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Befana La Festa dell'Epifania
Befana La Festa dell'Epifania
(Epiphany - the 12th Night of Christmas) 6 January 2013.
This festival is almost more popular among Italian children than
Christmas itself. La Befana is a character in Italian folklore, similar to Santa
Claus, who visits all the children of Italy on the eve of 6 January to fill their socks with
sweets if they are good or a lump of coal if they are bad. The family typically leaves a small glass of wine and a plate with a few
local specialities for Befana. During the day, many children dress up as
Befana and visit the neighbourhood in the hope of receiving a small gift
of money or sweets. Some of the costumes are astonishingly good and
should be suitably rewarded. A popular market, the Fiera della Befana, takes place each year between Christmas and the
Epiphany in Piazza Navona in the centre of Rome, where toys, sugar charcoal and candies are sold for the Roman children.
In the areas north of Lucca, groups of singers still go door to door
singing
befanate.
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Carnevale, Viareggio
Viareggio Carnevale (Carnival) was first held in 1873 and is now one of the most famous pre-Lent
carnivals in the world. It is held in February (3, 10, 12, 17, 24
February in 2013) and features huge paper-maché floats and models that parade along the
"viali a mare", the sea promenades of Viareggio. "First category" floats
are the biggest at 20 m high, 14 m wide and weighing about 40 tons each.
They each carry as many as 200 costumed participants, plus others inside
to manoeuvre the weights, the counter-weights and levers that will make the
models move. The paper-maché models satirise public and political figures, as well as
representing fairy-tale heroes. There is an extensive programme of related events including a large number of shows
including extremely funny musical comedies in the local dialect, carnival menus available in the restaurants of the area, festivals in the various town
neighbourhoods, as well as numerous masked balls held in the most fashionable discotheques and ballrooms.
There's also a huge programme of sporting events.
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Sagra o Festa delle fritelle, Montefioralle
Montefioralle
Fritelle Festival on the Sunday preceding St Joseph's day (Saturday and Sunday
16 and 17 March 2013).
Frittelle, fried rice cakes, are prepared in a huge cauldron of
oil and the version prepared in Montefioralle is particularly delicious.
The walled village of Montefioralle
itself makes the trip to this little festival worthwhile.
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Easter festivals in Tuscany, Italy
Good Friday 17 March, Easter Monday 1 April 2013
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Florence Scoppio del Carro (explosion of the cart)
is a Florentine Easter Sunday tradition that dates back to the
First Crusade. When the Crusaders conquered Jerusalem on 15 July 1099,
the Florentine Pazzino di Ranieri de' Pazzi was the first to raise a
Christian banner above the city. He was rewarded with three chips of
stone from the Holy Sepulchre which were later used in Florence during
Easter celebrations to light the fire symbolising new life. The fire was
then distributed around the city by a cart, where families would relight
their hearths which were traditionally extinguished on Good Friday. This
tradition is reported as early as 1102. However, the Pazzi family were
stripped of all their wealth and privileges and exiled from Florence
after their aborted attempt to overthrow the Medici in 1478. From that
moment on, the Signoria took over responsibility for the preparation and
celebration of the ritual explosion of the cart. The richly decorated
cart, which dates to the 18 C, is hauled by brightly bedecked white oxen
from Porta al Prato to the cathedral square. A wire is run from the
choir of the cathedral and fixed to the centre of the cart. In the
meantime a procession of clergy leaves the Church of the Santissimi
Apostoli and goes to the Baptistery. At midday, a dove-shaped rocket,
the colombina, is released inside the cathedral. It slides along
the wire, leaving a trail of smoke along the length of the nave. When it
reaches the cart, it sets off a cluster of crackers and then slides back
to its point of departure. After a few moments, hundreds of
multicoloured fireworks positioned on the cart go off with much banging
and whistling. A Catherine Wheel on top lights up and starts spinning,
ending with a loud bang and opening up to form the petals of a lily.
