Spring is coming and the 44th Verbania and Cannero Camellia National Exhibition invites you to have a vacation on the Lago Maggiore in order to discover the most ancient as well as the newest species of this beautiful flowering plant.

Superba (white flower), Tramonto (pink flower), Charles Cobb (red flower) are only some of the over 200 species presented at Villa Giulia in Verbania and at the Sala Arch. Pietro Carmine in Cannero Riviera. This year we will celebrate two important Camellia - related characters: Marguerite Gautier, the main character of A. Dumas' novel "Camille" (1848) and Violetta Valery, the young courtesan of "La Traviata" (1853), an opera by Giuseppe Verdi.

The exhibition in Verbania (Villa Giulia, Corso Zanitello 10) presents the astonishing images from "La Traviata, di quell'amor ch'e palpito" taken by the well- known and world-famous italian photographer Graziella Vigo, which follow the exciting show created by Ursel and Karl- Ernst Hermann and directed by Yuri Temirkanov.

In Cannero Riviera the costume - dressed characters of Marguerite and Violetta will welcome visitors in a nineteenth - century set. There are several activities that are taking place in Verbania on the 20th and the 21st of March 2010. You can't miss the "shopping- exhibition" of Camellias under the portico of Verbania's town hall and the book- shop section about flowers. Moreover you can taste the tea extracted from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis, and your kids can join the gardening workshop. In the same period there are other several events and free - time activities taking place in the Sala Arch. Pietro Carmine in Cannero Riviera (Lido area): for instance, you can buy some Camellia plants at the Camellia shop, you can have a small cruise around the Cannero Castles and you can attend various opera singers' perfomances. Free guided - tours will take you to visit the most beautiful Camellia private collections.

Opening- hours

Exhibition in Verbania: Saturday March 20th from 10.30 a.m. to 7.00 p.m. Sunday March 21st from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Exhibition in Cannero Riviera: Saturday March 20th from 11.30 a.m. to 7.00 p.m. Sunday March 21st 10 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Check the full event schedule on the web-site: Camelie in mostra
Info: Comune di Verbania Ufficio Turismo Tel. 0323 503249 Pro Loco Cannero Riviera Tel. 0323 788943