Armenian dance began in the pre- Christian period, in the Armenian Highlands, when paganism reigned in historical Armenia and was one of the most striking aesthetic means describing the character of the Armenian people. You can see the thinking, the spiritual world of the Armenian people and their attitude to nature and life. After passing from generation to generation and achieving certain changes, it still retained the mobile, structural and musical features inherent in it and inherent in it only. Armenia has a lot of dances, for example: Kochari (there are different types of Kochari), Yarkhushta, Trapar, Lorke, Ishxanac par, etc.
Traditional Yarkhushta
Armenian military dances
The Armenians danced before the war, which helped to awaken the fighting spirit and to win a small number of victories against the enemy army. Military dances have long been danced not only by men but also by women. This has happened in many nations. While the men were fighting, the women were dancing the war dance, believing that it would ”secure” their husbands victory. We will talk about traditional dances of Armenia:
Kochari (for detail information)
Kochari is a traditional dance that is widely performed throughout Armenia during holidays, festive celebrations, family ceremonies and other social events. It is open to all participants, irrespective of age, gender or social status. Kochari provides a sense of shared identity and solidarity, contributes to the continuity of historical, cultural and ethnic memory, and fosters mutual respect among community members of all ages.
Komitas
Shoror of Komitas
This dance was created by Komitas himself. Years later, the dance was on the verge of collapse, until the Armenian national song and dance esemble ”Karin” restored it.
Shoror of Komitas
Yarkhushta
Yarkhushta belongs to the type of clap dances. It is one of the traditional unique dances, which has undergone few changes. A number of dancers should be a twice. They are divided into two groups, one of which is attacking and the other is resisting. When confronting each other, they raise their hands above their heads and strike each other with their palms, which symbolizes the striking of weapons. The pace of movements is getting faster, the claps are getting sharply.
Rostam Bazi
Rostam Bazi is one of the Armenian military dances. In general, it is spread Persian Armenia (Parskahayq), around of Urmia lake. The name of dance in translation means “game of strongs” (Qajeri khaxy): Rostam is literary hero’s name of a famous epic of Persian writer Firdusu, who was accepted throughout Iran, including among the Persian Armenians, as one of the historical figures symbolizing heroism, masculinity, and imperialism. And “bazi” is translated as “game”. Rostam Bazi is one of the surviving examples of military dances, which is danced in a circle.
Etchmiadzin
Etchmiadzin is one of the Karno’s samples. And Etchmiadzin is city and is located in Armavir region of Armenia. Back and forth dances occupy a special place among Karno round dances. Back and forth dances are dancing in the cities and villages: in the cities people dance slowly, and in the villages – fast. In ancient times, dancing outside was forbidden.
In Italy, food takes priority over gifts and conspicuous consumer consumption. For instance, although Christmas trees can be found in some Italian homes and piazzas, the ornate decorations you might associate with Christmas in the UK and the US are less common in Italy. Instead, the Italian festive season revolves around traditional Catholic holidays and feasting together with friends and family.
Christmas traditions in Italy
The festive season looks a little different in Italy. For a start, Christmas in Italy begins on 8 December, the Day of The Immaculate Conception. On this date, the town squares of Italy are illuminated with glittering lights – and the odd Christmas tree – and Yuletide markets spring up across the country.
In picturesque Alberobello, for example, the Puglian town’s traditional conical trulli are illuminated with colourful lights, stars and half moons. Christmas motifs and snow crystals are projected onto the trulli roofs, creating a truly magical atmosphere as part of the town’s Light Festival.
To experience Alberobello’s Christmas magic for yourself, explore our villas in Puglia or spend Christmas at the breathtaking Villa Eterea, which is just 20 minutes away from the town.
8 DECEMBER: THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
The Immaculate Conception is the day that Italians begin assembling their nativity scenes or presepe. Collections of nativity figures known as pastorini are often passed down through generations of Italian families. The scenes these figurines populate are elaborate, going far beyond the conventional nativity characters, sometimes expanding to include entire miniature villages, while less traditional pastorini have been known to include modern celebrities and even politicians. Beautiful – and sometimes silly – hand-carved pastorini can be found in Italian Christmas markets throughout the season.
