Calendimaggio (Assisi)

This event, with very ancient origins, celebrated spring, the awakening of nature and life reborn after winter’s torpor. In those times the festivities took the form of poetic compositions, songs and dances — and it is said that Saint Francis himself excelled at composing them.

In the Middle Ages, Assisi also felt the political influence of nearby Florence, and the clash between Guelphs and Ghibellines here took shape as a rivalry between the leading families, the Fiumi and the Nepis. This conflict between the two factions ultimately split the town into “Assisi de sopra” and “Assisi de sotto.”

During the spring festivities this opposition became a true contest of verse compositions (the “May songs,” hence the name), a tradition handed down to the present day with the Calendimaggio festival.

Festa dei Ceri (Gubbio)

In Gubbio, on 15 May each year, the famous race of the Ceri is held in keeping with ancient tradition.

The CERI are colossal wooden structures about 4 metres high, topped with the statues of Saint Ubaldo (patron of Gubbio and the masons’ cero), Saint George (the artisans’ cero) and Saint Anthony (the farmers’ cero). They are carried at a run up to the Sanctuary of Saint Ubaldo at the summit of Mount Ingino. The tradition is ancient. The earliest evidence dates to the death of Gubbio’s spiritual father, Ubaldo, canonised in 1192 by Pope Celestine III; from 1194 it became customary to hold a procession with a devotional offering of wax (the Luminaria) on the eve of the saint’s death, which occurred on 15 August. Since then — surviving many vicissitudes that threatened to end the race (the French Revolution, the Napoleonic era, the Second World War) — this popular event has not only endured, it has grown year after year, becoming a distinctive mark of the Eugubine community, which today more than ever experiences it with fervour: during the festival days the town is pervaded by a particular euphoria and determination, as if living in a whirlwind of lucid frenzy.

Infiorate of Spello

Every year on Corpus Christi, tradition dictates that the streets taken by the religious procession are covered with pictures made of petals; but here in Spello this custom becomes a unique spectacle. Spello’s infioratori work all year to source flowers of many colours, essential for creating stunning pictures of extraordinary beauty and vibrancy that last only a few hours and disappear after the solemn procession passes.

In Spello, the infiorata is also a friendly competition that brings people together during the night leading up to the feast day; the long floral strip, around 15 km, is then judged by a panel that selects the winning infiorata.

Festival Villa Solomei

Sponsored by the Brunello and Federica Cucinelli Foundation and organised by the choir “Canticum Novum,” conducted by maestro Fabio Ciofini, it began in 1998 and has since grown year after year, attracting international artists.

During the festival, usually held on the first weekend of July, the small village of Solomeo—awash with notes, motifs and harmonies—becomes an auditorium and a meeting place for lovers of classical music.

The aim of the Cucinelli family, which supports the event through the Foundation, is to popularise and spread the classical repertoire, traditionally seen as reserved for experts and “insiders.”

Perugia 1416 – The Triumph of Braccio Fortebracci

⚔️ A date that changed history: on 12 July 1416, on the plain of Sant’Egidio, Braccio Fortebracci da Montone definitively defeated Carlo Malatesta, taking Perugia and marking the city’s passage from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance. On 18 July of the same year he was proclaimed Lord of Perugia.

🏰 The legendary condottiere: Andrea Fortebracci, born in Perugia in 1368, became one of the greatest mercenary captains of his time. Trained in the military school of Alberico da Barbiano alongside his future rival Muzio Attendolo Sforza, he turned exile into opportunity, building an empire from Umbria to Lazio.

🎭 The stirring reenactment: since 2015, every June Perugia relives that glorious era with breathtaking historical parades. Over 500 participants in period costume parade along Corso Vannucci, representing the five Magnificent Districts: Porta Sole, Porta San Pietro, Porta Eburnea, Porta Santa Susanna and Porta Sant’Angelo.

🏆 Epic challenges: the districts vie for the Palio through spectacular trials: the Historic Archery, the Mossa alla Torre (a test of strength and endurance) and the Corsa del Drappo. Each competition is preceded by theatrical allegories on the theme “Of power and powers: sacred and temporal.”

✨ The night entrance: the most evocative moment is the reenactment of Braccio’s entry into the city: at 10 p.m., by torchlight and drums, the condottiere crosses the medieval streets accompanied by the historic companies of the Bracceschi, the Grifoncello and the Militia Bartholomei.

🎪 A plunge into the past: historic taverns, medieval markets, workshops of ancient crafts, flag-throwers and fireworks turn the historic centre into an open-air stage where history and legend blend into an unforgettable experience.

Umbria Jazz

The Umbria Jazz festival was born in the early 1970s from a meeting among friends in a bar in Perugia’s historic centre that no longer exists. The first edition dates to 1973: the stage was Villalago in Piediluco, with an evening in Perugia on Piazza IV Novembre where Weather Report made their Italian debut. From the outset the success of the initiative was clear, prompting Perugian shopkeeper and jazz enthusiast Carlo Pagnotta to seek public-sector backing to make the festival happen.

