To do this effectively, you’ll need to ask a professional Italian translator to translate your marketing materials, product information and business cards into Italian. A professional translator will convert your information into the local dialect and help you avoid any potential cultural stumbling blocks.
 
By translating your business and marketing information, you’re showing prospective customers you care about them. And respecting your customers is a huge part of successful business relationships, wherever you are in the world!
 
Want to know more about doing business in Italy? Check out my blog post on Italy’s consumer market.

If you’re aiming to expand your business into Italy or run an Easter themed marketing campaign, you need to be aware of the local Easter customs and traditions and any potential cultural differences.
 
This will help you decide what to include and avoid in your marketing materials to tailor them to an Italian audience:

• Public holidays

 
Let’s start with the practical stuff. Good Friday isn’t a public holiday in Italy, but the Monday after Easter is. Italians refer to Easter Monday as La Pasquetta, meaning ‘Little Easter’.

• Religious traditions

 
Traditional Christian rituals such as foot washing and marking the stations of the cross are observed across Italy during Holy Week (the week before Easter).
 
On Easter Sunday, many families attend mass together at church. The Pope leads a ceremony in St Peter’s Square in Rome and delivers an Easter blessing, Urbi et Orbi.

• Festivals & celebrations

 
Different cities and regions of Italy celebrate Easter in their own unique ways. Here are two interesting examples:
 
Scoppio del Carro, Florence
The ‘exploding of the cart’ is a huge firework display that takes place in Florence on Easter Sunday. A cart filled with fireworks is pulled into the Piazza del Duomo by decorated oxen. Then, a rocket in the shape of a dove is used to light the contents of the cart!
 
The Festival of Eggs, Tredozio
 
The Palio dell'uovo, a 2-day competition in Tredozio, is all about eggs! Highlights include a medieval parade, a hard-boiled egg eating contest and a race to find 200 boiled eggs in a haystack.

• Natale con i tuoi, Pasqua con chi vuoi

 
This rhyming Italian phrase translates roughly as ‘Christmas is spent with family, Easter is spent with whoever you want’.
 
Although Easter Sunday is traditionally spent with relatives, Italians often spend Easter Monday outdoors with friends, taking a day trip or having a picnic.

• Food

 
A typical Easter Sunday lunch in Italy includes lamb. For dessert, there are special Easter cakes like Colomba Pasquale, a sweet bread in the shape of a dove, and Pastiera Napoletana, a tart made with ricotta cheese, eggs, berries and orange flower water.

• Easter symbols

 
Eggs are an important Easter symbol in Italy. They have connotations of new life and re-birth that align with the story of the death and resurrection of Jesus. Chocolate eggs are very popular and often have gifts inside.
 
Much of the Easter imagery in Italy stems from religion and is similar to the symbolism used in the UK. However, the idea of the Easter Bunny isn’t common in Italy, so it’s best to avoid any references to it in your marketing!

The lack of an Easter Bunny in Italy demonstrates the importance of adapting your marketing materials to suit a local audience. 
 
If you’ve used any Easter-related word-play, such as ‘hop over’, ‘EGGcellent’ and ‘have a cracking Easter’, these phrases would need to be ‘transcreated’ as they have no direct translation into Italian. It’s best to ask an Italian translator, who understands the local culture to find an alternative way of expressing the same message, but in a way that Italian people can relate to.

The Co-op’s Easter campaign where they were ‘on the hunt for good eggs’ is another example of a tagline that would need to be creatively translated to appeal to the Italian market. As would this Easter tagline from Reese’s: ‘We feel sorry for the chocolate bunnies. They’re just so empty inside’.

By being aware of the customs surrounding Easter in Italy, you can tailor your marketing materials and ensure your campaign is successful.

I’ll adapt your marketing campaign from English into Italian and ensure your company stands out in the Italian marketplace.
 
Get in touch for a free quote today.

From festive markets to giant food fights, there’s plenty to do in Italy in winter!
 
Whether you’re travelling or doing business in Italy, there’s no better way to get to know the country than by attending an event.
 
Here’s the lowdown on 9 of the best winter events in Italy:
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On the 7th December every year, a giant Christmas tree is illuminated on the slopes of Monte Ingino. Measuring over 650 metres high, the tree attracts attention from all over the world.
 
In 1991, it was named the world’s largest Christmas tree by the Guinness Book of Records. And, in 2017, it was even illuminated from space!

Manorola, Cinque Terre
 
Another of the world’s largest festive illuminations, a nativity scene lights up the Manorola hills from the 8th December until the end of January.
 
