The end of the summer holidays brings numerous festivals and celebrations across the whole of Italy.

1. Every year on 19 September, the city of Naples celebrates the Festa di San Gennaro.  The festivities for Naples’ patron saint usually last from the 16th until the Sunday following the Saint’s Day, which falls on the 19th.  On the actual feast day, the dried blood from the beheaded San Gennaro is said to liquify in its ampoule at the Cathedral of Naples, commemorated with a religious procession and carnivals around the city.



2. From 7-23 September Pisa will be celebrating the Festa della Cultura Calabrese with a number of live events including live music, dancing, talks and local food & wine tastings. 



3. Since 1983, the Tuscan town of Chiusi has celebrated the Festa dell’uva e del vino each September.  On Sunday 23rd the local “cantines” will open their doors, welcoming the public to taste their wares and enjoy an evening of gastronomic delights and live music.  Whilst you’re in the vicinity, take time to discover the Etruscan tombs dotted around the surrounding countryside, the Romansque Cathedral or the Labyrinth of Porsenna, hidden under the town’s streets.



4. On the 16th September Verona celebrates the most famous of Shakespeare’s heroines.  The birthday of Juliet is commemorated with dancing, live music, street performers and a medieval market.



5. Florence celebrates one of its oldest festivals, the Feast of Rificolona, on the 6th and 7th September.  The evening procession on the 7th is the undoubted highlight of the affair when Florentine youngsters parade through the streets, holding high their “rificolones”, brightly coloured paper lanterns on the top of cane sticks.



6. The Venice historical regatta takes place on the first Sunday of September each year.  Events are kicked off with a parade of historical boats along the Grand Canal, followed by a hotly contested rowing race between the different Venetian neighborhoods.  Once the regatta is over, the streets are filled with lively celebrations and entertainers.  Don’t worry if you miss this event, as the other Venetian communities hold their own regattas throughout the year including the Regata di Burano on the 16th September and the Regata di Sant’Erasmo later in the month.



7. The “Luminara di Santa Croce” on the 13th September is an important annual event in Lucca, Tuscany.  Amidst a month of local celebrations, including fairs, concerts and markets, this solemn evening procession marks the culmination of the festival dedicated to the Croce Saint.  Representatives from each parish take part in a historical procession through streets lit by candles and torches.  The following day sees visitors from around the region flocking to the cathedral as well as the popular cattle market.



8. The Festa di San Michele is celebrated across Italy on the 29th September with numerous fairs, processions and local festivities.