Which are the best events happening in July in Italy? Book your ticket for Puccini Opera Festival in Tuscany, do not miss the Dolomites Music Festival in the Alps, and make sure you visit Umbria Jazz Festival in central Italy. Summer is the most charming season in the country, with local food festivals all across Italy and Mediterranean Dance Festival in Calabria. Rocce Rosse Blues is a music festival in Sardinia, in the midst of the breath taking scenery of one of the Mediterranean’s most beautiful islands.
MUSIC | Opera Season at La Fenice Theatre in Venice
SUSPENDED
Venice, Veneto (Northern Italy)
One of Venice’s landmarks and main attractions, Teatro la Fenice offers its guests an interesting 2017-2018 season featuring a meld of opera, performances, dance and a fascinating symphonic season. The Barber of Seville, La Boheme, and The Elixir of Love are just some of the names on the schedule.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of La Fenice Opera Theatre
FESTIVAL | Macerata Opera Festival
23 JULY – 13 AUGUST 2021
Macerata, near Rome, Marche (Central Italy)
The Macerata Opera Festival is a unique occasion to visit the Marche region, an off-the-beaten-track destination in Italy. A rural and charming area, Marche are the less known version of Tuscany. In 2018 the Macerata Opera Festival has on schedule the Traviata, The Magic Flute, and the The Elixir of Love. Do not miss the opportunity to enjoy some opera in one of Italy’s most typical regions.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of the Macerata Opera Festival
FESTIVAL | Locomotive Jazz Festival in Apulia
JULY AND AUGUST. EXACT DATES COMING SOON
Different areas, Apulia (Southern Italy)
Salento is the most charming area of Apulia and one of the most beautiful areas in southern Italy. Locomotive Jazz Festival in an itinerant event with artists from all over the world performing in the beautiful and picturesque villages of the Apulian countryside.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of the Locomotive Jazz Festival
GUIDED TOUR | Gran Sasso National Laboratory of Nuclear Physics
OPEN ALL YEAR
L’Aquila, Abruzzo (Central Italy)
Guided tours to the Gran Sasso National Laboratory (LNGS) of Nuclear Physics. One of the most important laboratories in the world for the study of astrophysics and particle physics, this laboratory is located in the stunning landscapes of the Gran Sasso National Park and it features one of the longest underground tunnels in the world.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of the Gran Sasso Laboratory
SPORT | Red Bull Cliff Diving
18 JULY 2021
Polignano a Mare, near Bari, Apulia (Southern Italy)
The Red Bull World Series of Cliff Diving makes it usual stop in Polignano a Mare, in the beautiful atmosphere of the Mediterranean Sea. The cliffs offer a breath-taking view of the location, with the élite of cliff divers challenging here every July.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series
EXHIBITION | Italian Garden and Superb American Art Collection at Villa Panza
OPEN ALL YEAR
Varese, near Milan, Lombardy (Northern Italy)
A majestic villa from the XVIII century with a superb Italian garden hosts one of the most prominent and important collections of American art in the world. Villa Panza, donated by Giuseppe and Giovanna Panza di Biumo to FAI (Fondo Ambiente Italiano) in 1996 hosts a permanent collection with works by Dan Flavin and James Turrell among others and several temporary exhibitions. This is a must-visit if in Milan. We strongly suggest having lunch at the villa’s restaurant facing the garden.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of Villa Panza
SPORT | Color Run Marathon
SUSPENDED
Lido di Camaiore – near Florence and Lucca, Tuscany (Central Italy)
Lignano Sabbiadoro – near Venice, Veneto (Northern Italy)
Probably one of the funniest run in the world. The Color Run is a worldwide event held every year in different cities of the world. A colorful and cheerful way to do sport. Start wearing a white t-shirt and be prepared to get all colored by the end of the track. Dance and celebrate with music at the arrival point. No worries, it’s not about winning and doing a good performance. It’s just about fun!
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of The Color Run
FESTIVAL | Santarcangelo Festival
8-18 JULY 2021
Santarcangelo – near Bologna, Emilia Romagna (Northern Italy)
A performing art festival, Santarcangelo is one of the most up to date events in Italy. It displays art shows that re-imagine the concept of space. A magic space where artists compare their idea of what is space, how they live it, and in which way they want to share it.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of Santarcangelo Festival
LOCAL FOLKLORE | Nativity Scenes in San Gregorio Armeno
OPEN ALL YEAR
Naples, Campania (Southern Italy)
Nativity scenes are a must in Catholic culture but when in Naples, this tradition changes from simple ritual to art. Neapolitan artisans have been making presepe (nativity scenes) for centuries. In the city area of San Gregorio Armeno there are hundred stalls selling the most original ones. It is no oddity to find a Nativity Scene where Neapolitan house-wives appear next to Jesus while cooking spaghetti or Italian Politician are found as main actors of these scenes. This is a must visit if in Naples.
> No tickets needed
FESTIVAL | Frac Festival for Contemporary Arts
JULY. EXACT DATES COMING SOON. STAY TUNED.
