Exploring Tuscany Through Its Medieval Festivals

Tuscany’s summer calendar is once again being filled with historical festivals and re-enactments, as towns and cities across the region prepare to celebrate their medieval and Renaissance heritage.

The events, many of which are organised by local volunteers and historical associations, transform historic centres into open-air stages where residents and visitors can experience centuries-old traditions through parades, tournaments, traditional crafts and period costumes.

According to a guide published by In Toscana, the official tourism portal of the Tuscany Region, dozens of historical events are scheduled throughout July and August 2026.

Monteriggioni returns to the Middle Ages

One of the best-known events will take place in Monteriggioni, the walled medieval village near Siena famous for its ring of towers.

From 9 to 12 July, the festival Monteriggioni di Torri si Corona will recreate the atmosphere of medieval Tuscany with street performers, musicians, acrobats, historical crafts and traditional food. The programme opens with a historically inspired banquet based on dining customs between the 13th and 15th centuries.

Renaissance celebrations in Cerreto Guidi

The town of Cerreto Guidi, around 40 kilometres west of Florence, will host La Notte di Isabella on 4 and 5 July.

The event recalls the arrival of Isabella de’ Medici, daughter of Grand Duke Cosimo I, at the Medici villa in the town in 1576. Visitors will encounter costumed performers, Renaissance music and dance, historical games, falconry displays and guided visits to some of the town’s most important historic sites.

Medieval traditions across Tuscany

Several other towns will host medieval festivals during July and August.

Suvereto, in the province of Livorno, will stage Suberetum Reditus in Medioevo on 18 and 19 July, while Laterina, in the province of Arezzo, will hold its annual Laterina Medievale festival from 24 to 26 July.

In Pistoia, the historic Giostra dell’Orso will take place on 25 July, the feast day of the city’s patron saint, San Jacopo. The traditional competition sees riders representing the city’s four historic districts attempt to strike a wooden bear-shaped target with a lance in Piazza del Duomo.

Roccatederighi, a hilltop village in southern Tuscany, will host Medioevo nel Borgo from 7 to 9 August, while Volterra will once again present Volterra AD 1398, one of the region’s largest medieval re-enactments, on 9 and 16 August.

August packed with historical events

The Ferragosto holiday period will bring some of Tuscany’s most famous historical competitions.

On 14 August, Massa Marittima will host the Balestro del Girifalco, a medieval crossbow contest dating back centuries and held in the town’s cathedral square.

The following day, Sarteano will stage its Giostra del Saracino, a mounted tournament in which riders representing the town’s districts compete for victory by spearing small rings while galloping.

In Porto Santo Stefano, on Monte Argentario, Ferragosto celebrations will centre on the Palio Marinaro dell’Argentario, a rowing race contested by crews representing the town’s four neighbourhoods.

Barrel races and historical parades

The summer season concludes with a series of events that combine sport, history and local identity.

Montepulciano’s famous Bravìo delle Botti, held on the last Sunday of August, sees teams push 80-kilogram barrels uphill through the historic centre before reaching Piazza Grande.

Meanwhile, Pontremoli, in northern Tuscany’s Lunigiana area, will host Medievalis from 19 to 23 August. The event commemorates the town’s medieval history through historical camps, markets, performances and large-scale re-enactments.

For many Tuscan communities, these festivals are more than tourist attractions. They are an opportunity to preserve local traditions, strengthen community ties and reconnect with centuries of regional history.

(Cover photo: Giostra del Saracino, Sarteano, via In Toscana website)

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