The Italy Guides

Upcoming Events in Italy

Italy's event calendar is one of the most varied in Europe, ranging from medieval pageantry to contemporary cinema. The Carnevale di Venezia in February is the most photographed — ten days of elaborate masks and canal-side processions that transform Venice into something out of a painting. Come summer, the Palio di Siena (held twice, in July and August) is raw and electrifying: bareback horse racing around the shell-shaped Piazza del Campo, with centuries of inter-neighbourhood rivalry riding on every lap. In late August, the Venice Film Festival draws international stars to the Lido for eleven days of premieres and red carpets.

The best time to catch events is late spring through early autumn (April to September), when outdoor festivals, food fairs, and town sagre are at their peak. That said, winter delivers Carnevale and Christmas markets in Bolzano and Trento, while autumn brings the truffle fairs of Alba and Norcia. Italy's regional variety means there is almost always something on — whether you're in the Alpine north, the hill towns of Tuscany and Umbria, or the baroque cities of the south.

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