Italian names are among the most attractive for the Spaniards who choose a foreign name. They have a Latin character but are also exotic or may seem sophisticated. But what are the most common names inItaly? Which names are the most popular ones for parents of recent newborns? Join us as we review this curious classification. Who knows… you might even find the name you’ve been looking for.

According to data from the National Institute of Statistics, the most common male names inItaly are: Giuseppe, Antonio, Marco, Giovanni and Francesco. These top 5 are based on all inhabitants ofItaly whether recently born or not. Interestingly, the name seems very similar to that ofSpain: Antonio, José, Manuel, Francisco and Juan. Four out of five match up.

The most common female names inItalyare: María. Laura, Paola, Anna and Francesca. InSpainthe top five are: María, Carmen, Ana, Isabel and Dolores. Here we see only two names that are repeated, which reflects the cultural similarities between the two countries.

The situation changes when we look at the names that new parents inItalyare giving their sons and daughters: Francesco, Alessandro, Andrea, Lorenzo and Matteo are currently the most popular names for boys. For girls they are: Sofía, Giulia, Sara, Martina and Giorgia.

It seems clear that Italian sports have a strong influence in the names of the children inItaly. Francesco Totti, Alessandro Nesta, Andrea Pirlo arouse the passions of not only the fathers, but apparently also the mothers. Sophia Loren has been the inspiration for generations of parents when choosing the names of their daughters. In 2011, Giulia was very close to be the most popular name inSpain. It would be translated as Julia or Julieta.

Television and sports exercise influence and make a difference when it comes to choosing a name. Interestingly, it seems that thanks to Latino soap operas, which use Italian names for their female protagonists, the use of certain names has soared in Hispanic America in recent years. This is the case with “Soy tu dueña“ (I’m Your Lady), which involved a Valentina and an Ivanna. Something similar happens with Arianna or Rafaela, leading actresses from other Latino television series.

The truth is we all seeItalyas a country that sets the standard for fashion, so it’s not surprising that we also like their names, rather than their Castillian translations.

But let’s ask ourselves something different. Is it possible that the Italians have a similar perception about Spanish names? Are there very many Fernandos, Ikers, Rafas, or Penélopes? Maybe in the next article we can find out.

Pedro Paterna

Milan is a charming city at any time of year. Visiting el Duomo, la Scala, the palaces or some of the hundreds of boutiques are just a few of the hundreds of things you can do here. Rent apartments in Milan to ensure a simple and comfortable way to do your sightseeing.

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Giro d’Italia, a.k.a. the “Giro”, is mainly a long-distance bike race for professional cyclists. It consists of a tour aroundItalythat lasts three weeks. The “Giro” is one of the large bicycle races inEuropelike the Vuelta inSpainand, of course, the Tour de France. The beauty of the “Giro”, though, lies in the wonderful scenery and rural areas that the cyclists cross in the course. Hills and mountains, forests and valleys witness the efforts of thousands of cyclists who fight to reach the finish line in the beautiful city ofMilan.

Traveling to Italyin the spring and summer is definitely a great way to get a break from work and the boredom of everyday life. In Milan, especially at the time of the final leg of this important race, you can enjoy the cultural aspects and the entertaining nightlife as well as the best food that Italyhas to offer. For more information on the Giro d’Italia, visit the official website: http://www.gazzetta.it/Speciali/Giroditalia/2012/it/

Alexa Ray

If you are a fan of cycling, be a part of this important sporting event by renting apartments in Milan this spring. Milan is a charming city that promises to make your stay a memorable one.

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This luxury gallery is a label that identifies Italy. Within its four floors, you will be able to find luxury shops, very interesting bookstores with the most recent developments in the publishing market and bars and restaurants that offers the best service.

This gallery is a very expensive place to shop, unless you have a credit card that is got no limits or magnate’s checkbook. However, this is a place worth knowing, because of the beauty of its architecture, which was designed in a cross shape with a glass dome cover, offering incredible light, ideal for coffee or a snack, even at the expense of getting no dinner, is a treat not to be missed.

Its construction had the effect of uniting the most beautiful and visited places of Milan, and has recently became one of the busiest places in this city, which has on both of its sides two of the most important monuments: the Cathedral of the Teatro della Scala.

Do not be discouraged if you can not afford to buy Gucci, Prada or Louis Vuitton at the Salon Milan, here you will also find small exclusive clothing stores but less known and their prices more affordable, if you want a treat.

The restaurants are quite expensive, but it also got a very nice Mc Donald with a terrace included, do not be scared by the elegance of the restaurant staff, their black uniform with gold is only to be distinguished from the other restaurants in the gallery.

