2011 Destinations: Help Celebrate Italy's 150th Anniversary

2011 Destinations: Help Celebrate Italy's 150th Anniversary

For most of Italian history, "Italy" as we know it didn't exist. Rather, it was a collection of diverse city-states and small kingdoms, united by a common language and a shared history.

2011 marks the 150th anniversary of Italian unification, when the modern country of Italy was created. To celebrate, the country is hosting a variety of celebrations centering on the city of Torino, which was Italy's first capital city after unification.

Starting in March, both Torino and the surrounding Piedmont region are hosting "9 gala months" of exhibitions and activities. For example, Torino's Teatro Regio is spending the season performing operas by the Italian composer Verdi, who is called the "bard of the Risorgimento." Contemporary composers have also been commissioned to create music based on the unification. Art exhibits and film festivals are also on the agenda, while tourists can walk along specially marked routes that will take them past landmarks in the city that are related to the Risorgimento.

In the Piedmont region, planned activities include 100 different festivals with activities that will include music, theatre, cinema, dance and street art. There will also be a circus. At the castle of Racconigi in Cuneo, there will be more opera performances and an exhibit on Vittorio Emanuele II, the first king of a united Italy.

If you'd like to help Italy celebrate its 150th anniversary, you'll need a passport, of course. You should apply as soon as possible, too, to take advantage of Italy's "shoulder season." The best time to visit Italy is in the spring, when the weather is still relatively mild and the crowds are relatively small. You'll also find better prices on flights and accommodations than you will during the high season.

Of course, if you don't already have a passport, you'll need to allow enough time for your passport application request to be processed. It takes about 6 weeks for the Department of State to process your application, issue a passport and get it back to you if you apply for regular processing. Paying an additional $60 expedite fee will cut that time down to about three weeks. For faster processing, make an appointment at one of the 24 regional passport agency offices scattered across the United States or use a private expediting company like RushMyPassport.

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