While leading his long-horned oxen and playing his organetto, Peppe de Lillo sang le pasquarelle (traditional mountain verses) in harmony with a tambourine-player, launching Cascia’s “Festa delle Tradizioni Rurali”. Medieval hilltown, Cascia,…
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This May in Assisi, La Parte de Sotto (“Lower Assisi”) won our four-day medieval festival, Calendimaggio, in a smashing tripletta victory over La Parte de Sopra (“Upper Assisi”: Sopra took home il…
I could never be anywhere but Gubbio on May 15th for the glorious Corsa dei Ceri – but May 16th has its own magic. The euphoria of the day before has melted…
Since every flower imaginable figures in Bucchianico’s astounding late May floral procession, la Ciammaichella, passion flowers must be there, too. We saw spindly branches of wild yellow broom, dangling wisteria, intertwining roses,…
Yes, Assisi’s early May Calendimaggio festival IS – above all – a festival of love: an ebullient demonstration of the love that all the assisani have for their annual celebration of the…
There’s a single religious moment in Assisi’s four-day medieval celebration of spring, rooted in pagan rituals: the blessing of the banners of the town’s two rival factions, la Parte de Sopra (“Upper…
All over Umbria in late October, early November, medieval hilltowns celebrate autumn culinary specialties in a fanfare of festivities. Hazelnuts take center stage in Bevagna’s Festa della Nocciola during the first week-end…
You’ll see elderly Agostino and a young assistant roasting chestnuts and grilling sausages over an open fire, just after you pass through a medieval arch. A sure sign you’ve found the Festa…
If you’ve never tasted corbezzoli, giuggiole or pepini, you can try them at the Festa del Bosco (“Woodland Festival”) in the northern Umbria walled castle-village of Montone. Just stop at one of…
In updating my website, I came across this note on a fascinating festival. Enjoy. I’ve lived here in Umbria, “Italy’s green heart”, for well over 25 years… and finally this past year…