October is a fantastic month for festivals in Italy. The harvest is upon us, the weather has cooled down, and yet the buzz of the long summer has not yet faded. All over the country, weekends are devoted to sagre, festivals celebrating food, culture and tradition. Below are some of the best destinations for this month, and at Messenger Travel we can arrange for you to experience any or all.
Trieste – Barcolana Regatta – 2-11th October
The annual boat race in Trieste is now one of the sailing world’s top events. Expert sailors and enthusiastic boat lovers come from all over the world to experience a week of events, culminating in the main event – a 15 mile race around the Bay of Trieste.
Now one of the sailing world’s main events, the regatta offers entertainment for all, with amateur races, junior events, and the whole town enthusiastically joins in. Check out the stalls in the ‘Village’, the musical performances in the evenings, and – being Italy – food and wine tastings of traditional regional specialties.
Matera Balloon Festival – 8th-10th October
The ‘City of Stone’ is a marvellous destination at any time of year. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, and soon to be European Capital of Culture 2019, the town is carved from the soft rock of the hillside, with many ancient cave dwellings still in use, making it a unique place to visit. The best time though is during the annual Balloon Festival, when hot air balloons soar above the town, providing a chance to gain an unbelievable view of this special place.
Coming with the twenty balloons and their crews will be stalls, music, art exhibitions and more. Don’t miss this festival if you visit Italy in October.
Alba White Truffle Festival – 10th October – 15th November
Arguably Italy’s biggest festival of tartufo, or truffles, is the month long celebration in Alba, in the Piedmont region. Stalls line the streets, selling not only the tartufo bianco of the festival, but also local wines, cheeses and other delicacies. Apart from the stalls, there are also tastings of locally produced wines, culinary workshops, and, as a highlight, the annual donkey race – preceded by all the pomp and circumstance of a medieval tournament.
While truffles can sell for thousands elsewhere, here the dishes containing them can be a relative steal – especially when made with the culinary expertise of the region – and the local restaurants line up to compete for customers by producing their greatest dishes at a price that can normally be only dreamed of.
A true gem, Alba should be an October destination for all food and wine lovers, and all those looking to see the heart of Italian tradition and culture.
Perugia Chocolate Festival – October 16-25
For most of the year, not counting it’s July jazz festival, Perugia is a pleasant hill-top town in Umbria, with amazing views over the surrounding landscape and winding medieval streets. However, for one week every October it transforms into a European hub for chocolate lovers, when the Eurochocolate Festival comes around.
The streets are filled with chocolate artisans selling their delicious wares in every form and flavour, the world-famous Baci from Perugina chocolate factory opens it’s doors, and sculptors create great works of art from huge chocolate blocks. This year, the festival promises the biggest chocolate moustache sculpture in the world. Nobody with a sweet tooth should miss this weekend.
Rome Film Festival – 16th-24th October
Rome has long been a destination for film-makers and fans alike. From Spartacus and Roman Holiday to Spectre, the newest James Bond offering, the city has lent itself to countless movies, and created even more film fans. So it makes sense that the city now hosts one of the year’s major movie festivals.
From small Italian films to major blockbusters, the Rome Film Festival showcases the best of cinema, and features appearances from some of Hollywood’s biggest stars at the events and premieres.
Others
Palio dei Rioni – Lodi, 7th October – an iron horse race between the town’s neighbourhoods.
Sagra del Tordo – Montalcino, 24-25th October – a traditional medieval archery tournament, perfect for lovers of tradition and history.
Many small towns in the Piedmont, Tuscany, Umbria, Le Marche and Emilio-Romagna regions hold weekend truffle and/or chestnut festivals throughout October.
Contact us, and we can help you plan your travels to experience any or all of what will make Italy perfect for you.
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