Elsewhere in the world, it can feel like Christmas goods and marketing appear earlier and earlier each year. However in Italy, Christmastime simply does not start until The Immaculate Conception. From this date onwards, though, you’ll find traditional panettone and Christmas cakes spilling out of every Italian bakery as the country’s winter celebrations get underway.
13 DECEMBER: SANTA LUCIA
Following The Immaculate Conception comes Santa Lucia on 13 December. Santa Lucia is not celebrated across Italy, but many Italian towns observe celebrations and claim Santa Lucia as their patron saint.
Italian Santa Lucia traditions are perhaps strongest in the Sicilian city of Syracuse, whose week-long celebrations include fireworks, plentiful sweets and two processions. During Santa Lucia week, the people of Syracuse avoid eating pasta and bread, instead feasting on cuccìa, a recipe combining wheat, honey and wine. This dish was believed to originate from the time Santa Lucia delivered the city from famine by sending two ships loaded with wheat to its shores.
A scenic hour’s drive from Syracuse, the magnificent Rocca delle Tre Contrade is one of Sicily’s most magical places to experience an Italian Christmas – and to be swept up in the festival of Santa Lucia. Accommodating 24 guests, this palatial villa dates back to the nineteenth century and boasts crackling log fires, a host of in-villa services, a heated pool, a tennis courts and even a seven-acre lemon grove with views to both Mount Etna and the Mediterranean. You can explore more villas in Sicily near Syracuse in our complete collection.
16 DECEMBER: LA NOVENA
Nine days before Christmas, La Novena begins. This period marks the journey of the three wise men on their way to visit the baby Jesus. Religious Italians often spend this period in prayer, while in rural areas, children often go from door to door dressed as the magi, collecting sweets in return for carols and poems. Throughout La Novena, Christmas performances are held at churches and theatres.
24 DECEMBER: LA VIGILIA
The Vigil – or La Vigilia – is held on Christmas Eve. This important Italian event sees families come together to share a feast. Some families will exchange gifts on La Vigilia, although these presents are generally only for the children, whose role on Christmas Eve is to recite poems for the guests. Each Italian region has its own customs when it comes to food, though across the country, La Vigilia menus are almost always pescatarian. The meal lasts late into the night, when families leave their feasting to attend midnight mass.
25 DECEMBER: NATALE
The feasting continues on Christmas Day. On the 25th, meat is back on the menu across Italy, as friends and families continue their festive celebrations with decadent banquets.
6 JANUARY: EPIFANIA (LA BEFANA)
Although some Italian families now give gifts to children on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, it is traditional to wait until Epiphany (or Epifania) to give and receive gifts – although this is typically just for children. Babbo Natale (Father Christmas) sometimes sneaks his way into the Italian festivities, but the traditional gift-bringer is La Befana, an ugly yet kindly witch who brings gifts on her broomstick, filling stockings left out by children on the night of Epiphany.
Italy’s Christmas foods and drinks
As you’ll have gathered from our facts about Christmas in Italy, food is absolutely central to Italian Yuletide celebrations. From sweet, freshly-baked panettone to Sicilian cuccìa in honour of Santa Lucia, food is often rich in symbolism and Catholic tradition, bringing people together. To fully experience the winter festivities in Italy at Christmastime, you must try the following dishes:
Scrumptious sweets – From the 8 December, mouth-watering Italian pastries, cakes and desserts are on the menu. Panettone (sweet bread) is a mainstay across the country, but each region has its own favourite treats, like honey-coated cartellate pastries in Puglia. Christmas Eve desserts of biscotti, torrone (nougat) and pandoro (similar to panettone) are also unmissable delicacies.
Seafood on Christmas Eve – From frittura di pesce (fried fish) and paranza (mixed small fish) to baccalà (salt cod) and lobster linguine, La Vigila is heaven for seafood lovers. Families traditionally serve a plethora of pescatarian delights on Christmas Eve, with each region’s specialities (like Sicilian swordfish) playing a prominent role.
