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.
​

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.

Translation is becoming essential to the survival of businesses in the travel and tourism industry.
 
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.
​

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.
​

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.
​

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. After amusing literal translations were shared online, the Chinese government is cracking down on poorly translated signs by standardising the translation of common English terms.
 
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 festival, translating your marketing materials is the key to connecting with new audiences and growing your business.
 
Get in touch for a free quote today.

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:
​

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.

You’ll no doubt have heard of all the famous Italian holiday destinations like Rome, Venice, Florence and the Amalfi Coast. But these well-known places are tourist hot-spots and are usually packed during the summer.
 
So, where can you go for a summer holiday in Italy if you want to escape the crowds, whilst still taking in the culture, food and beautiful Italian views? Where do the locals go for a bit of rest and relaxation away from the hustle and bustle?
 
Here’s a rundown of five of the best off-the-beaten-track destinations you can explore in Italy this summer:
​

A beautiful island just to the west of Italy, Sardinia is an Italian region with its own sense of independence. Its location means it’s a bit of a hidden gem that’s much less crowded than the Italian mainland. It’s easily accessible by plane and by ferry from Rome and Naples.
 
For those who like a chilled-out holiday, Sardinia has crystal-clear seas and stretches of sandy beaches to relax on. For those who prefer an active vacation, it has untouched countryside and forests to explore, great diving spots and mountains for hiking, climbing and walking. If you like to see a bit of history on your holidays, the island has plenty of Roman ruins and ancient stone dwellings.

Puglia is a southern region in ‘the heel’ of Italy’s ‘boot’. It’s filled with whitewashed towns, beaches, ports and harbours. If you’re looking for an authentic place to stay, traditional Puglian farmhouses, known as Masseria, have been transformed into accommodation throughout the region.
 
The town of Lecce with its beautiful beaches has been dubbed ‘The Florence of the South’, due to its Baroque-style architecture. The Roman amphitheatre, Duomo and Basilica di Santa Croce will also appeal to history buffs.
 
Alberobello is a town filled with world heritage listed stone buildings, known as Trulli. These whitewashed huts with cone shaped roofs were originally built as houses without mortar to make them easy to take down. Luckily, they’ve managed to last years and have now been converted into restaurants and shops.

Ravenna is a Northern Italian town known for music and mosaics. It’s a quieter alternative if you’re interested in the mosaics in Florence or the opera in Venice but don’t want to battle with the crowds. Close to the popular Rimini, with its famous Pink Night, Ravenna offers a slower pace of life. The colourful early Christian and Byzantine mosaics in Ravenna’s monuments, like the Basilica di San Vitale, are UNESCO world heritage listed. There’s a mosaic festival in July and August every year where certain mosaics are opened and illuminated at night. If you’re a fan of opera and classical music, don’t miss the Ravenna music festival in June and July.

The Conero Peninsula is popular with the locals. It’s a peaceful holiday spot, ideal for families and couples looking for beaches, nature and a laid-back vibe away from the tourist hot-spots. The area has rugged cliffs, beautiful hill villages and lovely scenery. The large nature reserve, Parco Naturale del Monte Conero, is a must if you’re into hiking and birdwatching.

Saturnia is a small spa town in the hills of Tuscany with ancient cobbled streets. It’s a few hours away from Siena, a town famed for its medieval Palio. You’ll notice a slight eggy smell in the air in Saturnia, but don’t let this put you off. Sulphur is all part of the experience! Geothermal activity means Saturnia has natural 37°C thermal baths to laze around in.
 
For a small town, Saturnia has a big history. It’s said to have been inhabited by the ancient Greeks and the Romans and, in the 1300s, it became a town for outlaws and was destroyed by fire!

Does your company specialise in travel and tourism? Want to make your holiday destinations, accommodation, tours or activities appeal to an Italian audience?
 
I can help.
 
As an Italian translator and content writer, I can translate your tourist information or marketing into Italian and ensure it resonates with an Italian audience, grabs attention and persuades people to get booking!
 
Get in touch for a free translation quote today.

If you’re travelling to Italy this summer, there’s no better way to get to know the local area than by attending an event. Summer is festival season in Italy and there’s lots going on in every region.
 
Here’s a rundown of the best events in Italy over the summer months:

Every year on June 16th, Pisa is lit up by candles to celebrate its patron saint, San Ranieri. This tradition dates back to the 1600s when the urn containing the remains of San Ranieri was placed in the city’s cathedral. Over 70,000 candles float on the river, light up buildings and decorate the river banks. The Leaning Tower of Pisa is also illuminated by oil lamps.

The Palio di Siena is probably the most famous Italian Palio. It even featured in the James Bond film, the Quantum of Solace! The Palio di Siena is a medieval-style horse race between 10 of the 17 districts of the city. It takes place annually in July and August, in Siena’s Piazza del Campo.
 
The 10 jockeys race 3 laps around the edge of the square and huge crowds gather to watch the horses navigate the track’s tight corners. The first to finish wins a giant hand-painted banner, as well as the honour of winning the Palio for their district.

Ferragosto marks the start of the summer holidays in Italy. Although some locals shut their shops and head on holiday, there’s still lots for tourists to do. Many cities have street parties, like the Gran Ballo di Ferragosto in Rome, a popular event that includes dancing, food and live music. As Ferragosto coincides with the religious feast of the Assumption, lots of Italian towns have church services and processions where statues of the Virgin Mary are carried through the town centre.

Running your own event in Italy and want to attract a local audience?
 
As an Italian translator and content writer, I can translate your event information into Italian, make sure it resonates with an Italian audience, grabs attention and persuades the right people to attend.
 
To help make your event an international success, get in touch for a free translation quote today.