L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2023 www.italoamericano.org 18 L'Italo-Americano Puglia rounds out the top five with a score of 38.0. The region undergoes a magical transformation in December, with some famous locations like Alberobello becoming even more charming thanks to luminarie and decora- tions. But we shouldn't forget Apulians, and Baresi in par- ticular, begin celebrating on the 6th of December, the day dedicated to Saint Nicholas of Myra, patron saint of Bari, and the real figure behind Santa. 6. Veneto (33.4/100) Veneto embraces Christ- mas with a score of 33.4. The Venetian Christmas experi- ence offers a blend of tradi- tion and charm: the region's markets, lights, and festive a t m o s p h e r e m a k e i t a delightful destination during the season. 7. Tuscany (31.7/100) Tuscany earns a score of 31.7, thanks to its elegant and history-drenched Christmas atmosphere. The region's cities and towns enchant visi- tors with their decorations, markets, and festive events, all the more charming in the unique medieval surround- ings of this incredibly beauti- ful region. 8 . E m i l i a - R o m a g n a (28.4/100) Emilia-Romagna, with a score of 28.4, showcases its Christmas spirit with flair. The region's cities come alive with festivities, offering a delightful blend of tradition beautiful hamlet where the f i r s t P r e s e p e , i d e a t e d b y Saint Francis of Assisi, was prepared. 3 . C a m p a n i a ( 4 7 . 9 / 100) Campania secures third place with a score of 47.9, t h a n k s t o N a p l e s a n d i t s cherished nativity traditions: the famous presepe (nativi- ty scene) tradition thrives in Naples, particularly along Via San Gregorio Armeno, where traditional Neapolitan pre- sepe statuettes are sold: here artists and craftsmen create some of the most beautiful - and curious - presepe decora- tions you can imagine: this year's trendiest pieces are Prime Minister Giorgia Mel- oni, Sanremo winner Marco Mengoni, and tennis star Jannik Sinner. 4. Abruzzo (38.1/100) Abruzzo, with a score of 38.1, envelops visitors in a unique Christmas atmos- phere. Its illuminated vil- lages, living nativity scenes, and picturesque historic cen- t e r s t r u l y c r e a t e a w i n t e r w o n d e r l a n d . I f y o u a r e around, The Wom suggests, you should hop on the scenic historic train departing from S u l m o n a , w h i c h o f f e r s a delightful way to explore the region's Christmas markets. Abruzzo is also the native land of zampogne, Italy's own bagpipes, which are a key element of local Christ- mases. 5. Puglia (38.0/100) and modern celebration. But perhaps, what people espe- cially enjoy here is good food: prepare to feast on cappellet- ti and tortellini, cotechino an d zampone, all washed down with some of the best wine Italy has to offer, from Lam- brusco to lesser-known but equally pleasant Albana di Romagna. 9. Marche (28.2/100) W i t h a s c o r e o f 2 8 . 2 , Marche shows to have, too, a p e n c h a n t f o r C h r i s t m a s magic. This little-known yet beautiful region of central Italy is known for its nativity scenes and also for its pif- f e r a i , t r a d i t i o n a l I t a l i a n pipers who play festive tunes on bagpipes and other wind instruments. Their music fills the streets and adds to the joyful atmosphere of the holi- day season. 1 0 . P i e m o n t e ( 2 6 . 7 / 100) Piemonte completes the top ten with a score of 26.7. The region's Christmas mar- kets and festivities captivate visitors, making it a delight- ful destination: here, Christ- mas is a wholesome affair, tied to the traditionally rural culture of the region. While the above regions dominate the Musement's Christmas spirit ranking, the people at The Wom rightly write that, when it comes to Christmas in Italy, it's worth mentioning Trentino-Alto Adige. The region showed notable enthusiasm, particu- l a r l y i n s e a r c h e s r e l a t e d to biscotti di Natale (Christ- mas cookies) and mercatini di Natale (Christmas mar- kets). That doesn't come as a surprise, when you think the r e g i o n i s r e n o w n e d f o r both: lebkuchen, zimtsterne, and vanillekipferl are deli- cious cookies of German ori- gin, commonly made this t i