Festivals and Events You Can’t Miss in Tuscany
There are quite a few different festivals and celebrations in Tuscany – and if you’re planning on visiting the region for one of your Italian getaways, you might just have the opportunity to enjoy one! From food festivals, to jousts; you’re sure to find that there’ll be something going on that interests you.
To give you a better idea of what kinds of events happen in Tuscany, we thought it would be worthwhile to take a look at some of the year-round festivals and events that happen in this beautiful part of Italy.
Key events going on in Tuscany (by season)
Winter
The best festivals to participate in during the colder season are the celebrations surrounding Epiphany – which can be enjoyed all around the region. These take place on January 6th, with festivities in the main squares of most cities. In particular, we’d recommend visiting Florence at this time of year, purely because of the Cavalcade of the Wise Men through the centre of the town.
Aside from Epiphany, there’s also Carnavale – a last-chance for everyone to indulge before lent. While many towns have carnivals at this time of year, Viareggio is one of the best known areas for this particular event.
Spring
Spring is a beautiful time of year, with 2 great festivities taking place. The main event for this season in Florence is the Scoppio del Carro. Meaning “explosion of the cart”, this celebration dates back 300 years and is quite an interesting way to spend your Easter. There’s also the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino (running from late April to June), which is an internationally acclaimed classical music experience with concerts, opera, ballet and more.
Summer
One of the busiest times of the year for events is the summer, where you can find quite a few festivals to enjoy across the region. In fact, Pisa has quite a few different celebrations at this time of year, such as the Luminara (June 16th) and the re-enactments of the Battle of the Bridge (on the last Saturday of June). If you’re hoping to enjoy some cultural activities during your holidays in Tuscany, it might be worth coming to Pisa to see the sites and participate in the fun.
You may also want to see the fireworks along the Arno in Florence on June 24th to celebrate St. John the Baptist, or Giostra del Saracino in Arezzo (held twice a year, on the third Saturday in June and the first Sunday in September).
Autumn
As mentioned above, the Giostra del Saracino is held in September too, so if you miss the first one, you could come down to Arezzo to see the second tournament. There are also some other events around Tuscany to check out at this time of year, like the Display of the Virgin’s Girdle in Prato (September 8th, and December 25th and 26th), and Palio della Balestra in Sansepolcro (held on the second Sunday of September).
All this and so much more
While these are some of the main events that are popular year after year, there are quite a few more that you could enjoy; from more niche religious festivals, to food and harvest celebrations. While these will also likely depend on the season and location, you can rest assured that there’ll be something interesting for you to check out in Tuscany at any time of the year.
Hoping to explore more of the region?
There’s so much to fall in love with, which is why our team here at Tours of Tuscany want to introduce you to the many wonders of this part of Italy.
With a number of Tuscan tours to choose from and so much to see and do on each of our trips (from visiting Chianti vineyards, to San Gimignano tours), you’ll find that there’s an itinerary that’s just right for you. Take the time to get a closer look at guided tours of Tuscany Italy and we’re sure that you’ll be interested to find out more about what’s on offer.
With this in mind, if you’re thinking of visiting Tuscany in 2021, be sure to consider our services and everything that makes our Italy tours so popular among our guests. You won’t be disappointed!