Then four small gonfalons appear, bearing the emblems of Florence, of
the old Pazzi family, of the Wool Merchants’ Guild and currently, as a
sign of peace in the world, of the UN. The cart starts from via Il Prato
at 9 am. At 10 am the procession of clergy starts from the Church of SS.
Apostoli. The explosion of the Cart occurs at 11 am.
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Mercatino delle cose del passato, Greve in Chianti
Greve in Chianti
antiques and collectors fair - this is now one of the better antiques fairs in Tuscany and it occurs
annually on Easter Monday.
Stalls are set up in the main piazza (Piazza Matteotti) and one ot two
adjacent streets. Among the main categories on display are old and reproduction rustic furniture, old tools, farmhouse and vineyard artifacts, ceramics, glassware and cutlery, a very good range of embroidered linen,
very interesting iron work, paintings, postcards, not many books, silver gilt and much else. Along the street off the square, porchetta and other snacks are available, together with plenty of pecorino, dried fruit and sweets.
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Mostra Mercato
dell'Artigianato, Anghiari
Anghiari
Upper
Tiber Artisans Market
(Mostra Mercato dell'Artigianato)
usually the week leading up to the 1 May. A wide range of
hand-made traditional good on sale as well as demonstrations of their
manufacture.
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May Tuscan festivals and events
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Calendimaggio, Assisi
Assisi
(in Umbria, not Tuscany)
Calendimaggio
is a three day costume festival that takes place on the Thursday, Friday and Saturday after 1st of May
in which the upper and lower sectors of Assisi compete against one
another in various ancient games and a choir competition. Daylight and
evening costume processions and other similar entertainment.
NOT TO BE MISSED!
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Balestro del Girifalco, Massa Marittima
Massa Marittima
Balestro del
Girifalco crossbow competition takes place twice a year on the
first Sunday after May 20 and the 2nd Sunday of August.
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Giostra dell'Archidado, Cortona
Cortona Giostra
dell'Archidado
crossbow competition held in late May or early June usually on the Sunday of Pentecost (Whitsunday) but this year
apparently one week later on Sunday 2 June 2013). Every year, a procession of 300 or more people wearing wonderful
mediaeval costumes as well as many riders on their horses parade through Cortona's historic
centre. The competition known as the Giostra dell'Archidado commemorates
the wedding of Francesco Casali, Lord of Cortona, and the noblewoman Antonia Salimbeni of
Sienna, which took place in 1397. The crossbowmen from Cortona's five
quarters, "quintieri", compete for a golden arrow. The contest is held in Piazza
Signorelli.
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Infiorate di Spello
Spello
(in Umbria, not Tuscany)
Infiorate
di Spello
on the Sunday after Corpus Domini
(Corpus Christi, 7 June 2012), the ninth Sunday after Easter (10 June
2012 and the day before, 9 June 2012)
is an unusual act of religious devotion, namely the creation of
elaborate pictures composed using cut up flower petals spread along the
streets of Spello. The entire town is carpeted in flowers and some of
the compositions display remarkable skill. The Infiorate is competitive
and awards are given to the teams in a number of categories. The
tradition of flower petal compositions is relatively recent in Italy.
The famous Corpus Domini flower carpet celebration in Genzano, 30 km
outside Rome, dates from 1778, and the Spello tradition began only in the
1930's but
is now famous. Work is carried on throughout Saturday night. At noon on
Sunday, the bells of the cathedral are rung and the Bishop sets forth to
parade through Spello piazza by piazza.
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Palio della Vittoria 1441, Anghiari
Anghiari
The
Palio of the Victory of 1441
on 29 June and usually the two preceding days. Includes events that
require purchase of a ticket.
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Palio di San Ranieri, Pisa
Pisa
Palio of San Ranieri
on 17 June (the day of St. Ranieri, patron saint of Pisa) - the four districts of
Pisa (San Martino, San Francesco, Sant’Antonio, and Santa Maria) compete
in a boat race, with each boat containing eight oarsmen, on the Arno for
the “paliotto”, the prize. The race is held on the Arno along an upstream stretch of 2 km.
