Italy Travel News 05/06/2010

A woman visiting a post office in the conservative northern Italian town of Novara was stopped by police and fined 500euro for wearing a burka. Novara is in the region where the xenophobic Lega Nord party is most prevalent in the country. (via the Eye On Italy podcast, eyeonitaly.com/podcast)

A creative pizza shop owner in Trento who is tired of repairing his front door after thieves try to break in has put a note on said door – it tells would-be thieves that if they really think they're going to find money inside, would they please use the back door to get in.

Divorce rates in Italy continue to go up, so the country's first ever "divorce fair" is planned for this weekend in Milan – the goal is to help those going through a divorce "start a new, happier life." Services at the fair will include "life coaching and beauty advice."

It's not just Greece enacting "austerity measures" lately – a new initiative passed by the Italian government to limit compensation for Italy's theatre workers has resulted in strikes at theatres all over the country. Many opera houses have canceled performances until the matter is resolved.

Base solely on the previews I've seen, I admit that I think the movie "Letters to Juliet" looks horrid. Still, I can't fault them for their promotional savvy. They're giving away a trip to Verona – or a few, judging by the look of the site – and you can enter on MySpace, Photobucket, or at a participating theatre showing the movie. (via @newsfromitaly on Twitter)

This short post lists 4 beach towns in Tuscany that are an easy train trip from Florence – it comes complete with travel time from Florence to each town, plus how far it is from the train station to the beach. (via @CiaoAmalfi on Twitter)

This looks like an interesting site; I haven't explored it all yet, but if you're looking for alternatives to the big cities in Italy it may be a good resource. (via @newsfromitaly on Twitter)

I was so happy to get a note from a reader who said my article on the top things to do in Venice made her trip to that city more enjoyable, so I wanted to share her blog post about Venice with you!

This is a lovely portrait of one of my favorite cities – exploring the back alleys to find the "real" Venice – and the photos are simply gorgeous.

Remember that "Who is Alfredo Sauce, & why do Americans keep asking about him?" article I raved about a few weeks ago? The same author is back with a funny & educational article that will help explain why the concept of taking home leftovers from an Italian restaurant is completely foreign – and potentially offensive.

Lonely Planet & Borders have joined forces with Intrepid Tours & Alitalia to give away a trip for two to Tuscany. To enter, boil down what you want to discover in Italy into 25 words or less. And good luck!

My friends Alex (of blogfromitaly.com) and Cherrye (of my-bellavita.com) both contributed to this article in The Guardian about beaches in Italy.