Immaculate “Immacolata” Bank holiday Italy today.

Tuesday, December. 8, is the Feast of Immaculate Conception, a national holiday her in Italy and for many Italians it triggers the festive period. All Catholics are expected to attend Mass today. Many towns have a procession carry the statue of Mary to the church.

When national holidays fall on a Tuesday or Thursday many Italians take the intervening day as a holiday to make a long weekend. Interstingly in italy this is called “doing the bridge” or as said in Italian fare il ponte.

When you are on holiday in Italy, please be aware of Italian national holidays as basically all business &shops close.

Read more about the Immaculate Conception

Berlusconi italian prime minister today will face public exposure today as ex call girl D’Addraio publishes some revealing stories on Berlusconi and his sex life that took place in his italian property.
Berlusconi, italian prime minister, continues to hit the headlines unfortunately not for his politics. With an on going divorce (Veronica Lario), international gaffs (Obama tanned), corruption investigations as his legal immunity is removed (along with David Mills, estranged husband of UK minister Tessa Jowell) the latest claims that he is an italian stallion makes you wonder how does he get away with it? Even the magazine “rolling stone” in Italy have voted him “rockstar of the year”. So would you if you had seen in him action at his italian property in Sardenia.
Read more in the Independent, Telegraph.

Rome leads Europe by becoming the first european capital to switch completly to “all digital” TV, beating London, Madrid and Paris. As from today at 10:30am the old TV analogue signal will be switched off and the whole city goes digital. 4.5 million citizens are affected in the province of Lazio including 2.5 million in the capital of Italy. If you have an Italian property, a house in Rome, an appartment in Rome or a flat in Rome then please ensure you have bought a new TV or at least purchased a digital decoder for your old TV and retune your TV regularly this month until 30/11/09 when the switch over from analogue to digital will be complete.

Any queries call the italian helpline on 800.022.000 or visit the website www.decoder.comunicazioni.it to check when your comune switches to digital in your italian property in Rome.

Italy Broadband  : ADSL

Italy broadband property internet access ? How fast?  Is it available ? One of the key issues following a recent survey with Italian property investors looking to buy a house in Italy. Broadband in Italy ?

As a new property owner in Italy i have recently had to study the whole Italian broadband market to ensure the best value internet service in Italy. So I thought I would share my investigations with you. If when you read this article some of the offers discussed have expired then please feel to contact the author for latest offers or any further queries regarding how to get broadband in Italy in your Italian property.

Read the rest of this entry »

Ski property in Italy will benefit from an early Italian skiing season. The temperature has dropped and the first snow has fallen in the Italian Dolomites consequently Dolomiti Superski is proud to announce that the Italian ski slopes will be opening early as from weekend commencing 13^th November. 3 weeks earlier than normal the heavy snow in Italy has seen the snow ploughs already in action, the Italian ski slopes have been prepared, the hotels in this Italian ski region are ready to open for the Italian winter ski season.

I was recently in the Italian Dolomites studying the Italian ski property market and will be publishing a report shortly. If you are interested in a ski property investment in Italy then please subscribe to the MIPC newsletter, in the top right hand side, to ensure you receive the MIPC Italian ski property report.

Dolomiti Superski is the brand of 12 skiing networks in the Italian Dolomites. At the heart is the Sella Ronda circuit where you can ski from resort to resort round the Sella Ronda massif, 500km of slopes and a full days skiing. The mountain range is Unesco protected and the key resorts include Selva, Arabba, Canazei, to mention but a few of the Italian ski property resorts.

David Beckham manages to bring Italy back into the international football/soccer field, which may not have a lot to do with property in Italy, but believe me it does great for the italian economy. What appears an action replay of last year, Beckham and Milan have gone through the yes or no scenario….and yes Beckham will play once agian for Milan this winter in Italy. David returning to his italian property on Lake Como will attract international attention on Italy, which is good news for all of you whom about to buy property in Italy as your property investment in Italy will definately benefit from his presence. Not to say the least about his wife Victoria and the kids frequenting downtown Milan city centre. Beckham believes keeping in European football will help him gain a position in the english team for the World Cup. I only hope his true focus is for Milan whom need a good ROI on their italian investment.

