Mascot of the EMG in Lignano Sabbiadoro from 10th to 20th September

Feverish preparations are under way in Lignano Sabbiadoro for the European Masters Games, which take place from 10th to 20th of September.

For the first time in Italy take place the European games for all “master”, or “senior”, or “veteran” athletes, that is for all sport lovers which are from 30/35 years old onwards. In fact, there is not an upper age limit, except for some sports. Participants may be former world or Olympic champions, national teams or athletes of clubs. But all must be members and the rules are established by the International Sports Federations.

So it is a real European Championship for those who still want to compete in his favourite sport, but it is off the “traditional” competitions due to the age.

European Masters Games will take place this year in the beautiful setting of the beach of Lignano, became a magnet for all sports thanks to the popularity received with EYOF (European Youth Olympic Festival), which took place in 2005.

On this occasion Lignano could show its sporting facilities, renewed and built for the festival: the town sports hall with a volleyball/basketball court and a five-a-side court, the sport complex with football courts (grass and synthetic) and the athletics track, a new sports hall immersed in the greenery and the brand new indoor swimming pool, pride of the Friulian beach. All these sporting facilities will be used also this September to host the different disciplines and, as for EYOF, in the hospitality will also involved the sporting facilities of other Friulian towns, from nearby Latisana to Udine, from Trieste to Grado, going through Gorizia, Campoformido up to Fagagna.

In early September Lignano will welcome thousands of people from all over Europe, including athletes, teachers and spectators. Already the committee has reached nearly 2000 athletes and there are still 20 days for the registration to the 21 different disciplines of this year. The deadline is in fact the 31st of July.

The highest number of members is in athletics for the moment, but there will be certainly last minute surprise. There also many members to Paralympic sports, that have been included in the program of European Masters Games in Lignano Sabbiadoro.

In addition to the numbers of participants and disciplines, also leaked rumours about the opening ceremony, which will take place on 11th September. It is said that it will be an innovative ceremony, realized exclusively by local to highlight the entire Friuli Venezia Giulia region.

In fact, these games will be an important showcase not only for the beach of Lignano Sabbiadoro, but for the entire region, even more committed to host major national and international sporting events, from the sea to the mountain.

During the opening ceremony there will be also a very special moment to remember the victims of the victims of the attack on the Twin Towers in New York, of which that day makes the tenth anniversary. It will be a very touching and significant moment, where sport will attest its proximity to the victims of this tragedy, but also it will continue its core values of “sport for life” and moment of union and fair contest between people of different countries.

With these games, the beach of Lignano Sabbiadoro is even more sports city, becoming an important point of reference in Europe not only for its natural beauty, but also for the sporting and accommodation facilities and for the good welcome all guests.

Hip hop music on the beach of Lignano the 4th of June

The beach of Kursaal Club in Lignano Riviera offers this year the first event dedicated only to hip hop music and culture: the “Hip Hop TV Beach Party”, Saturday 4th of June 2011.

this festival will be have as protagonists some among the best names of the Italian hip hop music in this moment, with already known artists and upcoming singers, which are as fighting as ever. From 6 pm of Saturday 4th of June, on the beach of Lignano Riviera in front of Kursaal discotheque will follow the Carnicats from Udine and Emis Killa from Milan, to give way to two hip hop artists like Dargen D’Amico and the Two Fingerz. But there will be the adrenaline performances of Marracash and Club Dogo to inflame the sand and the young people of Hip Hop TV Beach Party. These artists are among the major exponents of Italian hip hop and they conquered public with their biting music without frills.

Successful albums with national and international collaboration are decreeing the success and, thanks their style, it seems that the hip hop music is coming back in Italy with more and more positive feedback.

And this intense one-day-festival on the beach of Lignano will be a moment not to miss for all hip hop music lovers, but also for all people interested in the evolution of Italian music.

With this new event Kursaal Club opens the season of live festival on the beach of Lignano, whose most important is sure the “Lignano Dance and Festival”, which takes from 2008 artists like Bob Sinclar, Fatboy Slim, Steve Aoki, Crookers and many more. This festival is become a reference point for the lovers of dance, electro and house music, able to draws thousand of people from all Italy and neighbour states Austria, Croatia and Slovenian.

Kursaal wants to reach the same goal with “Hip Hop TV Beach Party”, that is to succeed in create a big hip hop event with national and international artists, promoting together also new talent, in a couple of years.

In addition this event takes a great novelty regarding the cost of tickets: ticket costs less in advance sale compared to the week before the concert.
This choice wants to reward all fans that bought immediately the ticket, but it was also a shared choice from all involved parts to draw up young people to concerts.

