Among the ancient traditions that Tuscans love to celebrate is the Giostra del Saracino, or Joust of the Saracen (Moor) in Arezzo.
The Joust is held twice every year – on the third Saturday in June and on the first Sunday in September in Arezzo’s beautiful Piazza Grande. Festivities start a week earlier when the captains take an oath, draw the sequence in which they’ll charge and practice throughout the week in the evenings.
The whole city turns up in medieval costume to recreate the atmosphere of medieval Arezzo as the quarters of the city compete against each other in a joust to win the Golden Lance.
In June, at 11.00 am, starts the procession of over 300 participants in historical costume. At 7.00 pm, there is the blessing of the jousters and at 8pm the procession goes from the Duomo to Piazza Grande. At 9.30 pm, just before the start of the tournament, there is a flag throwers demonstration, then the procession enters the square and finally the knights.
In September, the same rituals follow but the final tournament takes place a little earlier, at 5pm.
It is one of the most important and largest antiques fairs in Italy.
Born in 1968 at the behest of Ivan Bruschi, for over 50 years it has been held every first Sunday of the month and the previous Saturday. The location is the magnificent setting of Piazza Grande (or Piazza Vasari) and the streets of the historic center (only the September edition takes place at the Prato due to the concom with the Giostra del Saracino).
Almost 400 exhibitors, coming from every part of Italy, offer thousands of visitors their art objects, furniture, jewels and bijoux, watches, books and antique prints, scientific and musical instruments, toys, vintage linens and every type of collecting.
Saturday 8.00 – 19.00
Sunday 8.00 – 19.00
Monte San Savino offers, in addition to the historical and artistic heritage, also the gastronomic one.
The Porchetta Festival takes place on the second Sunday of September and celebrates the excellence of a dish that has earned the Guinness Book of Records with the longest porchetta in the world.
Selected pigs, a mix of salt and aromatic herbs and cooking in historic wood-fired ovens, which after long cooking produce a unique and inimitable product.
The Palio di Siena is not an event revived and organized for tourist purposes but is an integral part of the history of the city and of the Sienese people in the many aspects in which it has diversified over the centuries.
On the morning of June 29th (for the Palio in July) and that of August 13th the “Tratta” takes place, that is, the assignment of the horses by drawing lots to the ten Contrade participating in the Palio.
Access to the square is free and is perhaps the most exciting way to watch the historical procession and the race, which are so popular among the Sienese.