Bolzano

Bolzano, also known as Bozen, is a bi-lingual town in Northern Italy in the Trentino-Alto Adige region. For the past 20 years during the month of December, it holds a Christmas Market- Mercantino di Natale.

The market expands through out the small city center and has every site, smell, and sound of Christmas. They have a large Christmas tree in the main piazza, a nativity scene, and ornaments, presents, candles, wreaths, Christmas crafts, and sweets popping out from every angle and corner.

Some people from BCSP are taking a trip up there this weekend and since my friend and I aren't able to join them we made a last minute decision Thursday night to catch the first train Friday morning to head up to the famous market. 

We caught a beautiful sunrise during the 4 hour train ride up into the mountains. It felt as if we entered into a different country. The architecture is different, the weather is colder, and there is significantly more German spoken than Italian.

Meghan and I made sure to indulge in bretzels, wurstels, vin brulé and apple cider and the holiday cheer all around. 

Milano

   Saturday I took a day trip to Milan with my friend Hope. We went with the intention of seeing two exhibitions: Caravaggio, an Impossible Exhibition, and Salvador Dalì, Il Sogno Si Avvicina.  We first stopped at the Carvaggio exhibition and the woman working asked us if we knew that all the paintings were replicas. We hadn't known so we didn't spend the money and we skipped it- so unfortunately we didn't see any Caravaggio.

Dalì's work is breathtaking and inspiring. Destino is a short animation film he worked on with Walt Disney 

At this time of year Milan is crawling with markets full of trinkets and the such for potential Christmas gifts and lots of goodies like chocolate covered nuts, dried fruit, and cheese.

We stopped at the  famous Panificio Luini and got delicious deep fried panzerotti filled with spicy salami and mozzarella. This is a hot spot for lunch or a snack in Milan- two lines spill out the doors and there is a bouncer- all just for a delicious traditional pugliese calzone.

Mild December

It's  two weeks into December and the weather is beautiful. I can't complain about having 50 degree days with sun and shine- perfect weather for passing my first exam in Italian Cinema. Classes are almost coming to end, however the rest of my exams don't come until the end of January. 

Until them I'm busying Christmas shopping, enjoying a lit up bologna, finishing up my classes, and getting ready for the holidays. 

Christmas Market

 

The Christmas market is now open in Strada Maggiore. It's a little market overflowing with tinsel, ornaments, twinkle lights, pine cones, manger scenes, and every other imaginable Christmas decoration available.

It also has handmade scarves, hats, purses, jewelry, and other goods plus lots of candied nuts, chocolate, and tradition Italian sweets such as panettone,  torrone, and breads.

The little market under the porticoes is crowded with Italians shopping for the holidays and brings a little Christmas joy to Bologna now that all the snow has melted.