If you want to treat yourself, enjoy going to one of the oldest restaurants in the city that is in this gallery. The historic Café Biffi founded in 1867. It is a lovely place full of the Milan’s characteristic glamour, and especially of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele.

If you like the layout of the galleria, we recommend you to pay special attention to its floor where you will find tiles with the arms of coats that represents the four capitals of Italy: The She-Wolf of Rome, Milan’s cross, lily of Florence and Turin’s bull. The bull contains a tradition that all must comply if coming to Galleria Vittorio Emanuele. With your heel you should step on the bull’s genitals, while turning three times and make a wish; Keep stepping on the bull while turning around and don’t reveal your wish to anyone, then you will ensure you return to Milan.

For more information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galleria_Vittorio_Emanuele_II

Nancy Guzman

Following the Galleria’s rites is fun if you are spending your holidays at apartments in Milan You just have to rent them on time to get the best of this magic city with all style and seduction.

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In the same way we learn to reject certain foods, allergies are found, other flavors we love and some are liked more than others, some dishes are impossible to eat and others bring tears to our eyes. Thus, food and kitchen feed our experiences and mark us considerably, including in an affective way, fried eggs at eight o’clock, prepared in a particular way, can bring you back to a place of childhood in the past, where that particular flavor was full of memories and good experiences. To reiterate, the world begins at the mouth. They say love also comes through the mouth and good food. And who has not been fallen in love with good food?

Undoubtedly, any cultural factor in any region, country or community can be understood through its cuisine, by its various ingredients or what kind of vegetables and spices are included. The dishes are steeped in history, some coincidences appear, combinations of elements, financial needs at a particular time, climatic changes, etc.. From food and cooking, you can unravel a thousand stories of cultures and countries. Thus today, culinary tourism has become very popular, and many travel exclusively to taste exotic dishes and drinks.

If you love cuisine made in Italy, the Milan Food Week is a celebration for the palate which you just can not miss . In this important culinary festival you can taste the best wines and desserts in a variety of events, openings and tastings in various exotic spots in Milan. It should also be noted that the products used during the Milan Food Week are organic and locally produced, they do not only taste good, but they are the best for your health and the environment, there’s nothing better than a delicious meal with local and fresh products of every season. You can learn more about health and cooking secrets from the 19th to the 27 May in Milan, twelve days of pleasure for your  senses.

For more information on the Milano Food Week, visit the following website: http://www.milanofoodweek.com/

Alexa Ray

Get apartments in Milan and enjoy this important gastronomic week. Milan is one of the best places you can pick this spring. Do not think about it twice, Milan Food Week will delights and awaits you.

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During the eight days of its duration, they will screen films related in some way with gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transexuals.

The 26th edition of the MIX will have more than fifteen films, that will be screened from the 22nd until the 28th of June. The Piccolo Teatro de Milan is the chosen place for the event.

The MIX in Milan gathers established characters from the film industry without forgetting about the promotion of young and emerging directors who can show their work to the public and make a name for themselves.

In 2011, 18 films were watched by the spectators.

The main partner of the event is no other than the car make Citroën. Also collaborating are the Canadian embassy, the French Culture Centre, the TV station CBS, the Goethe Institute and the Québec Delegation.

The MIX isn’t just film. Its cycles also include documentaries, debates, forums, book presentations and various musical performances. Electronic music has special relevance and after all the film screenings, the parties usually go on until sunrise. We can also spend some time in some of the city’s most popular gay bars and clubs. The club Atlantique or the party venue Black Hole are especially recommended for Friday night. On Saturdays, Amnesia offers the session Billy, music until the early hours of the morning, performances and naked dancers dancing non-stop.

Milan is a city that’s closely linked to fashion. Glamour and luxury gather in this Italian city to achieve an attractive mix for the gay community. We can’t forget that most of the most successful fashion designers in the world belong to this community. If we take a walk around the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, we can enjoy a weekend of shopping in clothes shops and luxury accessories. Also, this walk has the incentive of starting at the Piazza del Duomo and ends in the popular Teatro la Scala.

Milan isn’t the only European city with this kind of event. Barcelona, Lisbon and London are the other main capitals of gay film.

Salermico

To fully get to know the city, you need to spend a few days there. Mix with its people, enjoy an aperitif in the afternoon on a terrace and walk around its squares and parks. Renting apartments in Milan during this time of the year is an affordable and comfortable option for your stay in the capital of Lombardy. Many comforts and low prices are the ideal combination for your holidays.

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The history and culture of this city are very much alive, something we can see in the exhibits of the many museums that can be enjoyed if we documented previously. Indeed there are outstanding association aiming disseminate and publicize the artistic-cultural approach of Milan, as does the Naviglio Grande Association (Associazione del Naviglio Grande).