Don’t miss the first “Hip Hop TV Beach Party” Saturday 4th of June, an event that will inflame the entire beach of Lignano and that opens officially the music and dance season on the golden beach.

Easter in Lignano was a very success: thousand of people took advantage of the holiday and of the nice sunny days for a walk in Sabbiadoro city centre, on the beach and also in Hemingway Park in Lignano Pineta on the occasion of the festival “Lignano in Fiore”.

Accommodation facilities recorded an high number of guests, some of them decided to stay in Lignano at last moment, to enjoy the beauty of the seaside resort in this holiday weekend. And thanks to these nice days, agencies of Lignano receive many reservations both for high season periods and for the months before and after the summer. A recent search about the reservations in the early months of the year, showed an interesting growth of bookings from foreigners in the agencies in Lignano, in spite of the small period.

Foreign tourists interesting in Lignano are,  Austrians and Germans, which, thanks to road and air connections, can reach quickly and easily the beach on the upper Adriatic coast and, thanks to the websites, can reserve in advance their holiday also from home. A very important data concerns also the typology of reservations, made online on tourist portals and websites of agencies for almost 80%.

Especially foreign tourists use the online booking for apartments and hotels in Lignano, while Italian tourists still reluctant. Austrians and Germans prefer to plan their holidays in Lignano in advance, choosing the apartment that better satisfies their wishes. In fact, apartments in Lignano Sabbiadoro are almost all reserved for the hottest months, but also for May there are good opportunities, in spite of this year important feasts like Ascension and Pentecost are both in June.

Special offers to spend holidays in Lignano in a nice month like May, where climate is mild, services are active and the seaside resort is not yet overcrowded, prompt many tourists, both Italian and foreigner, to spend some day on the beach in a comfortable apartment in Lignano. Agency Teghil let at disposal different special offers for the month of May concerning discounts on period of stay in its residences in Lignano Sabbiadoro. An apartment or a villa sea front in Lignano at reduced price is an opportunity not to miss also in May: hot weekends, where you can stay on the beach getting a tan or make excursions by bike in the city and surroundings.

All the offers of the agency are on the web site and for further information you have only to contact the team, that will answer to all your questions, searching the best accommodation in its apartments in Lignano Sabbiadoro near the beach, in city centre or in the quiet and exclusive area of the lagoon.

The 4th exhibition of boats in Lignano Pineta

For the fourth year comes again in Lignano Pineta in Piazza Marcello D’Olivo the nautical kermess Barcamania.

This year the outdoor boat show will take place at the end of March, instead at the end of February, more exactly in the weekends of 25th, 26th and 27th of March and 1st, 2nd and 3rd of April. The chose to postpone the event concerns solely the chace to enjoy of a better climate, more mild, and so to draw in the seaside resort, in a period far from the bathing season, hundresd visitors.

The fourth Barcamania has been presented by Danila Ciotta, president of Ente Fiere Lignano, the 8th of March in Udine in Palazzo Belgrado and it has focused the attention not only on the sea and its satellite industries, but also on the several waterways in the region Friuli Venezia Giulia. In the region there are 800 km of navigable rivers, that must be reappraised and developed first of all from the naturalistic point of view and then economic.

Rivers like Stella and Tagliamento offer a wonderful naturalistic treasure: fauna and flora which change every few meters, with the chance to discover it by boat. Concerning the river Stella, its mouth has a very important naturalistic interest and for this reason it is a Regional Natural Park with the name “Foci dello Stella” (Mouths of the Stella). The river Tagliamento is a feature of Lignano, because its mouth marks out the western border of the seaside resort and offers the beautiful marina Marina Uno in Lignano Riviera.

The topic of the regional rivers and their revitalization from the economic point of view will be discussed in a meeting Saturday 26th of March at 10 am to the Geo Palapineta: a building in the middle of the pine wood of Parco del Mare that will house also other meetings about sailing. The exhibition will be installed on the large Piazza Marcello D’Olivo, that faces the beach, and along all the promenade of Lignano Pineta.

These two places allow the exhibition of large boats, because there aren’t problems of weight and room for the transport. For the first time, this year there will be also exhibitors coming from outside region, that is Veneto, Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna and Sicily, while as ever, will be involved the entire city of Lignano Sabbiadoro: authorities, sports clubs and cultural associations, dealers, hoteliers and especially mass media. They will be very important, because they will give emphasis to the event and together they will promote the beach of Lignano Sabbiadoro in a “dead” period.

