Valentine’s Day as we know it—filled with cutesie cards, teddy bears and school kids exchanging valentines in class—is customarily a no-go in Italy. (In fact, Italians consider that kind of Valentine’s rather foreign). Italians celebrate La Festa degli Innamorati (which means “the festival of lovers”) on February 14th. It’s a day for celebrating only romantic love, rather than the love of friends, family and children. And it’s very popular for Italians to express their love with a kiss. Well, a chocolate kiss, anyway, named a Baci from candy maker, Perugina (a chocolate-covered hazelnut wrapped with a love note).
La Festa degli Innamorati began as one of many spring festivals that whisk Italians off their feet annually. And although no longer practiced regularly, on the day of La Festa young lovers of yesteryear would meet in parks and under the boughs of trees to whisper sweet nothings into each other’s ears. Interestingly, once upon a time it was also traditional for unmarried girls to wake up early that day. Why? The story goes that the first man who set eyes upon her would become her husband within a year (or at least a man that looked like him).
Yet, Italy still holds true to romantic tradition in many ways. Head to Venice on April 25th and you’ll feel the love at the Festa di San Marco. Not only is it Liberation Day, commemorating Italy’s liberation from Nazi rule in World War II, but it’s the day that Venetian men traditionally present their sweetheart with a bunch of flowers or a long-stemmed rose. And in Turin, lovers typically announce their engagement on February 14th. Cosí romantico (or as they say in English, how romantic!)