I will be traveling in Italy, mainly Rome, and was wondering if anyone knows where I can purchase Befana items?
Posted by
roswell, ga, usa
1501 posts
Send either Roberto or Quirite a private message. They are locals and they know EVERYTHING!
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16243 posts
When? La Befana flies on a broom on the night of every January 5/6 (day of the Epifany).
It's a seasonal flight, therefore you won't find much outside of the period before and during the Christmas holidays.
Outside of that period is like looking for a "Spirit of Halloween" store outside of the September/October time period.
Posted by
Firenze
500 posts
The traditional Befana item is a big sock, full of candies, given to children that were well behaved during the past year. If the child was not so well behaved, (s)he should get a sock full of coal, so there is also a market of fake coal made out of sugar at the beginning of January.
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA
7737 posts
It looks to me as if sometimes it's Befana and other times it's La Befana:
https://bibliostatuario.wordpress.com/2013/01/05/befana-co-via-polia-6-01-2013-ore-16/
I wonder if there might be regional differences?
Posted by
Cesena, Italy
791 posts
The only area I noticed Befana stuff outside of the holiday season was up north in the Dolomites. We were in Castelrotto around the March/April time frame and saw quite a bit of it around still along with items in shops. Was never actually looking for it when I went to other areas so may have missed it but never did notice anything unless it was the season.