Berlusconi

I must send compliments to my friend John, journalist at the UK The Guardian & based in Rome. His article today sums up Berlusconi perfectly and I would recommend you to read it, including between the lines….not just skim it…It makes you understand the true Italy. Coincidently I had heard that Berlusconi was considering running for the new European President job. I hope The Guardian article wasn’t aimed at ruining his chances…Gordon Brown are you still backing Tony Blair ??? …..or was the dig at Berlusconi just a Halloween hokes??

Would you vote for Berlusconi as the New European President ?

Serious comments only please.

Trapani will host the Trapani International Match Cup from 29/10 – 1/11 /2009 part of the International Sailing Federation ISAF Italian Male Grade 2 sailing competition.

Trapani International Match Cup

Trapani became famous in the sailing circuit after hosting the Louis Vuitton Americas Cup in 2005, followed by the Trapani Cento Cup from 2006-2008.

This year the Trapani International Match Cup races will take place in the Sicilian sea near Trapani port and in the waters in front of Via Dante Alighieri, downtown Trapani. Hosts are Trapani Yacht Club, in partnership with the Circolo Canottieri di Marsala.

Ten competitors from 9 different countries will compete to increase their ranking in the ISAF Ranking List racing in the Comet 21 Open sailing boat with short 15-20 minute races.

During the weekend there will be live music from the Bohemian Rhapsody-Queen Tribute Band, talk-shows, cultural events and a night time sailing event.

The events are organised by Velaevento.

Buy a property in Sicily, Trapani.

Al Martino The Godfather

Al Martino famous for playing the role of Johnny Fontane in the 1972 film The Godfather died on Tuesday at his childhood home in Philadelphia.

Besides acting in the Marlon Brando classic “The Godfather,” Martino sang the 1972 film’s title score, “The Love Theme From The Godfather.” His Fontane character is a singer and occasional actor and is the godson of Brando’s Mafia boss character, Don Vito Corleone, a character supposedly based on Frank Sinatra, but with eerie similarities to Martino’s own career.

The Italian American singer, Al Martino, had Britain’s first number one record. The song, Here In My Heart, was top when the New Musical Express introduced its chart in November 1952. Martino, the former bricklayer’s other hits included Spanish Eyes, Can’t Help Falling in Love and Volare.

Mafia Tourism

Interest in films like the Godfather continue to drive mafia tourism to Sicily. Mafia tourism is a developing sector in sicilian tourism. If you are a travel agent and would like to know more about our mafia Godfather tourism program, including visits to Corleone, the mafia museum, Don Corleone memorial and more Godfather film locations please contact MIPC using the EMAIL MIPC tab at top of this page.

Al Martino | The Godfather | Johnny Fontane | Mafia Tourism

Berlusconi legal immunity was overruled, removed, annulled, cancelled yesterday.

Berlusconi  prime minister of Italy during lhis ast term enforced the Alfano Law which was not really an immunity law but simply a suspension of the judicial process for himself and 2 other ministers in his government.

Berlusconi has claims against him of corruption and financial irregularities in his media empire. Court procedures against him were stopped after he introduced the Alfano Law.

Just to put this into perspective Berlusconi is prime minister, media magnet (newspapers & TV), AC Milan football club owner and surely has many more activities. This is like Rupert Murdoch been voted as the new prime minister and inventing a law that blocks any legal action against himself whilst in office !!!

The overruling by the Constitutional Court of the Alfano Law now means that Berlusconi could shortly be in court defending himself against corruption claims, one of which invloved David Mills, estranged husband of UK minister Tessa Jowell, whom is currently serving 4.5 years for the corruption.

Politically if key coalition members The Northen League now withdraw from Berlusconi’ coalition then this could trigger a general election.

But to be honest…Berlusconi has survived a recent divorce, allegations of young call girls and now this and much more…and the Italians still look up to him as a role model….in Berlusconi’s words “These things invigorate me, they invigorate italians. Long live Itlay, long live Berlusconi” !!!!

Discussed further in detail in the UK Times today : Berlusconi