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Top 5 Halloween destinations in Europe

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You don’t have to stay at home to celebrate Halloween on 31st October. Head to one of the following locations and you’ll get a lot more than trick-or-treaters or jack-o-lanterns…

Edinburgh

Edinburgh’s mass of dark buildings and cobbled streets make it the quintessential setting for a spot of gothic horror. The city’s long, and at times bloody, history means that it has formed the backdrop to many a grisly tale, which you can hear about either at the city’s famous Dungeons, or on one of the Auld Reekie Tours. One of the city’s most infamous, and shockingly, factual, stories is that of Burke and Hare, two Irish immigrants who coupled their menial day jobs with the more lucrative night-time activity of grave robbing and murder.

English courses in Edinburgh

Venice

Venice has a reputation for being a very romantic destination, but you want to grab hands for another reason this month. This ancient labyrinth of a city is the setting of many a ghost story, and taking a ghost walk will make you see the narrow passageways and pretty canals in a much more spooky light! You’ll learn about legendary sea monsters, ancient cemeteries hidden beneath the streets of modern-day Venice, and even a secret about Marco Polo’s wife…

Italian courses in Venice

Paris

Paris is another beautiful modern-day city, whose charming aesthetics make its bloody history easy to forget. The city’s most famous tour, The Paris Ghost Tour, covers the city’s catacombs and how they came to be, the satanic conspiracies of the 17th-19th centuries, the true Sweeney Todd of Paris and, last but by no means least, the Vampire of Paris – a real life cannibal and suspected serial killer.

French courses in Paris

Prague

Prague is often hailed as the most haunted city in Europe, and it’s easy to see why. Prague’s ancient buildings and narrow streets conceal many a tale and mystery, including mass executions, murderous thieves, and gothic creatures. The Old Jewish Cemetery in Prague dates back to the 15th century and is one of the largest in Europe – because of the lack of space, though, the graves had to be put one on another, somewhere even in twelve layers. It is somewhere that is generally considered to be quite a peaceful place, but still not somewhere you’d necessary feel comfortable after dark!

TEFL courses in Prague

Palermo

Surprisingly perhaps, Palermo is also a city with lots to offer the horror-buff! The Capuchin Catacombs is a little-known, but exceptionally grizzly spot, where you will find thousands of preserved mummies from the last 500 years suspended from the walls in their Sunday best. Definitely not the activity for anyone in search of a lesiurely museum trip at the end of a relaxing Mediterranean break…

Italian courses in Palermo

Cactus offers language and TEFL courses in exciting locations all over the world.

Top 5 Spring festivals in Italy

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Easter Week, Rome & Florence: 29th March-1st April

If you can be in Italy during Easter Week you will be treated to splendid traditions, poignant rituals and abundant food as Lent reaches its end. While Easter Mass is held across the country in every church, it’s the one led by the Pope at St Peter’s Basilica in Rome that tops the agenda. He also blesses the Via Crucis on Good Friday, where a huge cross is lit with burning torches near the Colosseum. Alternatively, head for Florence where the Scoppio del Carro, or explosion of the cart, provides a spectacular display of fireworks and parades in medieval costume on Easter morning. Wherever you are, Easter Monday, or La Pasquetta, is a day of festivity, fun and social gatherings – to say nothing of fine food and wine, which goes without saying.

Italian courses in Rome

Festa di San Marco, Venice: 11th-12th May

All you romantics out there, head for Venice on 25th April. As well as being Liberation Day in Italy, celebrating the anniversary of Italy’s liberation by the Allies in WWII, it is also the feast day of Venice’s patron saint, San Marco. And it is during this Festa de San Marco that Venetian men traditionally present the woman they love with a red rosebud, or bocolo. Enjoy the parades in St Mark’s Square and woo your beloved in one of Italy’s most beautiful cities – guys, this one will win you brownie points with your loved one.

Italian courses in Venice

Sagra del Pesce, Camogli: 12th May

It would be impossible to talk of festivals in Italy without bringing up food at some point. The Sagra del Pesce (Fish Feast) Festival in Camogli, just south of Genoa, is a must for anyone who likes fish as, every year on the second Sunday of May, this small and pretty fishing village perched on the Italian Riviera hosts a massive, jovial and free feast of freshly caught fish. And it really does have to be seen to be believed. For the entire day, fishermen swap their nets for aprons and devote the day to frying their produce in a giant saucepan that’s 5 metres wide (that’s over 16 feet) with a 7 metre handle – possibly even more impressive than the fish that comes out of it. Whatever the case, it’s fish for everyone – it’s delicious, and it’s free!

Italian courses in Genoa

Infiorata di Noto, Sicily: 12th May-20th June

Spring is a time for flowers, and there’s nowhere better to get your fill of colour and scent than in the picturesque Baroque town of Noto in southeast Sicily. On the third weekend in May the pavements of Noto are covered with intricate ‘carpets’ of flower petals that form stunning mosaic patterns and pictures. Local artists go to town with their designs which are all made out the most natural materials possible – in addition to flower petals, they use earth, wood cuttings, seeds and more. The artists begin their creations on Friday, for all to enjoy over the weekend, and then on Monday children are let loose with delight to run through the flowers and destroy the designs. But, at least for one weekend, locals and visitors to Noto look down rather than up, as usually it is the beautiful balconies overhead that catch the eye, not the pavement underfoot.

Italian courses in Taormina

Festival dei Due Mondi, Spoleto: 28th June-14th July

The pretty hill town of Spoleto in southern Umbria plays host to the Festival dei Due Mondi, one of Italy’s most famous performing arts festivals. So-called as its founder, composer Gian Carlo Menotti, hoped to bring together the old and new worlds of Europe and America, it is a packed programme of music, opera, theatre, art and sculpture, and each year draws in first-class artists from around the world. As can be expected, Spoleto gets very busy during the festival, but Orvieto is about 90 minutes away and makes a perfect place to escape the crowds whilst still staying within easy distance of the festivities.

Italian courses in Orvieto