On the night before, the famous Luminara is held in which the
Pisans hang thousands of candles from the buildings along the river. Thousands of locals crowd along the
banks of the Arno to see the fireworks at midnight.
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Arezzo Giostra del
Saracino (Joust of the Saracen)
is held twice a year, a night version in June, and another joust on the first Sunday in
September. In June, there are selection jousts from Saturday 16 June
through Wednesday 20 June, all taking place in the evening. The final
selection occurs on the evening of Thursday 21 June and there is a
dinner on the evening of Friday 22 June. The main tournament takes place
on Saturday 23 June throughout the day and into the evening. Tickets are
required. This tournament has its origins in the early 16 C and commemorates Christian efforts to hold back the tide of Islam in the
14 C. A lively and colourful procession of costumed participants is
followed by the main event in which eight costumed knights charge towards a wooden representation of the Saracen, aiming to hit the Saracen's shield with lances. The
Saracen is mounted on a swivel so that part of the task of the knight
has to avoid being struck back. Each pair of knights represents one of Arezzo's four rival districts and their supporters each occupy a side of the piazza. The winner receives a golden lance.
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Calcio Storico, Firenze
Florence
Calcio
Storico (costume football),
the famous Florentine traditional football that dates from the
Renaissance and takes place on 24 June plus two other days that are chosen on Easter Sunday. All are in early July or June.
Dates for 2012: Sunday 24 June and the other two days yet to be
fixed. Four teams originating from each of the traditional city districts participate in the tournament: Blue for
S. Croce, Green for S. Giovanni, Red for S. Maria Novella, and White for
S. Spirito. All of the players are dressed in mediaeval breeches. There
are 27 players on each team which means that matches can by fairly violent
given the large number of players. Rules are minimal, so that almost anything is allowed to get hold of the ball and score a
'caccia'.
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Palio
dei Rioni, Castiglion Fiorentino
Castiglion Fiorentino Palio
dei Rioni
is
held on the third Sunday of June. It is Roman-style horse race that focuses the competitive skills and the ancient rivalry between the
"Rioni" or districts of Porta Cassero, Porta Fiorentina and Porta
Romana. The event is preceded by an impressive historic-folklore procession which fills the old town centre with
evocations of ancient mediaeval life.
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Ferie delle Messi, Giostra dei Bastoni, San Gimignano
San
Gimignano Ferie delle Messi
and the Giostra dei Bastoni,
the Knights of Santa Fina re-enact the old "Feriae Messium"
tradition on the third Saturday and Sunday of June. These days
were once celebrated by the entire population as a festivity that preceded the harvest,
and it is now a two-day mediaeval-style festival with costumed knights on
horseback, jousts, parades, acrobats, fireworks, musicians, art and
crafts market and plenty of good eats.
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Festa del Barbarossa, San Quirico d'Orcia
San Quirico d’Orcia
Festa del Barbarossa On the
last weekend of June, San Quirico commemorates the meeting here in 1155 between Emperor Frederick the First, Barbarossa, and Pope Adrian IV's papal emissaries. The festival features mediaeval costume parades, flag throwing and archery competitions.
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Gioco del Ponte, Pisa
Pisa
Gioco
del Ponte
(Battle of the Bridge) on the
last Sunday of June when teams from the two banks of the Arno,
Tramontana (north) and Mezzogiorno (south) grapple with one another on
the Mezzo Bridge. The six teams from the two banks challenge each other
to push a 70 ton cart on a 50 meter rail over the opponent’s line.
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Palio, Siena
Sienna
Palio
is a very famous bare-back horse race round the sand-covered Piazza del
Campo that takes place every
2 July and 16 August. The contrade (town neighbourhoods) compete
for the palio ( banner) dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The square is
filled with costumed pageantry before the race and afterwards massive
feasts are set up on long outdoor tables that can stretch for blocks on
the side streets. Tickets for favoured locations provided with seating
are expensive but a good view of the race can also be obtained from the
middle of the piazza where a large crowd stands.
