Journeys Viaggio

On March 8th, Italian women celebrate The International Women’s Day – “La Festa della Donna”!

The first National Women’s Day was organised by the Socialist Party of America in 1909 to draw attention to the poor working conditions endured by many women. In 1911 Europe staged a similar event for the first time in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Denmark.
Barely a week after this first International Women’s Day, a tragedy took place in America which graphically illustrated the appalling working conditions in many textile factories. On 25th March 1911, a fire broke out in the Triangle Company’s ten-storey factory in New York City, killing 146 of its 500 workers, many of whom were Italian immigrant women. As a result, new safety laws were drafted. Since 1914 International Women’s Day has been celebrated on March 8th and the victims resulting from poor working conditions, such as that in NYC are remembered.
In Italy, the first Festa della Donna was held in 1946, three months before the birth of the Republic. During the Second World War women had played an instrumental role in the country’s industrial and agricultural life and had finally been granted the vote in 1945. Despite the difficulties the whole country faced in the early years of peace, women were determined to hold on to these freedoms as their husbands returned from the war.
Over the years, the Festa has broadened its scope, and nowadays women’s groups and charities mark 8th March with demonstrations, conferences and marches to draw attention to a diverse range of women’s issues.
A ubiquitous part of the celebrations in Italy is the mimosa, the strongly-perfumed spring-blooming flower that Italian men traditionally give to their girlfriends on this day. The custom dates back to 1946 when the Unione Donne Italiane chose it as a symbol of the Festa because it is an easy-to-find, inexpensive flower. Nowadays, thousands of bouquets are sold in the run-up to the big day, and their bright yellow colour signifies vitality, strength and joy.
It was not until I was in Tuscany many years ago on this commemorative day, that I fully understood “International Women’s Day” – “La Festa della Donna”.

In order to accommodate the forthcoming Conclave, the Sistine Chapel will remain closed to the public effective March 5th until further notice. During the same period, the Borgia Apartment and the Collection of Modern Religious Art will not be included in visits to the Vatican Museums. And all guided tours of the Vatican Gardens have been suspended. So my Rome bound friends, please double check with me on reopenings if you are headed to Rome soon.
The Sistine Chapel will host, for the twenty-fifth time, one of the most secret and mysterious rites in the world: the Conclave.
Indeed, twenty-four conclaves have been held in what remains forever, in spite of the enormous daily influx of visitors and pilgrims, a papal chapel and a place fundamental to the identity of the Roman Catholic Church.

Italo trains can go up to 225mph and currently travel from Salerno, south of Naples, to Milan, Turin, and Venice,also servicing Florence, Bologna, and Padua. Travel high speed in high style. Italo is a joint venture by Ferrari and Tod’s, two Italian luxury brands. The train cars have wide reclining seats covered in soft Poltrona Frau leather. The food is locally sourced from Eataly gourmet market and free entertainment options range from live TV to movies, digital newspapers and free Wi-Fi in all cars. Prices are based on class of service, which ranges from no frills Smart Ambience (yet still many luxuries), to Prima Ambience, which includes meal service in your seat, to Club Ambience for more privacy and quiet.
Another highlight I thought on my recent short trip from Naples to Rome in Prima class was ‘Casa Italo’ the private customer lounge inside the train terminals. There is a staffed Service Center, comfortable seating and Wi-Fi just a few steps away from the tracks where you will board your train.

The Real Teatro di San Carlo is the oldest continuously active venue for public opera in Europe, opening decades before both the Milanese La Scala and Venetian La Fenice theaters. San Carlo was built by the Bourbon king, Charles III, and takes its name from the fact that it opened on November 4, 1737, the feast day of the saint the king was named for. San Carlo has always been what they called in the days of vaudeville a “tough house”. in 1901, local critics panned their own hometown boy, Enrico Caruso, so severely that he took himself to America, never to sing in Naples again.
I recently was treated to box seats for an opera performance at the San Carlo and it most certainly was a memorable evening. The ushers were clothed in fun attire made of all buttons, ribbons, or keys…a delightful contrast to the classic gilded red and gold theatre itself.
Though the opera season in Italy does not run year around, often a ballet or musical performance can be enjoyed in the off season.