One fof the aims of this boat show organized by Ente Fiere Lignano is also to create an event that can draw people in the seaside resort before and after the summer season, trying to extend the season or create moments of activities out of the summer. This idea has proved successful, because the events like Barcamania and Ruotamania (in spring and autumn) draw many visitors, which wish to spend the days on the beach, enjoying an interesting and good quality exhibition.

The opening of Barcamania will be in Piazza Marcello D’Olivo in Lignano Pineta Saturday 26th of March at 12 am.

Fish dishes from Adriatic Sea for the Mollusc Festival in Lignano

We are now close to the usual Mollusc Festival that marks the beginning of the events in Lignano Sabbiadoro.

For the inhabitants of the city it is the first event after the long winter in which they can meet each other and spend two beautiful weekends outdoors, with the opportunity to taste sea specialities, cooked by old culinary traditions.

As every year, also this 27th Festival will take place in Lignano Pineta, Marcello D’Olivo Square, during the first two weekends of March. The large tents for the kitchens will be open Saturday 5th, Sunday 6th and Saturday 12th, Sunday 13th March and they will offer to many visitors a great variety of fish dishes, like long molluscs, clams, grilled or breaded sardines, baked sardines with onions (the famous “sarde in saor”) and squids, with good wines.

The Mollusc Festival collects every year thousand of visitors that come in Lignano for the first time after the winter season and it serves as promotion of the city in a period in which beach, hotels and agencies start to collect reservations for the summer season. Between a dish of clams and another of sardines and thanks to the good weather, many tourists stroll after on the beach in Lignano and think actually to the summer holiday, asking for information to hotels and agencies of the city. Also for the inhabitants of Lignano marks the festival the awakening and the preparation to the summer season. Especially when days are warmed by the sun, the large turnout is ensured.
The success of the events is ensured by the very good fish quality and that is clearly visible from long lines of people waiting to order and to find out a seat at the tables. Sometimes there are waits, but it’s worth and with a little bit of patience, chefs serve always everyone. It must be said that in addition to eat and enjoy the city of Lignano, the event allows also to do good.

The Fishermen Association “Al Mare”, that organize every year with the help of City of Lignano Sabbiadoro and volunteers the Mollusc Festival, donates the money raised in the two weekends for charity. In the years, the festival helped many associations like AGMEN, “Via di Natale” which helps cancer patients, the Organ Transplant Medical Centre, Children in Emergency that is children affected by cancer and especially many private situations in the territory, of which may not always be aware.

The Mollusc Festival has a triple role for the city of Lignano and for tourists: first of all it introduces the great fish variety of Northern Adriatic Sea, then promote the beach of Lignano for the summer season and finally, it raises funds for charity or non-profit organizations.

Don’t miss this 27th Mollusc Festival: it waits for you in Lignano Pineta during the weekends 5th – 6th and 12th – 13th of March.

In Lignano Sabbiadoro for the first time the Dog Olympic Games

In Lignano Sabbiadoro from 15th to 17th October took place for the first time the Olympics for dogs.
After a lot of meetings, championships and contests both in the seaside resort and in the many other Italian and foreign cities, has been created the first Olympic Games for dogs, that brought together all the major disciplines.

For the first time, in a single event, has been present all dog sports: agility, obedience, rally obedience, disc dog, fly ball, mobility dog, retriever, diving, swimming, dog dance and other tests. Up to now the matches for these disciplines were divided and both participants and spectators had not the chance to take part in the same place and especially inside the same event in disciplines in water and on land. Like any competition, also here were awarded gold, silver and bronze medals, medals also for 4th and 5th place and money prizes. In addition, a special prize for the best “Young handler” and a draw for all participants and spectators of some travel.

This event had a great success and it drew many participants, which spent in Lignano a challenging but amusing weekend with their four-legged friends. Suffice it to say that as many as 16 European nations attended the event with 1600 registered dogs and over 2000 trainers. Different dog disciplines are more and more popular not only by the fans of competitions, but also by the several owners that want to play and interact with their dog.

The committee decided to make the D.O.G. (Dog Olympic Games) every two years, with the chance to insert new disciplines, but in particular with the aim to promote the proper relationship between man and dog in every aspect. The Olympic Games of Lignano Sabbiadoro, in fact, were very popular also for the programme made of meetings. Veterinary conference, seminars, workshops, presentations of products by the sponsor of the event, all is useful to promote a positive approach with the dog and to live a fantastic relationship.

