Travel Italy: Vacation Packages, Tips, Tours of Italy

Venice hosts its “Regata Storica” — the Historic Regatta — the first Sunday of September.
It’s the major event included in the Venice’s “Voga alla Veneta” rowing calendar drawing thousands of spectators to to the banks of Canal Grande.

A spectacular historical water pageant precedes the race with 16th century-style boats — driven by gondoliers wearing historic costume — carrying the Doge, the Doge’s wife and all the highest ranking Venetian officials up the Grand Canal in a brightly coloured parade.

The Regata Storica dates back centuries, probably as far back as the mid thirteenth century.
Today the regatta consists of four separate competitions of which the most enthralling is the “Campioni su Gondolini” race.

When: Sep 5, 2010 (annual)
Where: Venice (Canal Grande)
Programme and details of “Regata Storica” are avalaible at http://www.regatastoricavenezia.it .

The city of Arezzo, Tuscany (70km from Siena, 70km from Florence), hosts a medieval festival the first Sunday of September.

The festival, “the Giostra del Saracino” — “Jousting of the Saracens”, offers medieval costumes parades and a jousting tournament with contestants on battle horses competing in the historic Piazza Giorgio Vasari for the prize of the Golden Lance.
The historical origins of this festival date back as far as to1260 when a jousting display was held to honour the knighting of Hildebrand Giratasca.

The city of Arezzo, around one hour by train from Florence, is also well-known as one of the most renowned centers in the world for jewelry making.

When: Sep 5, 2010 (two annual editions: third Sunday of June, first Sunday of September);
where: Arezzo (Tuscany)
For details and programme, visit the festival website: www.lagiostradelsaracino.it .

The hill-top town of Montepulciano, in the surroundings of Siena, Tuscany, hosts the “Bravio delle Botti” Festival last week of August.
The climax of the festival is the barrel rolling contest with contenders — eight neighbourhood teams — rolling empty wine barrels through the narrow streets of the town.

The origin of Bravio delle Botti dates back to the 17th century. It is a historic festival offering a week of ceremonies, shows and tastings of local specialties.

Also, as Montepulciano is located in a major wine-growing zone, it offers the opportunity to sample the excellent wines this area of Tuscany produces.

When: August 21 - 29, 2010 (annual);
where: Montepulciano (Tuscany)
Here you have the festival programme.

The Medieval and Renaissance town of Urbino hosts the annual historic festival “Festa del Duca” — Duke’s Festival — from August 13 through 15.
The festival offers visitors a chance to discover the rich cultural and artistic heritage of one of the best preserved and most appreciated historic towns in Italy.
Dancers, musicians, artists and artisans fill the streets during the Festival days creating a cheerful, yet surreal atmosphere.

Visitors can enjoy theatrical performances, musical concerts, local crafts exhibitions and food tastings with food prepared from authentic Renaissance recipes.
(Find out festival details and programme at http://www.urbino-rievocazionistoriche.it/ ).

Urbino is short drive to another tourist attraction, the Republic of San Marino, as well as to the major sea resorts located on the Adriatic Coast of Marches and Romagna. That offers a chance to combine a very nice tour.
For those who are willing to travel by plane, the closest airports are Ancona or Rimini.

When: Aug 13 through 15 (annual)
Where: Urbino

The town of Torre del Lago, located 5 kilometres away from the magnificent beach resort of Viareggio (Tuscan Riviera) and 18 kilometres from Pisa, hosts the annual Opera festival “Puccini Festival” from July 16 through August 22, 2010.

The festival draws crowds of Opera lovers and tourists who wish to visit the places where the most beloved composer of the 20th century lived.

The venue, Torre del Lago’s Puccini Teatro all’Aperto — open-air theatre — is located just a few steps from Villa Puccini, the Villa Mausoleum where the beloved composer  lived, worked and is buried. Here you have the festival program.

Where: Torre del Lago (4km from Tuscan Riviera, 18km from Pisa)
When: July 16 through August 22, 2010 (annual).