Since then UJ’s path has been one of steady success, with the exception of four years (1978–1982) of silence, reflecting the political tensions of Italy’s “Years of Lead.”

Today, UJ is one of the world’s most famous and important jazz festivals. Over the ten days in July when it takes place, Perugia turns into a music village: at any hour you can listen to music across squares, streets and medieval monuments — generally in the second week of July.

Trasimeno Blues

“Trasimeno Blues” is a festival held in Umbria every year in July, since 1996, entirely dedicated to the blues in all its forms and crossovers with other genres: from acoustic and electric blues to soul and funk, from afro-beat to reggae.

During this travelling festival, whose artistic director is Gianluca Di Maggio, internationally renowned artists perform on different stages set in the picturesque villages along the shores of Lake Trasimeno, against breathtaking natural backdrops.

Solomeo: Arts, Games & Piatto Rustico

It’s not just a festival, but a programme of initiatives, good music and good food. Launched in 1979, over the years it has increasingly become a Renaissance-style historical reenactment.

The event is the fruit of the passionate organisational effort of the members of the Philharmonic Society and the whole village of Solomeo.

Held in the last ten days of July, visitors strolling the village lanes — among medieval markets, magicians, jesters, fire-eaters and falconers — and accompanied by locals dressed in splendid Renaissance attire, can enjoy wonderful dishes of Umbrian cuisine at the Antica Taverna (open every evening from 7:30 p.m.) and be pampered at the “Domus Delitiae,” savouring exquisite desserts to the gentle, timeless sound of old-world music.

Agosto Corcianese

Agosto Corcianese is a reenactment festival held in the small town of Corciano — one of Italy’s most beautiful villages — in August.

An annual event since 1965, it turns Corciano into a stage where you can immerse yourself in culture in all its facets: theatre, visual arts, cinema, music, food & wine, historical reenactments — generally during the second ten-day period of August.

Palio dei Terzieri (Città della Pieve)

“Città della Pieve” stages a Renaissance historical reenactment whose core is a contest between the Terzieri: hitting the silhouette of a bull with bow and arrow. This competition is preceded by a grand, spectacular historical parade with about 700 participants wearing magnificent costumes inspired by the town’s most illustrious son, the “divine painter” Pietro Vannucci, known as “Perugino.”

During the event, which spans the mid-August holiday period, traditional taverns remain open, and games, contests and reconstructions of medieval scenes come to life in the marvellous setting of Città della Pieve.

Eurochocolate 2025 – La Festa tra le Nuvole (Perugia)

🍫 Italy’s sweetest story begins in 1994, when architect Eugenio Guarducci, inspired by Munich’s Oktoberfest, imagined a festival in Perugia celebrating chocolate in all its forms. From that vision came an event that, every November, turns the historic centre into an open-air chocolaterie, with cocoa aromas, tastings and theatrical installations.

🌟 2025 Theme: #LaFestaTraLeNuvole — the magic of chocolate that “reaches for the skies” takes shape with new creations by Costruttori di Dolcezze in collaboration with Maître Chocolatier Alice Cianuri.

🏛️ In the heart of Perugia: Piazza IV Novembre, Corso Vannucci and the Giardini Carducci become a paradise for chocoholics, with over 140 companies from artisans to international brands, monumental sculptures, pastry show-cookings and the famed Chocolate Show.

Highlights of the 2025 programme

• Live chocolate sculptures: master sculptors carve blocks of cacao into spectacular works. Live sessions and dedicated photo spots.
• Workshops & masterclasses: from tempering to pralines, from bean-to-bar to pairings with wine, craft beer, rum and coffee. Formats for beginners and aficionados.
• Cooking shows: creative recipes with chefs and pastry stars, step-by-step techniques, guided tastings and tips to try at home.
• Chocolate Show: the festival’s grand marketplace with single-origin bars, spreads, dragées, raw bars and regional specialties.
• Kids & Family: educational labs, cocoa-themed games, treasure hunts and baby areas for tailor-made fun.
• XXL installations: instagrammable shots among cocoa clouds, giant lettering and sets inspired by the year’s theme.
• Sustainability focus: talks and meet-ups devoted to cacao origin, responsible supply chains and fair-trade projects.

Practical tips to make the most of Eurochocolate

• When to go: weekdays are ideal to enjoy the centre more calmly; on weekends the atmosphere is lively and packed with events.
• Getting there: use park & ride car parks and the Minimetrò to reach the historic centre with ease. Train and bus links are also excellent.
• Tickets & bookings: access to outdoor areas is free; workshops, masterclasses and some experiences may require booking and a ticket.
• Don’t miss: a visit to the Casa del Cioccolato Perugina & Museum (booking required), the Galleria Nazionale dell’Umbria and the Etruscan Well. Also open our guide to Perugia.