Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The festival is essentially an
excuse for gastronomic over-
indulgence, and a celebration
of its thriving local economy,
which is based on olive oil
and wine production. Brunello
is widely regarded as one of
the finest of Italian wines.
Visitors are welcome to
participate, and more con-
ventional specialities, such as
porchetta (roast suckling pig),
are available for those who
prefer not to eat songbirds.
Archery competitions are also
held in Montalcino during
August to mark the beginning
of the hunting season.
SOUTHERN TUSCANY
Balestro del Girifalco, or the
Falcon Contest, takes place in
Massa Marittima (see p234) on
the first Sunday after the feast
of San Bernardino (20 May)
and again on the second
Sunday in August. It is
preceded by a long procession
through the town of people in
dazzling Renaissance costume,
accompanied by flag-waving
and music. The contest itself
is a test of ancient battle skills
and the teams represent the
town's three traditional historic
divisions, which are known as
terzieri or thirds. Marksmen
come forward and try to shoot
down a mechanical falcon,
tethered on a wire, with their
crossbows. Great precision is
required to hit the target and
the whole contest is imbued
with intense terzieri rivalry.
Knights waiting to charge at the Joust of the Saracen in Arezzo
their own contrada knights
are jousting, but make as
much noise as is possible to
distract the opposition. The
winner receives a gold lance.
EASTERN TUSCANY
The Piazza Grande in Arezzo
(see pp198-9) is the scene of
the Giostra del Saracino, or
Joust of the Saracen. Held on
the first Sunday in September,
this tournament dates back to
the Crusades in the Middle
Ages, when all Christendom
dedicated itself to driving
the North African Arabs
(the Moors) out of
Europe.
There are lively
and colourful
processions to
precede the event,
in which eight
costumed knights
charge towards a
wooden effigy of
the Saracen. The
aim is to try to hit
the Saracen's shield
with lances and then
avoid a cat-of-three-tails
swinging back
and unseating
them. Each pair of
knights represents one of
Arezzo's four rival contrade
(districts), and their supporters
occupy a side each of Piazza
Grande. They are quiet when
CENTRAL TUSCANY
The most important festival in
this region is Siena's Palio
(see p222) , but the
Sagra del Tordo, or
Festival of the
Thrush, is also a
great attraction.
It takes place in
Montalcino (see
pp224-5) on
the last Sunday
in October. The
14th-century
Fortezza (castle)
is the setting for
an archery contest
which is fought in
traditional costume
by members of the
town's four
contrade . This
is accompanied
by considerable consumption
of the local red Brunello wine
and, much to the horror of
many bird-lovers, of charcoal-
grilled thrush.
Archery at the Festival of
the Thrush in Montalcino
Renaissance finery at the Falcon
Contest in Massa Marittima
 
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