Headwater - 6 of The Best Italian Festivals

    CHESHIRE, ENGLAND, July 01, 2011 /24-7PressRelease/ -- When we travel around Italy - testing our routes, talking to hoteliers, etc - we often come across things we never previously knew about! So, we thought it only fair to share some of our favourite findings with you!

Emilia Romagna: Festa di San Cassiano

Plan your cycling holiday so that you'll be in Comacchio on 13th August 2011 and join the locals in celebrating the feast of their Patron Saint, San Cassiano.

Known affectionately as "Little Venice", postcard-pretty Comacchio is a maze of canals and bridges rising out of 13 different islands and islets. During the day, the cobbled streets are filled with stalls selling regional foods and crafts and, in the afternoon, a splendid regatta takes place on the network of tiny canals. Celebrations culminate with a waterfront firework display in the evening.

Venetia: Festa del Redentore

Dating back to C16, this Venetian festival celebrates the residents and Doges of Venice giving thanks to the Redentore (Redeemers) for liberating their city from the plague.

Taking place this year on 16th & 17th July 2011, celebrations kick off with a fabulous firework display that lights up the spires, domes and bell towers of St Mark's Square on the Saturday evening. At dusk the next morning, just as they have done for centuries, numerous small boats decked out with balloons, decorations and brightly coloured lanterns, begin to flock into St. Mark's Bay and the Giudecca Canal. The boats then moor alongside each other to form a "bridge" to the Redentore church.

Tuscany: Festa di San Giovanni Battista

St John the Baptist is Patron Saint of Florence and the city celebrates his feast day annually on 24 June, though celebrations start several days before and continue for the best part of the week! On the day itself, highlights include a river regatta, followed by the burning of boats and a game of "football" Renaissance style!

Chianti: Festa Medievale di Monteriggioni

The medieval festival of Monteriggioni, a beautifully preserved Tuscan walled town near Siena, will take place on 2nd & 3rd July 2011 and is well worth a detour.

One of the most celebrated medieval pageants in Italy, the festival includes a complete day-long re-enactment of life in the town in C13. Local people dressed in medieval costumes play the roles of farmers, soldiers, friars, etc., and ancient arts and crafts are displayed in the narrow streets and central square - where you purchase medieval coins to pay for your spit-roasted pig and mulled wine! There are no cars - just horses and donkeys -and, in the evening, the entire town is lit by candles and flames - a truly magical end to the day.

Chianti: Festa Medievale Volterra AD1398

Cyclists on the Secrets of San Gimignano trip, and walkers following the route from Volterra to San Gimignano, start and end in the beautifully preserved hill town of Volterra.

Volterra is one of the oldest towns in Italy, and its medieval centre is a tangle of cobbled alleys and streets (lots of interesting quirky shops!) hidden chapels, secret squares and a melange of Etruscan, Roman and Renaissance art and architecture.

On 21st and 28th August, the streets of Volterra come alive with a re-enactment of life in a C14 city, with everyone in medieval costume. Magicians, fortune tellers, jesters and jugglers add a further fun dimension to events!

Piedmont: Palio di Asti

Less known than the Palio in Siena, this race has been held here since 1275, and involves each of the city's 21 neighbourhoods competing in thrilling bareback horse races through the narrow streets and into the main piazza where the winner is presented with the coveted Palio banner. (The booby prize - a lettuce and an anchovy - is awarded to whoever finishes last!)

There is a medieval pageant before the races begin - this year on 18th September - and plenty of music, dancing and partying continues well into the early hours!

Order our 2011 brochures to find out more about our extensive range of holidays. Call us today on 01606 720199 or visit our website at www.headwater.com.

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