Of course, dogs and their trainer were accommodated in facilities that allowed them to move together in every corner, without prohibitions. A dream for many trainers and a joy for their furry four-legged friends who could stay with them at all times of the day. Not to mention the many walks along the streets of Lignano and the games especially on the beach: those who walked without a dog in the city during that weekend was in the minority.
After the bathing season, these dogs had the chance to enjoy the spaces of Lignano, its beach, large streets, cycle paths in peace with their owners.

In few days the bathing season in Lignano Sabbiadoro ends permanently.

The official closing was been September, Sunday 19th, but different beach offices decided to stay open until the end of September to offer tourists beach umbrellas, deck-chairs and all services. This act was greatly appreciated by hotels and agencies of Lignano open until the end of the month, that has been able to offer their guests the same beach service also after the official closing of the bathing season. The beach service was available for all tourists, not only those who stayed in apartments in Lignano Sabbiadoro, but even commuters, that enjoyed free the last sunny days. In fact, until the end of September, beach umbrellas and deck-chairs were free for all.

During these last days, Lignano enjoyed a good weather with a beautiful sun that allowed also some hours of tanning. The good weather allowed also excursions by bike and strolls along the pedestrian zone, although during the week there are very few tourists: schools have started and the holiday from the offices has ended. It is possible to see some foreign tourists, mostly Austrians, who enjoy the last warm days in Lignano. On weekends there would be surely many more people in the seaside resort, both commuters and holidaymakers, but unfortunately the rain and then the wind discouraged a lot of people. It is not uncommon see the centre of Lignano Sabbiadoro and the beach flooded with tourists during sunny and warm weekends of the autumn months.

And to best prepare for the upcoming summer season, the city is already thinking to events, where sports, music and shows on the sand will be again the protagonists of the summer. Sure there will be the traditional show with Frecce Tricolori (Tricolour Arrows) and the fireworks the 15th August in Sabbiadoro and the Incendio del Mare (Burning See) in Pineta, together with concerts of Italian and international stars. Concerning the sport, in late July and early August is already the confirmation of two triangular football meetings with teams of A league, including Udinese (football team of Udine) and the highlight of the year in early September with Master Game. The Master Olympics will bring thousands of athletes from all nations with their trainers and carers and it will be an event of great international importance.

But before that time, there will be other events and meetings especially in the Beach Arena, that will have a new look this winter like Terrazza a Mare. The two symbols of the beach of Lignano Sabbiadoro, always crowded with people and point of reference for tourists, will be renovated during the winter and the work will start already in autumn.

The season is not yet completely finished , because September from 24th to 26th and October from 1st to 3rd, there will be Ruotamania, show of the wheel from its origins to the present day, in Lignano Pineta.

And who wants to discover Lignano in winter, Christmas and New Year period is the right time: lights, Christmas trees and events to celebrate.
All this waiting for next summer in the beautiful beach of Lignano Sabbiadoro.

Arena Alpe Adria in Lignano Sabbiadoro for Miss Friuli Venezia Giulia 2010

The most beautiful girls of all Region Friuli, from mountain to sea, will model Thursday August 19th in Arena Alpe Adria of Lignano Sabbiadoro from 9.30 p.m. for the regional finals of Miss Italy.

Girls, selected during the previous beauty contests from April to August in many cities of Friuli, will compete in this event the very important band of Miss Friuli Venezia Giulia 2010. Besides this desirable title, in Lignano Sabbiadoro will be delivered other nine bands, that represent the Friuli Venezia Giulia and allow the winners the access to the national stages of 71st Miss Italy.

It is a very important moment. Who will go to Salsomaggiore for Miss Italy, will have the responsibility to represent its Region, not just herself.

This will be the message that Federica Ciriani, Miss Friuli Venezia Giulia 2009 and beauty queen also for few days, will communicate on the stage of Arena Alpe Adria. Thursday evening she will pass the band and the crown of “Most beautiful of Friuli” to one of the girls present on the stage of Lignano Sabbiadoro.

The girls will model before the public and the jury of experts four times: the first time with an elegant dress, the second with a body suit and then with swimwear and casual clothes of prestigious brands. All accompanied by lot of music and excellent performances.

Tourists on holiday in Lignano Sabbiadoro can take advantage from this event to enjoy an evening of beauty and fashion in the fantastic Arena Alpe Adria, in a beautiful and large park next to the Town Hall and few walk steps from the pedestrian zone. An evening that promises excitements and above all that will crown the most beautiful of Friuli Venezia Giulia.

If you want to find out who will be the new beauty queen, don’t miss the appointment with the regional final of Miss Italy, Thursday August 19th from 9.30 p.m. in Arena Alpe Adria in Lignano Sabbiadoro.

