Halloween, or All Saint's Eve, is becoming a popular day for costume parties and events in Italy. While the main holidays are still All Saints Day on November 1 and All Souls Day on November 2, the custom of celebrating Halloween is starting to take hold in many Italian cities.
Halloween costumes and decorations are on display in shop windows and can be found in many stores. Children's costume parties are mainly held during the day, but in the evening many nightclubs, bars, and restaurants now advertise special Halloween costume parties.
Urban Trekking for Halloween
Urban Trekking holds special All Saints Eve walks in many cities. These walks often include special night visits to medieval towers, crypts, dungeons, or castles. Some cities hold children's walks during the afternon, too.
Each year's urban trek has a theme - the 2009 theme is Il Gusto del Trekking, dolcetti e scherzetti camminando in Citta' (the taste of trekking, treats and tricks walking in the city). Walks are offered in 32 Italian cities. Although the site is in Italian, each city walk has a simple map showing the starting point (which you'll find by scrolling down the city page) along with length of the walk (time and kilomters) and starting time (orario di partenza). Click on a city in the City List 2009 to see these details.
Halloween at Italian Amusement Parks
Italian amusement parks have special weekend events in October for Halloween culminating October 31. Near Lake Garda, Gardaland features Magic Halloween with a spirits' parade and reduced prices for those dressed in monster costumes, weekends in October, and Movieland has Rock'n Halloween every weekend in October and is open until midnight on Halloween night.
Halloween Dinners in Restaurants
A few restaurants offer special dinners for Halloween, like this one in a remote castle in Liguria. If you're in Italy, check local restaurants for posters.
Halloween Movies in Italian Movie Theaters
Some Italian movie theaters are advertising American Halloween movies for Halloween. I'm guessing they have Italian sub-titles.
Mummies and Skeletons in Italy
Not just for Halloween, Italy has several chilling displays of mummies and bones in catacombs, churches, and crypts. These mummies have been naturally preserved and the displays can be a macabre sight, not recommended for young children. Find out where to see them in Mummies in Italy - Where to see mummies and skeletons.
