Feb
12
2013
Feb
12
2013
Mar
04
2014
Mar
04
2014
Come to Italy and Get ready to be Part of the Battle of Oranges
Not yet published by Vanessa Boiser
Country: Italy 
The Experience
Orange is a popular fruit we fondly eat for desserts. But somewhere in the quaint and medieval town of Ivrea in Italy, Oranges are used to throw against each other every month of February. It seems like every festival known in the world has some historic background about people winning the fight against tyrants and the Battle of the Oranges is no exception.
There are many versions to the cause of the. According to the most accepted legend, it says that the carnival dates back in the 12th century when the people of Ivrea rebelled against a tyrant leader. This leader gave him the right to sleep with anyone. He tried to punish a common man and forced his daughter to sleep with him. In turn, the young woman decapitated and chopped off his head. The young woman became the symbol of defiance and the people burned his palace down. After that, the town celebrated their freedom from the tyrant and she became an icon to the fest ever since.
There are many versions to the cause of the. According to the most accepted legend, it says that the carnival dates back in the 12th century when the people of Ivrea rebelled against a tyrant leader. This leader gave him the right to sleep with anyone. He tried to punish a common man and forced his daughter to sleep with him. In turn, the young woman decapitated and chopped off his head. The young woman became the symbol of defiance and the people burned his palace down. After that, the town celebrated their freedom from the tyrant and she became an icon to the fest ever since.
When to Go
The battle has evolved from using beans from throwing and then the oranges. The battles consist of enormous throngs of Ivrean town folks grouped into nine teams. Each team will throw oranges at each other and the team who has lesser damages is most likely to win. Usually, a group of people riding in a carriage will act as the guards of the Tyrant leader and the below people them act as revolutionaries. They “guards” usually signal the battle as they start of throwing the oranges first which makes it more exciting. Tourists who went to see the battle for the first time are usually surprised. You will get the hang of it especially when you see everyone is laughing and having fun. In the end, you will find yourself having the best time of your life too.
The locales usually discourage tourists to be members of the team but if you can charm and convince them, you can go and get enlisted. Be careful though that this fest is true to its name – it is a battle. It requires physical strength and sharp mind. You can watch the battle from rooftops as the locales are more than willing to accommodate you in their houses. Remember that the best time to go here is during February when the festival takes place and it is also an annual event. You have many opportunities to feel the thrill of the battle!
The locales usually discourage tourists to be members of the team but if you can charm and convince them, you can go and get enlisted. Be careful though that this fest is true to its name – it is a battle. It requires physical strength and sharp mind. You can watch the battle from rooftops as the locales are more than willing to accommodate you in their houses. Remember that the best time to go here is during February when the festival takes place and it is also an annual event. You have many opportunities to feel the thrill of the battle!
Odds n' Ends
If you want to experience this entirely unique festival, book a trip from your country to Milan International Airport. Then from there, catch a domestic flight to Turin Airport. When in Turin, catch a bus ride that will take you directly to Ivrea. You can either book your hotel accommodation either in Milan or Turin. If you want to savor more of the modern Italian culture, then a hotel accommodation in Milan is the best for you. If you want the old world Italy, then you can find local inns in Turin. If you want, you can also have it Ivrea. After the fest, you can indulge in some serious Italian sight-seeing.
The festival is a symbolical dramatization of the said rebellion. The streets are festively decorated and scent of oranges fills the Ivrean air. It is a week-long celebration with delicious Italian cuisine usually made of pork, tomatoes and beans pile up on the streets. The battle is the highlight of the fest and a funeral-like procession marks its end. If you enjoy some serious Italian eating and merry-making, then this feast should be on your next vacation trip. Truly, this is an experience of a lifetime but you have to be careful too! You bet that the experience is really energetic and crazy.
The festival is a symbolical dramatization of the said rebellion. The streets are festively decorated and scent of oranges fills the Ivrean air. It is a week-long celebration with delicious Italian cuisine usually made of pork, tomatoes and beans pile up on the streets. The battle is the highlight of the fest and a funeral-like procession marks its end. If you enjoy some serious Italian eating and merry-making, then this feast should be on your next vacation trip. Truly, this is an experience of a lifetime but you have to be careful too! You bet that the experience is really energetic and crazy.
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Language Guides
French 
,
Italian
are some of the languages spoken in Italy. If you know of a freely available phrase book or podcast for one of the missing languages, let us know!
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