Dreamt up by a local artist in the 1960s, the display stretches for an impressive 4000 square metres and features 300 life-size figures.
 
Cesenatico, Emilia-Romagna
 
The small fishing town of Cesenatico holds its annual floating nativity in December.
 
The spectacular scene includes 50 life-size statues on boats, representing fishermen, local figures and the traditional nativity characters.
 
Want to know more about how Christmas is celebrated in Italy? Read this blog.
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Rome rings in the New Year in style with marching bands, choirs, majorettes and flag wavers.
Choose between a series of indoor and outdoor concerts or follow the procession to St Peter’s Square to watch the Pope’s New Year’s Day blessing.
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For the last three decades, sculptors from across the globe have battled it out to be crowned champion of the Snow Sculpture Festival in San Candido and San Vigilio.
 
Participants have three days in both venues to make their giant snow and ice sculptures before tourists and residents decide on the winners.
 

If you work in the travel and tourism industry, don’t miss this internationally renowned travel fair.
 
Since 1980, this 3-day exhibition has brought industry professionals together for a series of talks and networking events. The fair is open to tourists too if you fancy scouting out a wedding or honeymoon destination!

Venice
 
The famous Venice carnevale is celebrated in the two weeks before Lent. It’s traditionally a time for partying, eating meat and drinking alcohol before fasting during Lent. Thousands of tourists join the revelry by donning masks, attending masquerade balls and watching street performances.
 
Viareggio
 
Originating in the 19th Century, the Viareggio carnevale is known for its huge papier-mâché float competition and 6 days of street parades. Look out for the carnival’s clown mascot, the Burlamacco.
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Fancy a food fight? You won’t be disappointed by the Battle of the Oranges.
 
Every year, in the lead up to Shrove Tuesday, locals divide into 9 teams to pelt each other with oranges! Why? They’re re-enacting a 12th Century revolt when townspeople stormed the marquis’ palace after he tried to rape the miller’s daughter.

Planning a winter event in Italy and want to attract a local audience? I can help.
 
As a certified English to Italian translator, I can translate your marketing materials and event information into Italian, ensuring they grab attention and persuade the right people to attend.
 
Check out my Italian translation services or get in touch for a free translation quote.

If you’re looking for more Italian event inspiration, read my summer and autumn event blogs:
 
6 interesting events in Italy in autumn
 
The best events in Italy in summer

If you want to successfully expand your business, products or services abroad, it’s important to have your marketing materials professionally translated into the local language.
 
It might be tempting to try to translate them using an automated service like Google Translate, but beware! Automated services often translate sentences literally, so they lose their meaning, or sometimes no longer make sense at all.
 
So, if you’re looking to increase sales and make a good impression in a new country, you should use a professional, human marketing translator.
 
Here are 4 reasons why:

When you’re trying to persuade a potential new audience to use your products or services, your copy needs to resonate with them emotionally. To do this successfully, you need to fully understand your target market, what makes them tick and their pain points that your products or services can solve.
 
Who better to help you connect with the locals than a native translator who already understands their language, customs, norms and behaviours?
 
Localised marketing translation will help you speak to your customers using exactly the same words and phrases they use. 

A professional translator will ensure your work flows well and that there’s nothing to distract the reader from the message you want to get across.
 
In order for your words to have their desired effect, it’s essential that the tone of the piece is also transferred across into the new language. Tone of voice is something that an automated translation machine can’t pick up on, but a professional marketing translator can. 
 
As some words and phrases can’t be literally translated into another language, a translator will pick up on the meaning of the phrase and find a way to convey it effectively in the local language. 

A professional marketing translator will ensure your marketing is completely suitable for its intended audience. As well as helping you avoid embarrassing spelling and grammar errors, they’ll prevent you from making cultural mistakes that could damage your brand’s reputation.
 
As one word can mean different things in different parts of a country, and jokes that are funny in one country aren’t funny in others, there’s a lot to think about when you’re entering a new marketplace.
 
By using a native translator who understands the humour and values of the local people, you can demonstrate respect for the culture of the country you’re entering and avoid causing offence. 

By going to the effort of translating the information about your products and services, you’re showing potential customers you care enough to speak to them in their language.
 
Translating your marketing materials makes it easier for your target market to understand what you’re about and helps them to trust you.
 
Once you’ve gained the trust of your new customer base, you’ll soon be on your way to global success!

I’ll adapt your marketing materials from English and French into Italian and ensure your company stands out in the Italian marketplace. As well as being a certified Italian translator, I also create marketing content for Italian businesses, so I know which persuasive techniques will help you connect with local customers and grow your business.
 
