2012 end of summer activities in Tuscany

With summer well on its way at the end of July Tuscany still has a lot of events and festivals to offer programmed until the end of August and beyond!

Take a look at the upcoming events in order to organize your agenda!

There is a popular event that takes place twice a year in the medieval Piazza del Campo in Siena: the various districts of the city (called “contrade”) fight for a banner known as “palio” in a cut-throat race on horseback. It’s the famous Palio di Siena (Palio dell’Assunta). If you missed the first round on July 2nd you still have a chance to catch the second round on August 16th!

Palio di Siena - Pic credits: Janus Kinase on Flickr

Are you an opera lover? Torre del Lago in the province of Lucca is the favorite destination for tourists who wish to see a real opera and visit the places where Giacomo Puccini – the most beloved composer of the 20th century – lived and wrote his operas. In his honor, every year the Puccini Festival is organized, welcoming 40.000 people in the recently renovated open-air theater. In 2012 the Festival takes place from July 20 to August 25.

Another great spot to catch live performances is at Bolgheri Melody, near Castagneto Carducci (LI). This is not simply a Festival, it’s a mix of culture (the poet Giosuè Carducci was born here), regional development and wine tradition. The events in Castagneto Carducci continue until August 18, 2012.

A new event will take place this year in Tuscany: the Cortona Mix Festival. As suggested by its name, this festival is a mix of music, culture, films and round-table talks about society. Every night a concert, every day new guests… it promises great entertainment and fun!

Are you ready to enjoy the atmosphere of the small villages settled on the old via Francigena? Thanks to the “Veglie”, on until October, you can better experience the road that linked Canterbury with Rome during the Middle Ages. During the “Veglie francigene” you can taste typical medieval food, see historical parades and exhibitions, visit ancient venues and buy traditional handicrafts.

Via Francigena - pic credits: minipixel on Flickr

The Lunatica Festival will take place in Massa Carrara from July 22 to August 3. Through the 13 nights and 27 shows, Lunatica brings together the art of music, dance, poetry and theatre to reinterpret places that are less known or inaccessible to most in the Massa Carrara province.

From Friday July 27 until Sunday August 5 in there is the 27th edition of Effetto Venezia, the traditional summer festival in Livorno. The event is takes place in the famous Venezia neighborhood with its characteristic canals that are lit up with thousands of light in the evening. The theme for this year’s Effetto Venezia is “Mitica Grecia”.