Viva Lignano 2010: Air Show with Frecce Tricolori

As every summer the Air Show Viva Lignano is back.

Sunday, August 15th, from 3.00 p.m., tourists lying under the beach umbrellas of the beach of Lignano Sabbiadoro can enjoy the performances of all kinds of planes: historic aircraft, helicopters, civil protection aircraft, up to the long-awaited moment of the show of Frecce Tricolori (Tricolour Arrows).

Actually, the show starts already the day before. During the Saturday afternoon it will be possible to watch the test of Frecce Tricolori in the sky of Lignano, which is chosen by many years as field test during the spring.

The Frecce Tricolori attracts every summer on the beach of Lignano Sabbiadoro a large crowds of people, who is burning to enjoy their spectacular show. The best 10 pilots of Italian Air Force, specialists in aerobatics, perform in evolutions unique in the world. This also because there are no other teams composed by 10 aircraft: 9 pilots plus soloist, who entertains the audience with his crazy evolutions while colleagues meet in formation and get ready for a new choreography.

The tricolour heart, the intersection of the bomb, the diamond tonneaux and the beautiful getting out with a 5 km tricolour have always a great success, as the arrival of the Frecce behind the beach of Lignano. An entrance effect at full speed, a quick greeting to all tourists on the beach and they start with the show.

The best place to enjoy the air show is the beach of Sabbiadoro, because it is the stage of the Frecce Tricolori. Always very crowded is Terrazza a Mare, a very good position to take pictures of the evolutions of aircraft.

Very lucky are the guests of the apartments in Lignano Sabbiadoro of the agency Teghil, that have the chance to go to the beach by foot or bicycle, without take the car in a very chaotic day in terms of traffic. Besides the normal traffic of the Sunday Ferragosto, road system will be strain to the limit by the closure of some roads few hours before the beginning of the show. Indispensable measures for safety reasons.

Guests of the agency Teghil who accommodate in apartments in front of the sea in Lignano Sabbiadoro have no problem: in a few second they reach the beach and enjoy so the entire day. Also people who stay on the top floors of new residences of Sabbiadoro can enjoy a spectacular view and watch the air show Viva Lignano 2010 from a favoured place.

Also this year, for the tenth consecutive summer, Lignano Sabbiadoro confirms itself fashion’s city. The event “Lignano in…Moda” (Fashion Lignano) is starting and it is a very important showcase for companies and shops of the seaside resort, because they can show their articles of clothing and the most trendy accessories for this summer 2010.

The first catwalk is a tribute to the wonderful beach and sea of Lignano because the fashion show will be Sunday, July 4th at 9.30 p.m., at the Beach Village in Sabbiadoro, the entertainment village near Terrazza a Mare. A truly glamorous show thanks to its amazing location on the square of Terrazza a Mare, the symbol par excellence of Lignano Sabbiadoro, directly on the golden sand and just a step from the lights of the city centre. This event is a must for all fashion addicts, but also for those who want to browse the latest news of the summer in Lignano and take inspiration to create their own style.

Models will parade with the new collections of swimwear, accessories, eyewear and bags designed by the leading fashion designers of the moment surrounded by bright and lively lights. Do not miss the moment of wedding dresses’ parade, the romantic touch of the evening.

The same romance that the city of Lignano Sabbiadoro can offer to its tourists. Besides lights and fun of pubs, discos and parks, in Lignano there are charming places to walk hand in hand in peace. In the evening the beach and the promenade are the favoured places for relaxing moments, but also during the day it is possible to find quiet places. Hemingway Park in Lignano Pineta, small streets in Lignano Riviera and the area of the old red lighthouse and the dock in Lignano Sabbiadoro are only some examples.
For those who want to have fun, the city centre of Lignano Sabbiadoro offers cafés, discos, pubs and trendy clubs open until late at night.

The firs catwalk of “Lignano in…Moda” at Beach Village allows all tourists to take part in this glamorous evening and then to continue the tour through the clubs or the stroll on the beach, before returning in the apartments in Lignano Sabbiadoro.

The big caravan of this event will switch the spotlights on again with models, photographers, cameramen, technicians and artists for a second time in Lignano Pineta. Friday, August 6th, is the moment of the second catwalk of “Lignano in…Moda” in Marcello D’Olivo Square. Again sea and golden beach will be backdrop of the catwalk with its twinkling lights, in a large square near the shopping area of Lignano Pineta.

The tenth “Lignano in…Moda” is organized by the agency Modashow with the patronage of  Friuli Venezia Giulia, the City of Lignano Sabbiadoro and Confartigianato Udine.