NOT TO BE MISSED!
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Monteriggioni
Festa Medievale (Mediaeval Festival)
takes place on the first and second weekends of July plus the
preceding Fridays: 5-7 and 12-14
July, 2013. This is one of the best
costume festivals in Italy with local and also professional performers,
music, demonstrations of mediaeval trades, food stands filling the
piazza inside the fortified town of Monteriggioni.
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Giostra dell'Orso, Pistoia
Pistoia Giostra
dell'Orso (Joust of the Bear)
takes place after a magnificent procession held on the 25 July in
honour St. James, patron saint of Pistoia. Twelve knights take part in the
Giostra, a
mediaeval jousting tournament. The knights' goal is to hit two stylised bears with their lances to the sound of drum rolls and fanfares. The bear
(orso) is the heraldic
beast of Pistoia and the Giostra is the highlight of the town's "Luglio
Pistoiese" festival.
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Massa Marittima
Balestro del
Girifalco crossbow competition takes place twice a year on the first Sunday after May 20 and the
2nd Sunday of August.
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Festa del Nocciolo, Panzano in Chianti
Panzano in Chianti
Hazel Nut Festival :: Festa del Nocciolo
is a dinner of local dishes served at outdoor tables along the streets of
Panzano. The feast takes place on 14 August, the evening before Ferragosto (Assumption Day) which is the most important holiday in Italy. Of all the days of the year, it is on Feragosto that Italians celebrate with their families.
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Palio, Siena
Sienna
Palio
on 2 July and 16 August. Details above under
'July'.
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Volterra A.D 1398
Volterra
Volterra
A.D 1398
is a mediaeval fair that takes place each year during the last whole
week of August, starting on a Sunday, and is one of the best mediaeval fairs in Italy. A week
of costumes, events, food complete with mediaeval money.
NOT TO BE MISSED!
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Montepulciano
Bravìo delle
Botti (barrel rolling race)
takes place on the last Sunday in August between the eight Contradas
(town neighbourhoods) of Montepulciano competing for a Palio, a painted cloth banner. The barrels weigh 80 kg and have to be rolled uphill about 1800 m along the main street of Montepulciano, finishing in the Piazza Grande. Costume processions precede the competition and a street banquet follows.
The event, which was originally a horse race, dates back to 1373. It was abolished in the 17 C but was revived as a barrel race in 1974.
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Pienza
Pecorino
(sheep's milk cheese) Fair and "Cacio al Fuso" on the
first Sunday in September. Pienza makes among the best pecorino
in Italy and a wide range of excellent cheeses is available to be tasted
and bought during this fair. The Cacio al Fuso is a cheese rolling
competition. Cacio is the original Tuscan word for pecorino and the fuso
or spindle is the target of the game.
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Arezzo Giostra del
Saracino (Joust of the Saracen)
is held twice a year, a night version on the third Saturday in June and the second on the
first Sunday in September. Details above under 'June'.
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Diotto, Scarperia
Scarperia
Renaissance fair and Diotto.
On the
first Sunday in September the inhabitants of Scarperia
in the Mugello
dress in renaissance costume in preparation for the
festival celebrating the founding of Scarperia by the Florentine republic on the 8th
(die-octo) of September 1306.
There are numerous demonstrations of renaissance activities such as a
fletcher at work. The main processions, flag throwing and games take
place on 8 September.
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Ostensione della Sacra Cintola della Madonna,
Prato
Prato Display of the Virgin's Girdle.
The Virgin Mary's belt, given, legend has it, to the Apostle Thomas when she ascended to heaven,
is kept in a magnificent reliquary (Maso di Bartolomeo 1406–1456) housed in the
equally beautiful "Pulpit of the Sacred Girdle" (Donatello and Michelozzo)
on the external façade the Duomo. It is taken out five times a year amid much religious pomp and
mediaeval drum rolling to be shown to the crowds massed on the piazza.
