John Bensalhia

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John is a freelance journalist who has contributed to various magazines and websites for more than 12 years. Born in London in 1974, he went on to complete an English degree at university and then gained a diploma in Magazine Journalism in 1999. Since then he has written about a wide variety of subjects including ports and harbours, franchising, builders' merchants, tractors, arboriculture, the TV programme Doctor Who, motorcycles, sports, DIY, and of course, Italy! When not writing, his hobbies include travel, films, cooking, gardening, and playing the drums. See more of his work here. 

Articles by John Bensalhia

Thu, 11/30/2023 - 00:00
Ed.: This article was originally published in 2022 and has been updated to reflect 2023 celebrations. It’s that merry time of year again. The customa…
Sat, 04/22/2023 - 10:00
April is a poignant month in Italy, as it brings the national holiday for commemorating the end of both the Italian Civil War and of Nazi occupation d…
Wed, 03/01/2023 - 23:00
March is prime truffle time in much of the Boot. Not only is this top-tier ingredient rich in taste, it affords chefs (and ambitious home cooks) great…
Mon, 02/06/2023 - 14:25
Filled with color, grandeur and a playful sense of derision toward class divisions, Italian carnivals are uniquely celebratory. Most regions have more…
Mon, 01/02/2023 - 15:36
The event and festival circuit in Italy gets off to a quiet start this month, but brings an intriguing mix of classic traditions dovetailed by new ent…
Tue, 11/01/2022 - 13:52
With the recent end of Daylight Savings Time and autumn soon to give way to winter, the transitional month of November brings a diverse range of festi…
Sat, 10/01/2022 - 02:21
This month's collection of events has a competitive edge — from road races right down to a contest celebrating strange varieties of apples. But there'…
Wed, 08/31/2022 - 13:32
September in Italy brings a great variety of events and festivals for the whole family to enjoy. Whether your tastes are for food and cooking, traditi…
Mon, 08/01/2022 - 08:35
The final month of summer will pack a punch, with spirited festivals set to appeal to a range of age groups and interests. Some of these more traditio…
Wed, 06/29/2022 - 09:12
It’s the heart of summer and Italy is celebrating in style with a host of special events. Music will play an important part in July festivals with sou…
Mon, 05/30/2022 - 13:43
Much of this month's list puts an emphasis on communication. Whether through language in song, poetry or show, June's festival line-up seeks to educat…
Wed, 04/27/2022 - 02:44
It's the last month of Spring, and Italy is in full bloom with its list of events – funnily enough, some of those horticultural happenings are mention…
Wed, 03/30/2022 - 03:09
Spring comes to Italy events with a whammy of great festivals and shows, many marking this sunny season. Get some ideas for outdoor eating, take a loo…
Thu, 02/24/2022 - 01:57
John Bensalhia gets a Spring in his step with some great events this March... After last month's carnival special, things get back to normal with a v…
Thu, 02/10/2022 - 10:07
John Bensalhia looks ahead to 2022's Italian-based music, movies and TV... (Please note that dates are subject to change) Table of Contents ALBUMS…
Thu, 01/27/2022 - 06:33
This is a special time of year, as the traditional carnival season gets in full swing. So making a change from the usual pattern are some carnival-the…
Thu, 01/13/2022 - 01:28
John Bensalhia looks at some notable examples of televised animated cartoons either produced or co-produced in Italy. Kids (and maybe the odd grown-u…
Mon, 12/27/2021 - 09:59
2022 is here, and with it, brings a number of happenings, some traditional, some seasonal – but all that can be enjoyed by the family, either as spect…
Tue, 11/30/2021 - 01:47
Christmas is upon us again, and so this month's pick of events has a decidedly festive flavour to it. Get some inspiration for the 25th December with…
Wed, 10/27/2021 - 09:08
Christmas is on the horizon as John Bensalhia takes a look at November's events. With science, books and classic food specialties in the mix, the big…