Christmas antipasti – The Italian Christmas Day meal lasts for hours, starting with a delectable selection of antipasti before a centrepiece main course of meat (braised beef and roasted veal are popular choices). However, Christmas antipasti are showstoppers in their own right, so expect local speciality cheeses, cured meats, olives, artichokes and much more.
Family life is changing all over the world, and it’s not just the structure of the family, but also its habits. A recent survey of British family life showed some surprising statistics.
Family structure
60 % of families have married parents.
22 % are single-parent families.
Only 10 % of the single parents are men.
40 % of families have one child.
45 % have two, and 15 % have three or more.
11 % of families have stepchildren.
On average women get married at 30, and men at 32.
Family habits
20 % of families only eat together once or twice a week, and 17 % never eat at the same time.
They visit friends or extended family twice a month.
14 % of people have family members who they never speak to or contact.
75 % of people are happiest with their families, and 17 % with their friends.
The average family has 2 rows each day, and the most common cause is children or teenagers refusing to put down their phones or tablets.
Tourism across the world is getting an impetus because there is so much that people want to see and experience. In fact, visiting another country is one of the best ways to learn about the culture and language of that country. However, of late, people are indulging in cultural tourism that has given tourism a whole new meaning.
What is Cultural Tourism?
Cultural tourism is a type of tourism that allows the tourist to participate in local cultural activities, like festivals and rituals. As a result, the tourist can enjoy a genuine cultural exchange with the locals.
It also enables local communities to accept their culture as cultural tourism is a major driver for growth. So, communities go out of their way to celebrate and promote their culture as it makes them different from other communities. A good example is the carnival celebrated in Rio de Janeiro and Goa before Lent begins. While in Rio it is a raucous celebration where locals and tourists party and indulge in everything under the sky, in Goa, the mainstay of the event is a parade followed by dances and feasts.
tourism benefits local communities. Some of the benefits of cultural tourism that government and local tourism bodies should be aware of include the following:
Cultural tourism has a positive economic impact on the destination and can help underserved communities to thrive and flourish
The money that this form of tourism bring in can be used within local communities for social good
It helps preserve the local culture while allowing communities to emphasize the uniqueness of their culture to differentiate it from other locations
It helps destinations market themselves and compete with more competitive locales on an even footing.
Culture tourism is a win-win experience. The visitors enjoy the rich heritage and learn about the local cultures and traditions while local communities enjoy development without forsaking their cultural values and beliefs.
Perhaps I have 2 specific dreams, both of them related to the world and the whole humanity. First of all, I think everyone’s dream, as well as mine, is peace. We live in such times that we are sorely lacking it. Our country has always gone through many things because of enemies, but it has resisted and is still alive today. And I am sorry to say, but we have reached the point where there is little hope that we will be. And the world is silent… From here I can start my other dream, people… attitude, love… I only dream that people are united, not jealous and evil. I want people to always love each other, understanding that there is a person like us in front of each of us. People have become so evil, they don’t look anywhere but themselves, just like the world is silent today seeing what is happening today. Instead of allies, only enemies are added. I can hardly express my thoughts, because in our world even going crazy is normal…
In a nutshell, wine tourism is a type of food tourism aimed at getting to know and appreciate the universe of wine. The routes and tours are focused on a single objective: get to know regions dedicated to wine production and taste their wines.
This type of food trip is designed for people looking to delve into the history, traditions, and culture of wine. Tourists can participate in wine tastings, take guided tours through the wineries and vineyards, visit museums…
Visiting wine-producing regions is an authentic way to discover a country’s rural and inland destinations. Wineries open doors for people to immerse themselves in regional culture and learn more about wine and biodiversity and how the locals relate to their traditions and history.
Wine tourism also acts as a lever for the local economy, with the increase in tourism offers, small towns in the interior gain new business and job creation possibilities. The presence of travelers throughout the year is a guarantee of sustenance for the community and local entrepreneurs.
Who is wine tourism for?
Wine tourism is democratic and appeals to all kinds of tourists: from sommeliers to laymen on the subject. To travel to a wine-producing region, you don’t need to be an expert. Just bring your curiosity about their traditions and enjoy the aromas and flavors of the beverage. So, what type of wine tourist are you?