These occasions include 8 September (celebration of the nativity of the Virgin Mary) and December 25 and 26. The story of how the girdle arrived in Prato is
illustrated in the chapel immediately to the left of the entrance of the
Duomo in Agnolo Gaddi's fresco cycle of "The Legend of the Holy Girdle (1392-95)".
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Palio della Balestra, Sansepolcro
Sansepolcro
Palio
della Balestra
crossbow tournament
held every year on the second Sunday of
September when large numbers of citizens dress in mediaeval costume.
This a very ancient competition between the bowmen of Sansepolcro and
Gubbio (nearby in Umbria)
held in honour of Sant'Egidio (Aegidius), founder and Patron
Saint of Sansepolcro.
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Festa della Rificolona, Firenze
Florence Festa
della Rificolona
(Festival of the Lanterns), 7 and 8 September,
is said to be one of Florence's oldest festivals, and has its origins in the most important farmers market of the year, held in the Piazza of SS Annunziata
on the eve of the birth of the Virgin. The farmers and their families would get up very early, put on their Sunday-best and walk to Florence by the light of candles held in tissue-paper lanterns on the end of poles. The sophisticated Florentines would mock the
yokels' attempts at elegance and the children would make their own brightly coloured lanterns and follow along, jeering and whistling.
Today, the night of the 7th sees the children of Florence running through the streets with their rificolone, and there are street parties, theatre and a huge market in the square.
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Lucca
Luminara di Santa Croce
(Festa della Esaltazione della Santa Croce)
13 September
is the principal event of the year in Lucca and part of a series of
festivals during September. It is a devotional procession in which the Volto Santo or
Holy Face, a wooden crucifix figure is carried along the streets of the old town centre from
the Church Saint Frediano to the Cathedral of Saint Martin, illuminated by thousands of small candles.
Afterwards there is the "Mottettone" concert inside the cathedral and fireworks on the banks of the river.
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Festa dell'Uva, Impruneta
Impruneta Festa
dell'Uva (Grape Festival)
- probably the most popular annual event in Impruneta both for natives
and tourists. Over the years it lost some of the original rural
characteristics but its essential popular nature has remained intact.
The most important part of the parade, which usually starts at 3.30 pm,
consists of allegorical carts built by the four districts of Impruneta:
Fornaci, Pallò, Sant’Antonio and Sante Marie. During the day of the
festival, popular dances, performances, tasting of agricultural products
and shows of the local handicraft products are held. The "festa
dell’uva" is held on
last Sunday of September.
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Rassegna del Chianti Classico, Greve in Chianti
Greve in Chianti
Chianti
Classico Wine Festival (Rassegna del Chianti Classico),
this is a show case for Chianti Classico wines that takes place in
Piazza Matteotti in Greve in Chianti on the second weekend of September and the preceding
Thursday and Friday (6 - 9 September 2012). You buy a glass and are then free to try any wine offered at
the many stands.
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Vino al Vino, Panzano in Chianti
Panzano in Chianti
Vino
al Vino
Chianti wine festival is held on the third weekend in September and
the two preceding days (13 - 16 September 2012) in the main
square of Panzano. Wine from many of the Panzano wineries is available to be sampled.
This is a smaller and more informal event than the Greve wine festival
in preceding week.
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Festa dell 'Uva, Borgo di Vagliagli
Castelnuovo
Berardenga Wine
Festival held
during the last week of September in the village of Vagliagli and with numerous booths for tasting and
buying the typical products of this part of Siennese territory, with special attention
to the excellent Chianti wine of the area. The parade of allegorical carriages
derives its theme from the countryside and the life of the farmers, and
is accompanied by local men and women in traditional costumes.
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La Fiera di San Luca, Impruneta
Impruneta
Fair
of Saint Luke is one of the oldest surviving live stock fairs in Europe.
