Most of these top festivals are free of charge, but some events require buying tickets. Many Italian festivals are based on historical events and can include processions with people dressed in period costume, contests between neighborhoods of the town, flag-throwers, food, and fireworks. Summer is the height of the festival season, as you travel in Italy, look for posters advertising a festa or sagra.

Carnival is certainly one of the most heartfelt and popular celebrations in Italy, but Venice is certainly the place where this tradition reaches its highest point. Here, in fact, Carnival is a great open-air party that lasts two weeks. The Carnival of Venice is certainly the most important event in the lagoon, and the most famous and oldest carnival in Europe: documents attest to the presence of masked celebrations as early as the year 1000. The Doges were able to promote the Carnival to grant the population, especially for the humbler classes, a period dedicated to fun and parties. In the Venice Carnival, the masks guaranteed total anonymity.

Palio di Siena is a horse race held twice a year in Siena. In 2022, Palio di Provenzano, dedicated to the Madonna of Provenzano, will take place on July 2, 2022, and Palio dell’Assunta, dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, will be held on August 16, 2022. Palio di Siena is practically an equestrian competition between the 17 contrade (districts) of the city, held in the beautiful Piazza del Campo. Only 10 contrade out of a total of 17 will participate in the race, and the actual race consists in circling three times Piazza del Campo. The race is preceded by Corteo Storico, a historical parade which includes about 700 participants representing the 17 contrade and the institutions of the ancient Republic of Siena. 

The Redentore (Redeemer) Feast is a deeply felt celebration in Venice as it combines religion with entertainment, thanks to the Saturday night phantasmagorical fireworks’ display attracting thousands of visitors: a kaleidoscope of shades, from a game of light and colours on the inimitable setting in St. Mark’s Basin, lights up the spires, domes and bell towers of the city

On the morning of Easter Sunday, the brindellone, a pyrotechnical tower positioned on a cart, is pulled by oxen on the streets of Florence, escorted by 150 soldiers, musicians and people dressed in 15th century period costumes. After it reaches Piazza del Duomo, the cart is positioned between the Baptistery of Saint John and the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore.

At 11.00 am, the archbishop lights a dove-shaped rocket from the altar of the cathedral, which, through a cord mechanism, runs through the central nave of the church and reaches the cart outside, causing it to explode. The fireworks display that follows lasts about 20 minutes.