The association began operations back in 1982, although before that date, artists, dealers and owners of antique shops were organized in small committees to provide a better outlet for their creations, by regularly organizing exhibitions markets and small shops. The success of the exhibitions of the Naviglio Association has grown over the years, mainly due to its beautiful and well-organized sites and its activities, which have their main focus in business and the waterway between the Port of Ticiono, the bridge of Via Valenza and nearby streets and other businesses that are sympathetic to the association and are conscious about conservation Milan’s historic city center.

One of the oldest events of the association, which is held annually, is called “Art sul Naviglio Grande”, in 2012 it will be held between the 19^th and the 20^th of May, while outlining the pictures of some local artists. This is one of the most famous cultural events in Milan, where people from all corners of the city and visitors to the city to enjoy the exhibition. Involving some 400 exhibitors and also visitors also take advantage of the visit the area to eat, shop and have a good day in this wonderful shopping area.

You can visit the official event page of the event, where you can consult www.artesulnaviglio.mi.it/?lang=en what is the exhibition about, the artists involved and all the general information you need to know about the exhibition. Do you feel like doing this original plan?

Salermico

If you are thinking of visiting Italy, you can’t miss an event as picturesque and famous, so you can search for apartments in Milan to enjoy a fantastic couple of days. Apartments in Milan are a very common and an economical accommodation option.

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Its name stems from an old church, Santa Maria de la Scala, located in the same place now occupied by the magnificent neoclassical building designed by Giuseppe Piermarini. It was built in 1776 to replace the old Teatro Ducale after it was devastated by a fire that same year following a carnival gala one tragic winter night. It was opened two years later one summer night with an opera by Antonio Salieri, L´Europa riconosciuta, which does not enjoy today the same recognition as its creator, who has the dubious prestige of having been cast as the villain in a movie about life of Mozart which received awards at the Oscars 28 years ago. And yet, sic transit gloria mundi, less and less.

The theater itself has suffered the ravages of time and had to be restored at various points in time, including in the 1940s, after it was seriously damaged from bombs during the war, and in 1907, when a new design significantly altered the original structure.

The most recent restoration, which took place less than a decade ago, was guided by the principle of returning the theater to its original splendor, and included removing all subsequent modifications, such as paints and carpets that covered the original marble. It was even possible to recover the ornamentation and decorative design that some of the boxes had in the 18^th century. At the same time, the building received a radical as well as controversial transformation back stage to improve the acoustics and provide a storage area appropriate for costumes and scenery.

Few musical theaters worldwide can claim a history as fertile and rich in anecdotes as La Scala, which has stories including characters that are giants of culture such as Stendhal, Verdi (who despite being extremely close to the theater eventually prohibited it from presenting his works there arguing that the orchestra often expressed an invincible fondness to alter his scores), or the incomparable Maria Callas. These fruitful careers are testimony to the famous and beautiful theater museum, which is a destination for all but a must-see for fans of performing arts.

As part of its brilliant program, from May 12 to June 7 one can see a presentation of one of the most universally acclaimed operas of the 20^th century—the disturbing and ambivalent Peter Grimes of the great British composer Benjamin Britten.

Paul Oilzum

If you rent apartments in Milan you have the extraordinary opportunity to see this unforgettable and legendary opera house in person. It alone is a good enough reason to visit the city.

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Let’s start with the Sforzesco Castle, former seat of the powerful Sforza family. Built in the 14^th century, it has since undergone many changes. The Filarete Tower is one of the landmarks of the city, and inside you can visit the Museum of Historic Art, the Archaeological Museum and the Museum of Applied Arts. Among its collections, you will find Michelangelo’s Pieta Rondanini or the Trivulzianos Codices of Leonardo da Vinci. The grandeur of the mighty castle will move you.

Who hasn’t heard of the Teatro alla Scala in Milan? It is without a doubt one of the most important buildings in the history of music and opera. But don’t settle for simply taking pictures of the façade. Venture inside to take a tour! Every first time visitor is in awe of the majestic views from the theater’s boxes and of the theater’s decorations.

We can then relax in one of the most important green areas of the city – the gardens of Porta Venezia. Its origin dates back to the 18^th century and served as one of the favorite meeting places and spots for leisure. The paths are filled with sculptures of important people from the history of Italy. The refined appearance and small lakes make a tour of Porta Venezia an idyllic experience.