It is held in the week in which the feast of St Luke occurs (18
October). This fair combines farming and folk culture with
religion. Every day there are a great many stalls. Tuesday is dedicated to agriculture with a horse and cattle fair, saddlery, farm machinery and so on. Wednesday offers a donkey race and other games to amuse the
local children and Thursday is marked by the horse races and the closing firework display.
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Sagra del Tordo, Montalcino
Montalcino feast
of the thrush (Sagra del Tordo)
on the last weekend of October. This event is quite spectacular,
with drum parades and archery trials on Saturday, and a popular feast
held inside the walls of the castle all day Sunday, with very good food
and wine purchasable by the glass. On Sunday morning there is a
parade in mediaeval costume, a festive lunch (by invitation only) and
then the main archery contest takes place in the afternoon after another
costume procession. Two archers from each of the four quarters of
Montalcino compete. It's advisable to arrive very early for these
feast days, if you are not staying inside Montalcino itself, because
parking rapidly vanishes and visitors walk several km uphill from where
they are obliged to leave their vehicles.
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Castagne e vino in piazza, Radicondoli
Radicondoli
festa
of roasted chestnuts and wine
in late October or early November. This event is included here
not because it is famous, of historical interest or in any way
sophisticated, but as an example of the innumerable enjoyable occasions
that present themselves all over Tuscany when the local people get
together for some fun. Radicondoli is well off the beaten path for
tourists but well worth a visit to enjoy authentic Tuscan life. It is
located south west of Siena on the border of the Maremma.
This particular festa includes free-style noise-making by the Radicondoli brass
band (but, hey! The idea is for everyone to have fun, right?), roasted chestnuts,
porchetta and other hearty fare plus plentiful
supplies of wine. If you have the opportunity to participate in a fair
like this, don't miss it.
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Sagra del Fungo e della Castagna, Vivo d'Orcia
Vivo
d'Orcia (a small village near Castiglione d'Orcia) Sagra
del Fungo e della Castagna (Mushroom and chestnut festival) on
the second and third weekends of October. The town
divides into two parts for the Palio del Boscaiolo in which the
teams, using antique saws, have to cut logs into stools and tables,
where they then eat a polenta dish that the rest of the team has
prepared in the meantime (yes, these are grown-up people - well what the
hell, everyone has a good time). There is a nature walk where mushroom species are explained, but the main attraction is the range of
local porcini mushroom dishes available, and the sale of porcini and chestnuts.
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La Sagra del Tartufo Bianco, San Miniato
San Miniato La Sagra del Tartufo Bianco
(White Truffle Fair)
takes place during the last three weekends in November, with a
large offering of truffles plus truffle-derived products, wine,
pecorino, salami, olive oil, grappa etc. This territory produces 25% of
Italy's white truffles and while expensive the prices here are as good
as you can get and the truffles are fresh. Truffles don't retain their
aroma for more than 2-3 days so you can have truffle dishes in the
restaurants and booths here in San Miniato or take a few home for
immediate consumption. There are smaller truffle festivals during
October in nearby Corazzano (first weekend of October) and Balconevisi
(third weekend of October).
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La
Processione della Madonna di Loreto, Anghiari
Anghiari
Procession of the Madonna of Loreto on
10 December starting at 7 pm is an important religious procession for
Anghiari. Tableaux vivants of Old and New testament scenes feature at
various points in the town.
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Le fiaccole di Natale, Abbadia San Salvatore
Abbadia San Salvatore
Le fiaccole di Natale
is a bonfire festival of great antiquity held during
the night of 24 December.
The origins of this festival are obscure but it undoubtedly reflects the
central role of the chestnut forests that still blanket the lower
reaches of Monte
Amiata
and that have sustained the small villages for
centuries. Includes a torch procession and festivities throughout the
night. Festivals involving similarly constructed bonfires, known
as Natalecci,
are held in the Garfagnana area of northern Tuscany.
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Ostensione della Sacra Cintola della Madonna,
Prato
Prato Display of the Virgin's Girdle
on 8 September and 25 and 26 December.
Details above under
'September'.
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