Check out my Italian translation services and get in touch for a free quote today.

Want to know more about doing business in Italy? Check out my blog on Italy’s consumer market.

Translation is essential to the survival of businesses in the travel and tourism industry. Especially now with the safety measures adopted to tackle the coronavirus emergency, travellers need to be fully aware of the restrictions in place in order to stay safe and to enjoy their holidays while respecting all the local guidelines.
 
The rise of the internet means companies now have the potential to connect with and attract a global audience. More people than ever book holidays, trips and tours online instead of going directly through travel agents. According to ISTAT, in 2018, 46% of Italians booked their trips online and only 6.6% booked through a travel agency.
 
Translating your website, marketing materials, tourist information and menus is vital if you want to entice customers from other countries, engage with them and ensure they enjoy their experience.
 
Whether your business is a hotel, restaurant, tour operator or museum, or if you’re putting on an event or food festival, translation has huge benefits for your business and your customers.

According to a Common Sense Advisory survey, 72.4% of consumers said they’d be more likely to buy a product if the information was in their language.
 
By translating your content into other languages, you can reach a wider audience and increase your profit. When you use the same terms and expressions as your target customers, they’re more likely to trust you and buy from you.
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As English is a widely spoken language and many European countries teach it at school, it’s easy to assume that most people understand English. But this isn’t always the case.
 
Translating your information helps customers feel included and shows you’ve thought about them.
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Whether it’s being able to read a menu or listen to an audio tour, the easier it is for your customers to engage with your experience, the more likely they are to enjoy it and recommend it to others.
 
To make sure you don’t lose out on sales, find out the most common languages your customers speak and cater for their needs.
 
As an example, at the last tourist attraction I visited in England, French and German translations were provided but they didn’t have the option to listen to the information in Italian. I speak English and French, but it's always easier to understand and more enjoyable to listen to a tour in your first language. If I’d have brought some family members with me that only speak Italian, they wouldn’t have been able to read or listen to anything.
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Translating your travel and tourism information also makes practical sense.
 
By translating directions, you’ll ensure people don’t get lost. By translating departure times and pick-up points, you’re helping customers arrive on time and preventing delays to your schedule. By translating your menus, you’re helping customers understand what’s in their food and preventing allergic reactions.
 

Google Translate, and other automated systems, often translate sentences literally, which can lead to misunderstandings and even cause offence.
 
Bad translations also look unprofessional and can affect your company’s reputation.
 
By using a professional translator, you can ensure your information is translated correctly, flows properly and is culturally sensitive.

Want your event, attraction or holiday destination to appeal to Italian tourists? I can help.
 
As an Italian translator, I’ll adapt your travel and tourism materials from English into Italian, ensuring they’re clear, grab attention and resonate with an Italian audience.
 
Whether you want to put your lesser-known holiday spot on the map or increase footfall at your event, translating your marketing materials is the key to connecting with new audiences and growing your business.
 
Get in touch for a free quote today.

Sports translation is becoming more important than ever as advances in technology and global tournaments, like the World Cup and the Olympics, mean sports attract fans from all over the world. Even remotely!
 
The ability to connect with these fans or engage a global audience of customers has become necessary to successfully run international sporting events, grow businesses and expand online sports retail stores.
 
And there’s no better way to connect with people than by speaking their own language.

Ensuring your sporting material and its specialist terminology is correctly translated into the local language will help it have its desired impact and build a rapport with your intended audience.
 
Translation also makes practical sense. The language used in exercise guides or instructions needs to be clear so people understand how to exercise correctly and don’t injure themselves! Including video demos or diagrams will also make instructions more universal.

• Translating word for word isn’t a good idea

 
When translating sporting terminology, be wary of using automated services like Google Translate. They often translate words or phrases literally, which can make sentences lose their sense or suggest words that are too formal, or not commonly used.
 
For example, in Italian a goal scorer is l’autore del gol. Translated literally into English, this would mean ‘author of the goal’. As this phrase sounds clunky, you would need a professional translator, who knows how the locals speak, to adapt the phrase appropriately. 
 
One distinctive style of penalty kick in football has many different names across the world. Some countries call it a Panenka, but in Italy it’s known as Il Cucchiaio and Cavadinha in Brazil. Again, a professional human translator would know which phrase the locals would understand. 

• The vocabulary of a sport is often from the country it originated in

 
Sporting terminology is often in the language of the country where it was created, so many terms don’t have direct counterparts in other languages. A translator would need to find a similar phrase in the local language that conveys the same meaning.
 