To bring our tour to an end, we recommend that you do not miss the opportunity to enjoy the characteristic Milanese aperitif. It is very traditional for the inhabitants of the city to head out to the bars about 6 o’clock in the evening to have a small bite to eat – typical sausages, salami, mortadella, carpaccio, cheese, or anchovies in vinegar – accompanied by vermouth, wine or beer. The terraces are filled with life and lively conversation.

Milan is a city that offers many possibilities for visitors, provided that you are able to escape the magnetism of the malls and the display windows and boutiques of the luxury products.

Pedro Paterna

Rent apartments in Milan to spend a few days in this important city in the northern part of Italy. It is an intelligent alternative that is very attractive for both visitors and tourists. You can arrange your own schedule, meals and visits from your own local home. This is certainly a good option for traveling with your family.

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To show what is most relevant and demonstrate the newest trends, fashion weeks were created in all of the capitals known for their high fashion such as New York, Paris, Milan, Madrid and others, where one can feel the pulse of design world and see the aesthetics that govern our day to day.

Milan is one of these capitals and the fashion week there is one that showcases the trends of the design world. This year it was constructivism, following the trend of returning to past forms that were set by vintage fashion. Dresses had straight geometric lines, as if calling for austerity.

The fashion designers know that after the horrible styles of the 80s, the 90s weren’t much better if perhaps a bit more eclectic. They contributed to the 60s nostalgia in good taste and in the length of skirts with the return of the miniskirt. But the grand creations which truly transformed the catwalk with designs that were works of art synthesized with a concept have disappeared. We are facing a creative crisis and have once again returned to the past. On the 2012-2013 catwalks one sees pencil skirts of the 50s, straight lines, synthetic furs, feathers and sequins.

The bags continue to have simple lines without large decorations. Shoes continue to have very high heels with designs from the 40s and 50s. To this is added modest fashion jewelry, hats, gloves and clutches.

The catwalk in Milan is always waiting for magazines specializing in fashion, design, trends and glamour. Maybe it is because one can find all of these attributes there. In spite of this, the designs showcased take a look at the past. It is as if everyone wants to yell out, “The designs of the past were better!” and reinstate them.

In this way, it was designer Sergio Dávila who garnered more attention with his collection in the style of Bauhaus, which is considered by Vogue magazine to be a dominant trend in Paris, Milan and New York. Even the hairstyles he selected had a style that was straight or angled, much like Greta Garbo had but straight. The shoes and accessories had an imprint of the 50s.

As much on the catwalks of Milan as in New York or Paris, the dominant masculine clothing item is the look of retro juvenile from the end of the 50s, with very straight pants, traditional shirts in black and grey tones and sometimes including white and dark green, as well as straight, fitted jackets.

More information: http://www.trendencias.com/categoria/milan

Nancy Guzman

A great opportunity to see and directly witness today’s fashions and trends awaits you when you rent apartments in Milan There, you can visit high fashion locales in places like Via Montenapoleone or la Via della Spiga.

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Venue and Details

The Esxence 2012 will be held in the city of Milan, Italy. It is open to perfume enthusiasts and art lovers from all over Europe and the world. The event dates will be from March 29 – April 1st. This event will be the 4^th installation of the fair. Esxence 2012 made its debut in 2009.

Features of the Esxence 2012:

• This year’s event will be the epitome of great design. There will be a new graphic look which will add to the classic and alluring ambience of the event.
• The event is not only held for buyers and industrialists but also for the press and individuals. Debates, meetings, and workshops are held at the Esxence 2012 event every year in front of a live audience.
• For individuals who are experienced when it comes to the field of perfumery, the Esxence 2012 event is a great platform. Visitors can get to know who’s who in the perfume industry, and they can gather knowledge directly from the best. Visitors will have a chance to brush shoulders with the top industrialists in the field. This will give them the opportunity to highlight their products and get a head start in the field.
• The Esxence 2012 event is in its nascent stages. With the growing investments in this sector, industrialists worldwide are realizing the importance of artistic perfumery as a business. More and more people are gaining an interest in perfumery, and they are investing in the sector. So don’t be shy about joining in all the fun.
• The Esxence 2012 event has its own standards of measuring a perfume’s quality. There is a wide range of evaluation criteria which include Qualitative and Distributive analysis. The event entrants are filtered out to give visitors the best possible samples for the event.
• The technical board for the event includes some of the big names in the industry from Netherlands, Italy, Germany, and Austria. There will be many retailers and distributors at this event.

So while you enjoy your apartments in Milan, plan a visit to the Esxence 2012. Your nose will be delighted with the best fragrances from all round the world.

For more information visit: http://www.fragrantica.com/news/Esxence-Milan-2012-2807.html

D. Laney

While you enjoy your apartments in Milan plan a visit to the Esxence 2012.

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