For wine lovers and experts, this type of trip is a full plate. It is the opportunity to immerse yourself (even more) in the wine universe and make the most of each experience. You can set up entire itineraries focused on tastings and visits to wineries, with the possibility of private tours and nice chats with the estates’ owners, winemakers, and agronomists.
Those interested in wine and gastronomy also take advantage (and a lot!) of wine tourism routes. It’s a chance to explore a destination through its flavors and find hidden gems. Even if the wine is not the main focus of your whole trip, you will learn a lot about the region’s interiors, their way of living, and the best part, return home with good labels in your luggage.
For the more curious and adventurous tourists, wine tours enhance your itinerary with different and unique experiences. Even if you are not a connoisseur of the world of wine, it is worth setting aside a few days to visit wineries, stroll through vineyards, learn about food pairing, and, who knows, discover a new hobby.
There are many ways to explore and discover a wine-producing region. Some experiences, such as tasting sessions and visits to wineries, are classic and almost mandatory. But the possibilities go much further. Investing in exclusive and customized tours is an interesting way to get to know all the stages of wine production, from planting the grapes to selling the wine. These wine tourism experiences can include:
Guided tours at wineries and wine cellars
These are part of the basics of any trip to a wine-producing region. Getting to know up close how a winery works is the first step to diving into this universe. The vast majority of properties offer guided tours in their facilities, where an instructor leads the tourists and explains the production step by step, from planting to bottling and telling the backstage of the wine world.
Wine Museums
Some regions have specific places to share the history of their wine production. Expect to find permanent and/or itinerant exhibitions that tell more about the traditions and production methods.
Immersive experiences
During the grape harvest season (vintage), some estates offer tourists the chance to participate in and revive old traditions. Travelers can get their hands dirty, dance to regional music, tread the grape, and pick fruit from the vineyard.
Tasting sessions
This is the opportunity to effectively taste local wines. In sequential steps, different labels are served in small quantities. In some cases, tastings are already included in the guided tours.
Grape festivals
These are events in celebration of the wine culture. In most cases, they offer programs that include musical performances, workshops, and label sales. Before boarding, it is a good idea to check the local festivities calendar.
Workshops and courses
Some wineries offer classes on terroir, cultivation, and harmonization for those who want to go even deeper into the world of wine. Usually, it is necessary to plan and register in advance to participate.
Gastronomic experiences
In some wineries, you don’t need to leave the property to have a complete gastronomic experience. Before scheduling your visit, check the possibility to sample tasting menus, do picnics, or participate in cooking classes – all harmonized with house labels, of course.
Some destinations have prepared themselves to receive tourists interested in knowing more about the universe of viticulture. For this, they organize the so-called “Wine Routes.” The Wine Routes are defined routes in which visitors can visit wineries, vineyards, restaurants, and historical sites – all within a specific region to promote immersion in the world of wine. Countries like Italy, France, Portugal, South Africa, and Chile are a reference in receiving this type of visitor.
In the “Old World,” which is in European wine-producing countries, tourists have the opportunity to learn more about the history of wine, ancient traditions, and production methods. All passed down from generation to generation over many years with great prominence in the terroir and microregions.
In the “New World,” however, in non-European countries, cultivation is more recent, and so is its history. Many regions of the New World were introduced to the cultivation of wine mostly by Europeans, which is another reason for calling them the ‘New World.’ In these regions, the type of grapes used in production, the focus on technology, and more flexible winemaking practices stand out. This does not mean that Old World countries do not work with cutting-edge techniques, nor does it mean that traditional and artisanal methods are absent in New World countries.
Some of the most famous wine routes in the world are:
Bordeaux and Champagne, France
Rioja, Spain
Douro and Alentejo, Portugal
Tuscany and Piedmont, Italy
Eger, Hungary
Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Rheinhessen and Pfalz, Germany
Kakheti, Georgia
Santorini, Greece
Mendoza and Salta, Argentina
Yarra and Barrosa, Australia
Casablanca, Colchagua and Maipo, Chile
Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, South Africa
Napa Valley, United States
Vinhedos Valley, Gaúcha Mountain Range, Brazil
Also read: The best regions for wine tourism in the world