This is particularly true of common idiomatic sporting expressions like drop the ball, the gloves are off, get the ball rolling, par for the course, throwing in the towel and game set and match. These idioms are widely used and understood in England but may not have a direct equivalent in another language.
 
Similarly, in Italy, footballer Mario Balotelli is famous for his outlandish behaviour. So much so, a new Italian word has been created to describe gestures or behaviour similar to his: balotellata.
 
On the flip side of this, some sporting terms are adopted into other languages, so certain English words will also be used in Italian. A sports translator familiar with both languages will know which words to translate and which to leave as they are. 

• New sporting terminology is constantly being created

 
When new sports, exercises or fitness crazes are created, new terminology also needs to be created in multiple languages. Similarly, new sporting references are coined regularly and become popular worldwide. A famous example is the ‘Mobot’, the name for Mo Farah’s victory pose that he debuted during the 2012 Olympics.
 
Due to the ever-changing nature of sports, it’s important to use a translator who keeps up with sporting culture, language and rules to ensure you ace your sports translation!

Need your sporting materials translated? I can help.
 
I’ll adapt your materials from English into Italian to ensure any specialist terms and phrases are understood locally.
 
I’ve translated exercise manuals for large sports brands, such as Nike, automotive materials and I wrote blog posts about running. I’m a huge sports fan and am particularly passionate about basketball, yoga, swimming, tennis, football and the gym.
 
Get in touch for a free quote today.

Having a business blog can be a great way to drive new customers to your website.
 
Writing regular posts with tips and advice shows that you know what you’re talking about and can establish your company as a thought leader in your industry.
 
Updating your website regularly with fresh blog content can also help your site rank higher on Google, helping even more customers find you.
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Your headline is a crucial part of your post as it’s what entices people to read your blog. A good headline is catchy and relevant. Consider using one of these three headline styles:

• A question

Think about the question your customer would type into Google to get the answer in your blog post. Can you use this as your headline?

• Numbers

Including numbers in your blog title, like ‘5 ways to’ or ‘10 tips for’, suggests your blog will quickly answer their question.

• ‘How to’

Starting your headline with ‘how to’ immediately promises your reader that your blog will answer their question.

Autumn is a great time to visit Italy. It’s less hot and crowded than in the summer and there’s lots going on. From food festivals and sporting events to niche local celebrations.
 
Although some of the best Italian events are in the summer, whatever you’re into and whichever region you’re visiting, you’ll be sure to find an autumnal event that’s right up your street.
 
Here are 6 of the most interesting events in Italy in autumn:
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Faenza is famous for producing Maiolica, a type of tin-glazed pottery. On the first weekend in September every two years, the city is home to the Argillà ceramics festival. People from around 20 countries all over the world flock to the festival to sell their ceramic products. As well as stalls and exhibitions, there are events focused on the techniques used to make pottery, activities for kids and even a Worldwide Potter’s Wheel Championship. Hidden courtyards in the city are opened exclusively for the festival.

Like history, chess and fancy dress? Then head to the Marostica Scacchi in the second weekend of September. Every two years, Marostica holds a giant chess match with human chess pieces! Why? They’re re-enacting a famous fifteenth-century chess game where two warriors competed to decide who would marry the eldest daughter of the Castellano di Marostica. Aside from the huge chess game in the Piazza Castello, the weekend is filled with costume parades, music and fireworks.

The largest international festival of comics in Italy and Europe is held in Lucca at the end of October every year. The historic city, with its fortified walls, sees people from around the world come together, usually in fancy dress, to celebrate comics, board games and animations. You can listen to and meet famous comic book writers, fantasy authors and illustrators, browse shops or compete in a cosplay competition. 

If sport is more your thing, check out the Sports Festival in Trento. A relatively new event, the Festival dello Sport promises four days of debates, seminars, sporting activities and sports camps. Local and international sports stars attend the event and you can listen to talks from Olympic and Paralympic athletes, technicians and sporting experts. From basketball to indoor rowing, there’s something for everyone. 

Possibly the most famous of the many Italian sagre, this international food festival, held throughout October and November, is an annual celebration of the Tartufo Bianco, or white truffle. As well as sampling regional produce, you can embark on a truffle walk, attend cooking shows, or watch a medieval parade and donkey race!

Planning an event in Italy this autumn and want to attract a local audience?
 
As an Italian translator and content writer, I can translate your information into Italian to make sure it grabs attention and persuades the right people to attend.
 
Get in touch for a free translation quote today.
 
Running a sporting event? Check out my top tips for acing your sports translation.