THE LITERATURE FESTIVAL

Last year I had the opportunity to discover one amazing and original festival in the north of Italy. This festival is called "Il festival della letteratura" and it takes place in the first week of September in Mantova, in the Veneto region.

Mantova is a small and quiet town, close to Verona and it is famous for its literary traditions. For example, the opera of Rigoletto was based in this city and it is true that the wealthy Gonzaga´s family existed; you can find their palace there. Or you might have heard about this city because it was the place where Romeo was banished. Furthermore, we cannot forget that the famous poet Virgilio was born there.

So, don't you think there is no better place to celebrate this kind of festival? During the whole year the inhabitants work to prepare for it. This event is known around the world. A lot of writers come from different countries to give conferences, promote books, talk about literary topics…

The best thing is that all the inhabitants work collaboratively as volunteers. They clean and decorate every corner of the city. The band plays around the streets, confetti is thrown on the floor and fireworks display inaugurate the beginning of the festival. There is also theatre performances, concerts, ballets, plays around the city, and more cultural events (almost of all of them are free).

So, if you are fancy reading something or you want to get to know some new writer, this is your festival!