Did you know that the area around the town of Bassano del Grappa in the province of Vicenza north of Padua and Venice is known for its white asparagus? Legend has it that Saint Anthony of Padua brought asparagus to the region when he visited the area to appease the tyrant Ezzelino da Romano. By tradition, traditional harvesting season ends on 13 June, the anniversary of the Saint’s death in Padua in 1231…..This coming week the restaurants of Bassano will be outdoing themselves during the annual Bassano White Asparagus Festival with menus celebrating the tender pinkish white Bassano asparagus, especially the “Chiaro” variety of Bassano, which holds a national P.D.O. [Protected Designation of Origin].

April 28th would have been the 100th birthday of Ferruccio Lamborghini and the roads around Bologna to Ferrara, Italy will come alive with the sounds of sports cars as Lamborghini clubs and fans of the Lamborghini brand from around the world head to the Ferruccio Lamborghini Museum in Argelato for six days of birthday celebrations and remembrances from April 25th to the 30th. Some lucky drivers will get the thrill of riding their cherished cars full out on the Varano de Melegari race track. For more Italian celebrations, see our calendar of festivals

With Spring coming to Italy the festival season is underway. This weekend lovers of artichokes will be flocking to the town of Ladispoli on the Mediterranean coast north of Rome for a weekend of culinary fun highlighting artichokes, remarkable artichoke art works and music.

We have now written over $1,000 in checks this month, contributions to various charities here and around the country, all part of our Go Bucket List Travel Caring and Sharing Program. We return a portion of our commissions to the charities of our clients’ choice with an annual goal of $10,000 in charitable contributions, our way to say thank you to the many volunteers who work hard in our community. Click here to learn more about our program. Your vacation, honeymoon and destination can help someone in need.

Thinking of a quick getaway to Italy? We are seeing roundtrip air economy prices from JFK to Milan, Italy in May running in the $500 to $600 range. Give us a call at 804-557-3006 for details. From Milan the high-speed trains run to all corners of Italy, but be sure to stay in town for a day to see “The Last Supper.”