In Italy every region organizes one or more festivals. If you’ve never had the chance to participate in some Italian festivals, here’s a small list of some of the best Italian festivals that you can see when you’re in Italy.
Infiorata di Genzano
Infiorata di Genzano is one of the most famous inforate that take place in Italy every year. If you like art and flowers, this is definitely a festival you should see.
The first infiorata was probably organized in Rome in the 17th century by Benedetto Drei, who used leafless flowers to create mosaics.
In Genzano, every year, a carpet of flowers is set up during the feast of Corpus Christi.
A good number of people is in charge of separating the petals and of placing them in different baskets according to their color.
The baskets are kept in cellars to preserve them until Corpus Christi.
The evening before the festival, the artists design the contours of their paintings on the street.
The day of the festival the artists place the petals on the streets creating beautiful artworks.
Three days later, children are allowed to run over the floral artworks and destroy them.
Gioco del ponte
Il gioco del ponte, the battle of the bridge, is held every year in Pisa in June on the Ponte di Mezzo.
The day of this battle two city districts, Mezzogiorno and Tramontana, south and north of the river Arno respectively, compete.
The competition is based on physical strength and consists of pushing a heavy cart along a track mounted on the bridge using only your neck and legs, it’s extremely tiresome.
The winner is the district who can win four fights.
Before the battle of the bridge begins there’s also a historical parade. People are dressed in 16th century clothes and carry weapons like swords, axes, and daggers.
Sagra degli agrumi
Sagra degli agrumi – festival of citrus – is held every year in Sardinia in the town of Muravera.
This festival is really peculiar. In fact, there you can find local delicacies based on citrus, and also something unexpected.
Indeed, don’t be surprised if you meet people dressed in scary costumes, because this is the real peculiarity of Sagra degli Agrumi!
The presence of these costumes is probably the result of the pagan rites that were once performed by the island’s farming communities.
Of course, there are also concerts, exhibitions, traccas – carts that reproduce farmer’s life moments, and much more.
What about you? How many Italian festivals have you seen? What was your favourite?
Credits:
Original image by ktphotography
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