m e o f t h e y e a r i n m a n y Trentino-Alto Adige homes, and the Christmas markets in Bolzano and Trento are, per- haps, the most characteristic in the country. From the snowy north to the sunny south, it is clear that the spirit of Christmas knows no boundaries. Every region in Italy offers unique experiences able to make us feel happier, more relaxed, and ready, even if just for a few days, to set aside worries and responsibilities to enjoy some festive cheer! Lombardy, Italy's north- ern powerhouse, takes the crown with a perfect score of 100 in Musement's Christ- m a s s p i r i t r a n k i n g . T h e region's capital, Milan, trans- forms into a winter wonder- land, adorned with an awe- inspiring Christmas tree in Piazza Duomo and beautiful lights along the Navigli. In Cernobbio, on the shores of L a k e C o m o , L a c i t t à d e i Balocchi reaches this year its 30th edition: here you can find a Christmas market, an i c e s k a t i n g r i n k , a n d a plethora of events to enjoy. L o m b a r d y a l s o b o a s t s some of Italy's most beautiful Christmas markets, includ- ing Livigno and, of course, M i l a n ' s O h B e j ! O h Bej! fair, which starts on the 7th of December, the day of S a i n t A m b r o s e . W i t h i t s c h a r m i n g l a k e t o w n a n d cr owned by the Al ps, the C h r i s t m a s s p i r i t f i n d s i n Lombardy a natural habitat t o d e v e l o p a n d e m b r a c e every visitor with the essence of the season. 2. Lazio (77.2/100) In second place, with a score of 77.2, is Lazio, home to the Eternal City, Rome. The capital dazzles with its Christmas decorations, fea- turing iconic trees in Piazza Venezia, Trinità de' Monti, Piazza San Pietro, and a myr- iad of charming mercatini. L a z i o ' s c h a r m e x t e n d s beyond Rome: we just need to think about Greccio, the W i t h i t s h i s t o r y , c u l t u r e , and culi- n a r y delights, Italy knows how to embrace the magic of Christ- mas like few other places in the world and here, just like everywhere else in the world, the holiday season is a time of joy, celebration, and tradi- tions that have been passed down through generations. The entire country comes a l i v e w i t h f e s t i v e l i g h t s , bustling markets, and the sweet aroma of panettone and biscotti filling the air. Y e t , i f w e w e r e t o a s k which region of Italy truly embodies the spirit of Christ- mas, it'd be a challenge to pinpoint a definitive answer. H o w e v e r , t h e p e o p l e at Musement, a platform for booking travel experi- ences and activities, set out on a quest to decipher where I t a l y ' s h e a r t b e a t s t h e strongest during Christmas- time; they delved into the data, analyzing Google search volumes for ten Christmas- related terms across all Ital- ian regions; the terms includ- ed everything from albero di N a t a l e ( C h r i s t m a s t r e e ) to regali di Natale (Christ- mas gifts), all the way to bis- cotti di Natale (Christmas c o o k i e s ) , d e c o r a z i o n i d i N a t a l e ( C h r i s t m a s o r n a - m e n t s ) a n d f i l m d i Natale (Christmas movies). Musement's methodology was meticulous: they calcu- lated the average monthly s e a r c h v o l u m e f o r t h e s e terms in October, November, and December of 2022. To make the results equitable, t h e y d i v i d e d t h e a v e r a g e monthly searches by the pop- ulation of each region and then standardized the data. Each region was assigned a score ranging from 0 to 100 for each search term, provid- ing a comprehensive view of Italy's Christmas enthusiasm. So, let's see which regions in Italy are the most "in love" with the season, with the help of the people at The W o m T r a v e l , w h o h a v e recently published an inter- esting article about this very special list, with a lot of fes- tive information about each region. 1. Lombardy (100/100) FRANCESCA BEZZONE Snow, blue skies, markets: it's Christmas! But what's the Italian region that likes this time of the year most? (Photo: Kondratova/Dreamstime) ALL AROUND ITALY TRAVEL TIPS DESTINATIONS ACTIVITIES W h a t ' s t h e r e g i o n t h a t loves Christmas the most?

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