|
Tuscany & Umbria enjoys a typical Mediterranean climate with the main Summer season being from April to end of October. The hottest and busiest months are June, July and August when swimming pools are perfect for refreshing breaks from the Mediterranean sun. June is the month when vibrant coloured poppies decorate the countryside, whilst July sees fields of sunflowers.
September is usually still warm and sunny with cooler evenings and the added advantage of all the ‘vendemie’ (grape harvests) going on all around the countryside, as well as many village ‘sagre’ (themed food festivals)
April, May and October are generally cooler, although May, with its Spring flowers, can often be quite sunny and warm. This is a wonderful time for walking, driving, exploring and sightseeing in cities like Florence and Siena.
Winter breaks in Florence, Rome and Venice
These truly year-round cities are perfect winter break destinations especially during early spring and late autumn when the crowds are thinner and the light sharper. Around Christmas time they offer fantastic gift shopping and traditional, Christmas delicacies, beautifully displayed in the speciality food shops.
February in Venice has the buzz of the world famous Carnevale and sightseeing is endless in all three cities all year round, as is the opportunity to absorb oneself in Italy’s dolce vita with fine food, wine, coffee and people watching.
Cultural festivals and fairs in Tuscany & Umbria
Tuscany & Umbria plays host to numerous events throughout the year, many of which are based on old traditional ceremonies as well as local cultural and gastronomic traditions.
Many of our properties are well placed for taking advantage of these events, so please speak to our Travel Consultants if you would like to arrange your holiday in conjunction with an event of your choice. The following is a list of some of the festivals in Tuscany & Umbria programmed for 2007, however please note that these can be changed, often at the last minute.
Florence: ‘Scoppio del Caro’ (explosion of the cart) – On Easter Sunday, this event commemorates Fiorentine participation in the First Crusade, which took place in 1096. A firework filled wooden float is pulled by white oxen from Porto a Prato to the cathedral, where at 11am, during the singing of the Gloria, it is ignited by an iron ‘dove’ that descends on a wire from the high altar.
Florence: ‘Calcio Storico’ (medieval football game) – In June, in Piazza Santa Croce, matches of historical football are played, in 16th century costumes by members of Florence’s four medieval quarters, in memory of a defiant football match played there in 1530 during the siege by Charles V.
San Gimignano Opera Festival – In August, during the balmy summer evenings you can sit on the steps of the cathedral in San Gimignano’s Piazza Duomo and take in some breathtaking operatic performances of Italian classics such as Verdi and Puccini.
Siena: ‘The Palio’ – Usually on 2 July and 16 August, this is the most exciting cultural event on the Tuscan calendar. Days of preparation, processions, flag waving and church ceremonies, culminate in a famous medieval bareback horse race around the town’s main square, Piazza Del Campo. 10 horses are drawn from 17 of the towns ‘contrade’ to take part in the event which sees the victor claim the Palio, ‘Latim Pallium,’ an embroidered banner decorated with the image of the Virgin Mary.
Montepulciano: ‘Bravio delle Botte’ (the Barrel Race)– Usually, on the last Sunday in August, this is a barrel race through the narrow medieval streets of the town, from Sant’Agnese to Piazza Grande between two teams from each of the towns eight ‘contrade’. The streets are festooned with colourful flags and banners and all the townsfolk wear their traditional medieval costumes.
|
