Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
AVERAGE DAILY HOURS OF SUNSHINE
Sunshine Chart
Tuscany has been
praised for its light,
which has a clear
golden quality most
noticeable when the
intensely sunny days
of high summer begin
to shorten. Spring
and autumn days are
still warm, with
plenty of hours of
sunshine to enjoy.
Hour
s
12
9
6
3
0
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
SUMMER
From June onwards, Tuscany's
festive calendar becomes
increasingly crowded. There
are with scores of small town
festivals, many of them taking
place around Midsummer Day,
the feast of John the Baptist,
on 24 June. These provide an
opportunity to sample local
food and wine and join in
the atmosphere, or to seek
out some of the bigger set-
piece festivals.
JUNE
A glorious crop of sunflowers in high summer
AUGUST
Calcio in Costume
, or Football
in Costume
(24 June and two
other days in June)
, Florence
(see p38)
.
Estate Fiesolana
, or Fiesole
Summer
(mid-June to end
August)
, Fiesole
(see p132)
.
Festival of music, arts, drama,
dance and film. Many events
are staged in the amphitheatre.
Regata di San Ranieri
(17
June)
, Pisa
(see p156)
. Boat
races in costume and
processions of colourfully
decorated boats on the
river Arno. After dark, its
bankside buildings are
illuminated by tens
of thousands of
flaming torches.
Gioco del Ponte
or
Game of the Bridge
(last Sunday in
June)
, Pisa. A ritual
battle played out on a
bridge
(see p38)
.
Festival Pucciniano
(late
July-all August)
, Torre del
Lago Puccini
(see p175)
.
Performances of the
composer's operas in
an open-air theatre
by the lake where
he lived.
Rodeo della Rosa
(15 August)
, Alberese.
Cowboys of the
Maremma
(see
pp236-7)
demon-
strate cattle herding.
Cantiere Internazionale d'Arte
(late July-early August)
,
Montepulciano
(see p227)
.
Directed by the composer
Hans Werner Henze, this is an
important festival of new work
by leading composers, drama-
tists and choreographers.
Festa della Bistecca
(15 August
), Cortona
(see
pp204-5)
. The Festival of the
Beefsteak - a local speciality.
Il Baccanale
(penultimate
Saturday)
, Montepulciano
(see p227)
. Feast of wine,
food and song to celebrate the
local Vino Nobile
(see p268)
.
Italian ice cream, a
feast for all ages
JULY
Corsa del Palio
(2 July and
16 August)
, Siena. Tuscany's
most famous event
(see p222)
.
Pistoia Blues
(early July)
,
Piazza del Duomo, Pistoia
(see pp186-7)
. Famous
international festival of blues
music, lasting for a week.
Settimana Musicale Senese
(dates vary)
, Siena
(see
pp218-19)
. Throughout this
“Musical Week”, chamber
music and classical concerts
are performed in splendid
settings, such as the Palazzo
Chigi-Saraceni.
Celebrating a local saint's day on
the streets of Siena
