Umbria boasts a rich array of cultural assets, encompassing medieval hilltop towns, elaborate churches, archaeological sites, and modern art exhibits. The region is also renowned for its numerous festivals and celebrations, which emphasize cuisine, music, art, and history, attracting visitors from around the globe to central Italy.
Art Appreciation
This region hosts an eclectic mix of festivals dedicated to the arts. One of the most prominent is the globally acclaimed Umbria Jazz Festival. For over 50 years, this event has drawn the foremost jazz musicians to Perugia for a ten-day celebration in July. The festival’s acclaim has led to the addition of a winter jazz festival in Orvieto and a fall weekend of jazz in Terni.
If blues is your preference, Trasimeno Blues, which also takes place in July, features elite contemporary blues musicians. The medieval fortress located in Castiglione del Lago, along the shores of Lake Trasimeno, serves as the primary venue for this festival.
Fostering a plethora of artistic disciplines, the Festival dei Due Mondi, often referred to as the Spoleto Festival, takes place each summer in Spoleto, a city in southern Umbria. Established in 1958, the term due mondi signifies the aspiration to unite European and American artists during an era when they were separated, thereby celebrating their distinct styles and cultures within a single event. Since its inception, innovation has flourished, with performances in dance, music, opera, and theater enlivening the calendar and animating the historic venues and open-air spaces throughout the city.
For additional artistic engagements, the late summer Todi Festival offers a schedule filled with theatrical and musical performances, along with visual arts exhibitions and literary events. The festival features theater masterclasses and workshops, alongside many national premieres. Also occurring in late summer is the Festival delle Nazioni, a chamber music festival in Città di Castello, which features a competition for youth chamber music groups named in honor of Alberto Burri, a prominent visual artist from the area. Additionally, the Sagra Musicale Umbra presents a classical music festival, showcasing performances across various cities in the region.
History on Display
Umbria is also the venue for various festivals steeped in historical significance. In Assisi, the Calendimaggio festival occurs in early May, celebrating the arrival of spring, a tradition that dates back to the medieval era.
The city is split into two factions: the residents of the upper part known as Nobilissima Parte de Sopra and those from the lower area called Magnifica Parte de Sotto. Throughout this multi-day festival, these two teams engage in competitions that assess their skill and strength, including crossbow shooting, tug-of-war, and vocal performances.
Reenactments illustrating medieval life and parades featuring participants in period attire are key highlights. A panel of international experts in music, history, and entertainment evaluates the competitions to crown the winning team at the conclusion of the festival.
The city of Foligno also celebrates a modern adaptation of an event initiated in 1613 known as the Giostra della Quintana, where knights from the Baroque period competed in skill-based contests. Presently, the city is divided into ten districts, each represented by a knight on horseback. In a challenging display of skill, each knight attempts to spear rings from a historic statue honoring Mars, the Roman god of war, while navigating a track. The rings progressively decrease in size as the competition advances.
As the competition approaches, a historical tavern opens its doors in each of the ten districts, becoming a vibrant focal point for local activities. Residents don Baroque-period attire, and each tavern offers traditional Umbrian delicacies, including historical dishes dating back to the seventeenth century.
An artistic and vibrant celebration known as the Infiorate di Spello takes place on the Christian religious holiday of Corpus Domini in late spring each year. For over a century, the residents of Spello have adorned the route of the procession with flowers, evolving the floral displays into increasingly elaborate works of art over the years. A variety of fresh and dried flowers are utilized to create intricate “carpets” and “paintings,” with months dedicated to the preparation and gathering of materials.
During the event weekend, a flurry of activity unfolds as the infioratori—the creators of these floral masterpieces—work diligently to realize their visions. Each year, a jury is appointed to award accolades to the top displays.
For a more contemporary festivity, visit Gubbio in northern Umbria to witness the Guinness World Record-holding largest Christmas tree globally. From early December through early January, an impressive lighting installation on Mount Ingino creates a Christmas tree towering over 2000 feet (650 meters). A distinguished guest is invited annually to illuminate the tree (previous guests include two Popes), and it can be viewed from a distance exceeding 18 miles (30 km).
The Tastes of Umbria
The inhabitants of this region take great pride in commemorating their culinary traditions, leading to numerous food festivals throughout the year.
The esteemed black truffles of the area feature prominently in the Nero Norcia festival, a mid-winter event showcasing various culinary stalls dedicated to these truffles, along with cooking demonstrations and informative lectures. The fall season heralds additional food festivals, such as the Saffron Festivals in Cascia and Città della Pieve (Mercato dello Zafferano di Cascia, and Zafferiamo, respectively), the Onion Festival in Cannara (Festa della Cipolla di Cannara), and the Black Celery and Sausage Festival in Trevi (Sagra del Sedano Nero e della Salsiccia a Trevi).
All these festivals not only celebrate local produce through tastings and educational events, but some also offer opportunities to visit the fields where the ingredients are cultivated.
For enthusiasts of olive oil, the multi-weekend Frantoi Aperti festival, celebrated across various Umbrian towns, stands as the largest olive oil festival in Italy. Visitors can explore oil mills, stroll through olive groves, enjoy exhibits and music, and partake in themed dinners featuring the new oil.
For those with a penchant for sweets, the Eurochocolate festival, which occurs annually in Perugia, attracts over 100 chocolate artisans from across Europe, showcasing tastings, educational exhibits, chocolate sculptures, and more. Although the event is commercial, Perugia has a longstanding tradition of chocolate-making, with numerous artisanal shops in the vicinity. Notably, Norcia produces delectable truffle-infused chocolate.
Media and More
Each year, Umbria hosts the International Journalism Festival, located in Perugia. This five-day event, recognized as the largest media gathering in Europe, features over 500 speakers from various countries. The festival attracts journalists, scholars, and media specialists from around the world, with sessions also being accessible to the public.
Ranging from the arts to history, cuisine, and media, Umbria encompasses a distinguished variety of events and festivals. Regardless of the time of year you visit this region, you are assured an engaging event on the calendar.
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