Sinead O'Conner to Kick Off May of the Monuments

May of the Monuments will kick off with a musical event on May 1st at Naples' San Carlo Theater, an acoustic concert by Irish musician Sinead O’Conner, world famous female rock icon. An internationally renowned artist, with strong roots in the culture of her native Ireland, Sinéad O'Connor has always combined an extraordinary vocal talent with a love of the musical traditions of her homeland, and by extension, defense and affirmation of the autonomy of all traditions. On stage to introduce the music will be the theater of Enzo Moscato, a cult author whose work is strongly linked to the Neapolitan tradition.

Tickets for the Sinead O’Conner concert are only €5,00 and on sale from Wednesday April 21st. They can only be purchased at the San CarloTheater ticket office which is open Monday – Saturday from 10:00 – 19:00 and Sundays 10:00 – 15:30.

Naples 16th Annual Maggio dei Monumenti - May of the Monuments

Its that time of year again when Naples takes time out to celebrate its rich cultural heritage. Every year for five weekends during the month of May, Naples plans a variety of events, tours, exhibits and more that celebrate a specific cultural, historic or artistic period from Naples history. This years theme is "Ritorno al Baroco e...non solo" meaning roughly "Return of the Baroque and... not only," a celebraion of the Spanish/Baroque era in Naples, its historic and artistic contributions to the City, and the the meeting of the Spanish and Neapolitan cultures. An era that brought us Caravaggio, the Royal Palace, the Palace at Capodimonte, a wealth of churches, palaces, cloisters, fountains, streets and neighborhoods such as Via Toledo and the Spanish Quarter, and much more.

Running from April 30th until May 30th, it is a uique opportunity to discover the many treasures of Naples, some which are inaccessible during the year, to visit the museums (often at a special price or for free), and explore the city through guided tours led by experts in Neapolitan history.

A variety of art, music and entertainment programs have been planned, and each week will be devoted to a different theme:

• The 1st weekend celebrates music, the Baroque music that made Naples the capital of European Music
• The 2nd weekend is devoted to the theater, which rooted in the Spanish language, will explore the common ground between Naples and Spain
• The 3rd weekend is dedicated to dance as many places in Naples' Historic Center will come to life with dance of all types, from the tango to the tammurriata – a traditional dance of Campania
• The 4th weekend takes us to the cinema and a celebration of the affinity between Naples and Almodovar, Luis Buñuel and many other great masters
• The final weekend will celebrate the written word and represents the meeting of two cultures through parallel stories that a Neapolitan and Spanish writer would tell  

More information coming soon - check back often to get the latest updates!!!

Napoli Tattoo Expo - Body Art on Display

A huge "Well Done You" to the Napoli Tattoo Expo and the l'Associazione Culturale Napolindelebile for putting on one heckuva show. They were able to do exactly what you'd expect of a modern expo like this:  Display art that is beautiful, thought provoking, and emotional using the human body as a canvas and skin as the paper.

Walking into the Palapartenope Theater in Fuorigrotta, I could not have been more clueless about what to expect. I'm not a tattoo fanatic, I don't have one on my body. I'm a bit older, and tattoos (I thought) are a young person's thing. I found myself assuming that I was going to walk into loud headbanger music, bright lights and tattoo shops lined up like restaraunts at a "Taste of" event. I couldn't have been more wrong.

Entering the arena, by parting dark curtains, I see that the entire space has been done in black. Colors jump out at you with a vibrance that's due to some pretty sophisticated lighting. Soft Hip-hop jams and space jazz are playing, accompanying you while you walk and check out the art, the canvases and the artists. A body painting exhibition is on stage when I walk in. Two women and a man are being adorned with their artists visions.

76 tattoo artists are in their booths, answering questions and performing their art on enthusiastic customers.

There are photography exhibits, paintings and sculptures centered on body art for one to examine. There are merchants selling everything from belt buckles, rings and tattoo ink...

To motorcyles and manicures!!!

And the art, Oh-My-God, the art. In one word-awesome. From full sleeve cherry trees in full bloom, menacing dragons and tribal tats to contemporary renderings and small little teddy bears. The quality and beauty of this artform was on full display.

Again, to the curators of this wonderful expo " Well Done You"

International Women's Day - 2010

Ladies See the Sites for Free!!!

To celebrate International Women's Day, Festa della Donna, the Italian Minister for Cultural Activities will offer free entrance to all Italian National Museums, Monuments, and Archaeological Sites on 6 and 7 March 2010. Sorry guys... free entrance is for Ladies only.

Participating museums and sites in Naples

Castle Saint Elmo Museum
Museo di Castel Sant'Elmo
Via Tito Angelini, 22, Vomero
Open Daily 08:30 - 19:30, Closed Tuesdays

Duke of Martina National Ceramics Museum
Museo Nazionale della Ceramica Duca di Martina
Villa Floridiana, Via Cimarosa, Vomero
Open Daily 08:30 - 14:00, Closed Tuesdays

National Archaeological Museum

National Museum of Capodimonte

National Museum and Charterhouse of San Martino

National Museum of the Royal Palace

Pignatelli Cortes Museum

Participating museums and sites around Campania

Amphitheater of Flavius
Anfiteatro Flavio
Via Terracciano, 75 Pozzuoli
Archaeological Museum of the Phlegrean Fields in the Castle of Baiai
Museo Archeologico dei Campi Flegrei - Castello di Baia
Via Castello, 39, Bacoli
Open Tues - Sun 09:00 - One hour before sunset

Archaeological Park of Baia
Parco Archeologico delle Terme di Baia
Via Sella di Baia, 22, Baia
Open Tues - Sun 09:00 - One Hour before Sunset

Archaeological Park of Cuma
Parco Archeologico di Cuma
Via Monte di Cuma, 4, Cuma
Open 09:00 - One hour before sunset

Excavations of Oplontis
Scavi di Oplonti
Via Sepolcri, Torre Annunziata
Open daily November - March 08:30 -17:00
Open daily April - October 08:30 - 19:30

Excavations of Stabia
Scavi di Stabia
Via Passeggiata Archeologica, Castellammare di Stabia
Open daily November - March 08:30 -17:00
Open daily April - October 08:30 - 19:30

Herculaneum Archaeological Site
Ercolano
Corso Resino, Ercolano, NA
Open daily November - March 08:30 - 17:00
Open daily April - October 08:30 -19:30

Pompeii Archaeological Site
Pompei
Via Villa dei Misteri, 2, Pompei NA
Open daily November - March 08:30 - 17:00
Open daily April - October 08:30 - 19:30