Festival trip guides

Held each July 25 in Piazza del Duomo, the Giostra dell'Orso pits Pistoia's four districts in a medieval horse joust. Find out when it takes place, how the scoring works, who competes, and your options for watching the event and the free practice trials.

Ragusa Ibla's Holy Week is a deeply authentic community celebration. This guide walks you through the processions from Palm Sunday to Good Friday, explains what makes them special, and offers practical tips for respectful attendance.

Every October, Ragusa in Sicily turns into an open-air stage for the Ibla Buskers Festival. We trace its evolution from a local street event to a highlight of the south, and explain how its UNESCO-listed baroque setting makes it unlike any other buskers' festival in Europe.

The Ibla Buskers Festival turns Ragusa's two historic districts into open-air stages. Learn how performances spread from the baroque alleys of Ibla to the upper Supra district, and how to navigate the stairways and bridge between them.

The Ragusa Ibla Buskers Festival turns the baroque streets of Ragusa into an open-air stage for street performers from around the world. For families, the highlight is the Kids Circus, which engages children with workshops and parades. With a bit of planning, you can enjoy a day of music, acrobatics, and color even with strollers and young ones in tow.

Watching the Infiorata di Noto come to life is a magical experience. This guide reveals the best viewpoints along Via Nicolaci, when the artists are at work, how to beat the crowds, and how to capture the creation on camera.

The Infiorata di Noto turns Via Nicolaci into a 122-metre canvas of 400,000 flowers every May. For photographers, the fleeting art demands planning: early mornings for clean shots, wide lenses for scale, and macro lenses for petal details. This guide covers the best times, gear, angles, and etiquette to capture the carpets responsibly.

Livorno, a bustling port on the Tuscan coast, turns into a holiday destination each winter with its own Christmas Village. Run by Pro Loco since 2016, the village focuses on eco-sustainable traditions, crafts, and family-friendly activities. While exact dates and features vary by year, a visit offers a chance to enjoy a seaside Christmas away from the usual mountain scenes.

Every July 2, Matera celebrates its patron saint with processions and the destruction of a papier-mâché float. This guide covers the logistics that matter: booking accommodation months ahead, reserving restaurants with terrace views, parking outside the pedestrian-only historic center, and handling the heat and crowds of a single-day festival.

Plan your visit around Manarola's authentic village celebrations, from the San Lorenzo procession on August 10 to the Festa dell'Assunta on August 15, and learn how to respectfully witness these traditions.

Every July 2nd, Matera honors its patron saint with the Festa della Bruna, culminating in a triumphal float of papier-mâché. Explore the legends, the artisans, and the ritual destruction that makes this tradition unique.

The Festa della Bruna is Matera's most thrilling annual event, but it doesn't require a ticket. Here's how to watch the procession and float assault for free, where to position yourself, and how to handle the crowds.