Travel Italy: Vacation Packages, Tips, Tours of Italy

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

Those who are visiting Florence in the last week of July, have the chance to experience a trip into the Middle Ages.

The town of Vinci, Leonardo’s hometown, around 40 km from Florence, is hosting the Unicorn Festival.
It is a medieval festival featuring elves, witches, duels, magic shows, archery contests and Gothic music.

When: July 24 - 25, 2010 (annual)
Where: Vinci (surroundings of Florence)

- How to get there
By rail: take the Florence - Pisa train, get off at Empoli station. From there, take bus — Copit line — to Vinci.

Details of Unicorn Festival can be found on http://festaunicorno.com/.

San Gimignano, one of the best known hill-top towns of Tuscany, hosts its medieval festival the third week-end of June.

(photo by Idéfix - CC license)

The festival, “Ferie delle Messi” — Medieval Harvest Festival — features historical parade, medieval tournament and games and a Medieval Guild Fair displaying arts and crafts typical of the Middle Ages.

The delightful town of San Gimignano is well worth a visit all year round but it’s during th the Medieval festival you can better enjoy its Medieval atmosphere.

San Gimignao is 40km away from Siena and 55km away from Florence — directions by bus: take SITA or Tra-in bus from Florence’s Santa Maria Novella station to Poggibonsi, then local bus to San Gimignano.

when: June 19 - 20, 2010 (annual)
where: San Gimignano