Nottarno in Oltrarno Florence

So did everyone have a good “San Giovanni”? Did you enjoy the fireworks? Beautiful!

If you’re still in Florence this weekend, we’ve got another recommendation for you. Saturday night, starting at 9am and continuing on to 3am Sunday the Oltrarno puts together the “Nottarno”, a night of events and activities to head toward the Oltrano area on Saturday evening. Starting at 9pm, the historic neighborhood on the other side of the Arno hosts events along its streets and piazzas to enjoy cultural entertainment, from music to plays and wine.

Some examples:
Via Santa Monaca – jugglers and acrobats, organic wine tasting and jazz concert
Via Camaldoli – get your hand read or your destiny foretold with the pendulum
Piazza del Cestello – “Anfitrione”, a comedy show put on by the students of “commedia dell’arte” from the Teatro Cestello
Piazza Pitti – live music
Piazza del Carmine – dance to Latin-American rhythms
Via Romana and Via Sant’Agostino – businesses will be offering along the street free slices of watermelon, cups of sangria and slices of mortadella
Piazza Poggi – young DJ artists Umberto Saba and Fabio della Torre will make sure music fills the air

The Museum Siviero with its large art collection will remain open as well as the Convitto della Calza.

If you’re still looking for ideas of what to do this weekend in Tuscany, another major event taking place this Saturday is the Giostra del Saracino, or Joust of the Saracen (Moor) in Arezzo.

The whole city turns up in medieval costume to recreate the atmosphere of medieval Arezzo as the quarters of the city compete against each other in a joust to win the Golden Lance. The event has its origins in the Middle Ages and was an evolution of a military training exercise knights used to simulate battle, using a lance to hit a “puppet” of the bad guy, at the time of the Crusades the bad guy being the Saracens or Moors.

Keep reading about the Joust of the Saracen in Arezzo »

Still wondering what to do this weekend in Tuscany? We love medieval festivals and really look forward to heading to San Gimignano this weekend. Famous for its tall medieval towers that create a unique skyline, this weekend San Gimignano will be celebrating the “Ferie delle Messi“, a fertility festival and pageant that dates back to 1255. Street music, theater, markets and a historical costume parade and jousting take you back to Medieval times in the village.

The “Ferie delle Messi” festival was established in the statutes of the comune of San Gimignano from 1255 to 1314, and was celebrated by the whole population – divided into its four districts of San Giovanni, San Matteo, Castello, and Piazza – with dancing, singing, games, and jousting, all with the aim of encouraging a good harvest.

The event takes place on both Saturday and Sunday, the highlight on Sunday being the Grand Procession where around 300 costumed locals, on foot or on horseback, parade in a stream of color along the ancient streets of the historic center to the Rocca di Montestaffoli, where they attend the “Giostra dei Bastoni”.

The jousting tournament is fought by four knights, one from each district. The victor and his district are awarded the prize of a golden sword, symbolising wealth and fertility.

Look forward to celebrating fertility this weekend, will you be joining us?

A year is passed and June has come. On the third Saturday of June there will take place a great medieval festival, very famous in Italy: La Giostra del Saracino or the Saracen Joust of Arezzo.

The Saracen Joust takes places twice per year (June and September) in Piazza Grande, beautiful square in Arezzo. This year it’s on June 19th at 9.30 pm. But the festival starts on Friday 11th when Captains take the inaugural oath and the draw of sequence of carriere (charges). Every day from Saturday to Tuesday there are the heats around 7.30 pm. Read the full post »

Finally June has arrived! From the weather you wouldn’t say it, but I’m not worried for my plans for this weekend in Tuscany. Yes, this weekend I don’t plan to stay in Florence but plan on going around Tuscany. So, these are some of my plans.

Saturday morning early wake up, about 9.00, because I want to go to local markets. First I want to go to Impruneta and then to Greve in Chianti. I want to have a “light” lunch in Greve eating some schiacciata (Tuscan bread) filled with sbriciolona (a typical ham) at the Macelleria Falorni in the main square. Then I’ll head to Siena, have to be there before 5 p.m., because at that time starts a big treasure hunt in the historical center. The event is the conclusion of the great wine festival Chianti è. The treasure hunt will also meet the traditions of the Palio and will end with a typical dinner in Contrada. English speaking staff will assist you and reservations are required. Read the full post »

Today is Thursday and I’ve started planning this last weekend of May in Florence since from the next one we Florentines generally like to leave the hot city for the seaside or the countryside, even if I personally am fine with a little bit of warm sunny days.

My attention is focused on the eagerly awaited Florence Gelato Festival. It looks like Florence will turn into the international capital of ice cream from May 28th to 31st. The last 4 or 5 weeks the event has been advertised and sponsored everywhere, from newspapers, magazines, blogs, ads on streets and on buses. The festival takes places in different areas in Florence’s city center, in Piazza SS. Annunziata, Piazza Repubblica, Piazza S. Giovanni and Palazzo Vecchio. There are local, national and international ice cream makers, that means lots of ice cream to taste!

Read the full post »

If you happen to see a Fiat 500 around Florence making sounds like a rooster, don’t worry, it isn’t a maniac out driving having fun. The cars making the rooster’s cock-a-doodle-do are actually promoting an upcoming event in Chianti’s wine region, Chianti Classico, whose symbol is the black rooster.

Starting May 29th and continuing on to June 5th the event “Chianti è” is an important wine festival organized this year to promote the wine and culture of Chianti Classico, the most regulated and traditional of the various Chianti denominations. Eight days of wine tastings, open cellars, exhibits, concerts, guided tours, cooking classes and much more. Read the full post »

From May 1 to 16 there is the beautiful initiative – Museums as Friends: Spring Visits – that sees several different activities in lots of Tuscan museums.

During these two weeks in May, many museums in Tuscany will be opened and offering guided tours, lectures and many activities for children.

Read the full post »

After Florence’s White Night, Florence turns blue with Florence’s Blue Night 2010. It will be a night dedicated to Europe and its traditions, as well as cultures and differences.

There will be many events from 3 pm Saturday, May 8 to 6 pm Sunday, May 9. More than 24 hours of concerts, dances, performances in the streets and squares of Florence, but also in stores, libraries, restaurants and cinemas in the city center and in its surroundings.

Read the full post »

As posted before in less than 10 days, on April 30th, Florence will be animated by a Creative Insomnia, the magical and sleepless Florence White Night 2010. And finally the calendar of this upcoming event in Florence is here.

Please click here to download the calendar of Florence White Night 2010 (in Italian).

Concerts of classic, rock, pop and jazz music, ballet performances, temporary exhibits, art installations, colorful lights, movies, lectures, comics, guided tours to museums and boroughs. And then lots to eat and drink, people, different cultures coming and mixing together.

It will surely be a great event in and for Florence and we strongly recommend you don’t miss visiting Florence on April 30th. Don’t miss Insomnia Creativa – Florence White Night 2010!