Vibo Valentia, Calabria (Southern Italy)
FRAC is a festival of research for contemporary arts in the stunning scenery of the Norman Castle in the village of Vibo Valentia. It stands as a meeting point between the contemporary arts, the new languages of the contemporary scene, and the territory, featuring visual and performing arts, and live audio, video, and electronic music shows by artists from all over the world.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of FRAC| Festival
FESTIVAL | Magna Graecia Film Festival
SWITCHED TO 1-8 AUGUST 2021.
Catanzaro, Calabria (Southern Italy)
Since thirteen years the Magna Graecia Film Festival has established itself as one of the most important cinema festival for first time directors in Italy. Founded by director Gianvito Casadonte with the help of legendary director Ettore Scola it is today a jewel in Calabria’s cultural scene.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of Magna Graecia Film Festival
FESTIVAL | Altrove Festival
USUALLY IN JULY –> SWITCHED TO 25-28 MARCH 2021
Catanzaro, Calabria (Southern Italy)
Altrove is a festival born in Calabria in 2014 and that promotes the abandoned areas of the city as art sceneries for artists. It pushes people to re-imagine degraded urban spaces until turned into beautiful contemporary art laboratories. Altrove is one of the most famous public and street art festivals in Italy.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of Altrove Festival
LOCAL FOOD | Red Onion Festival
JULY. EXACT DATES COMING SOON. STAY TUNED.
Ricadi – near Tropea, Calabria (Southern Italy)
One of the most famous ingredients of the Italian cuisine, red onions are originally from the picturesque and fancy beach village of Tropea, in southern Italy. Sweet, delicate, and crunchy, this particular onion is used in almost all Italian dishes. Fried, dipped into soups, with lobster dishes, or made into a delicious chutney, just try it during the Red Onion Festival in its original birthplace.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of Tropea’s Festivals
EXHIBITION | Anselm Kiefer at Hangar Bicocca
OPEN ALL YEAR
Milan, Lombardy (Northern Italy)
Since 25 September 2016 Pirelli Hangar Bicocca unveiled the new installation by German contemporary artist Anselm Kiefer. The new show is and expansion of The Seven Heavenly Palaces, a permanent work conceived as a site-specific project in 2004. Five large-format paintings are now on display together with Kiefer’s seven towers.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of Anselm Kiefer Installation
FESTIVAL | The Straw Hat Festival in Montappone
JULY. EXACT DATES COMING SOON. STAY TUNED.
Montappone, near Rome, Marche (Central Italy)
Mentioned also by The New York Times, Montappone is small rural village perched on the hills of the Marche region and famous for its straw hat artisan production. Tens of hat-makers have their workshops here, in this Medieval village. This tradition, which has made Montappone the most famous straw hat producing location in Europe, started together with harvesting of wheat, when farmers did not want to waste grain spikes and used them to make these hats.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of the Montappone Straw Hat Festival
FESTIVAL | The Metropolitan Jazz Festival of Bari
JULY AND AUGUST. EXACT DATES COMING SOON. STAY TUNED.
Bari, Alberobello, Matera, Polignano a Mare, near Bar, Apulia (Southern Italy)
Apulia is one of Italy’s most celebrated and charming regions. Blessed with a warm climate, olive trees, and one of the finest regional cuisines in the country, it is one of the best choices as a holiday destination. Every summer the cities of Apulia (and from last year also the UNESCO site of Matera) celebrate with concerts and international artists the jazz scene.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of the Bari Metropolitan Jazz Festival
FESTIVAL | Rocce Rosse Blues in Sardinia
22 JULY – 6 AUGUST 2021
Different areas, Sardinia (Central Italy)
Rocce Rosse Blues, namely Red Rocks Blues, is a music festival held annually near Arbatax, Sardinia. The name comes from the suggestive red rocks that face the clear waters of the Mediterranean Sea in Arbatax. Sardinia is no doubt the beach and sea destination par excellence in Italy: small bays, white and pink sandy beaches, red rocks, and crystal clear water. The festival usually hosts more than 150 different artists and it is held in more than 15 different locations.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of the Rocce Rosse Blues Festival
LOCAL FOLKLORE | Saint Rosalia Majestic Procession in Sicily
15 JULY 2021
Palermo, Sicily (Southern Italy)
This is probably Sicily’s most famous event and it attracts flocks of tourists from all over the world. Saint Rosalia is the patron of Palermo and she is celebrated almost as a Goddess. Local saints’ celebrations are something very peculiar to Italian culture. This particular festivity lasts 5 days and it ends with a spectacular march of the saint’s statue on a huge chariot and a firework show. The tradition dates to 1624, when the city was liberated from the plague.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website Saint Rosalia Procession
FESTIVAL | International Firedancing Festival
AUGUST. EXACT DATES COMING SOON. STAY TUNED.
Palermo and Stromboli Island, Sicily (Southern Italy)
Fire is a crucial element to Sicilian culture. This festival displays fire shows, fire acrobats, theatres, fire dancing, exhibitions, and performances of any kind. A huge event held between Palermo, Stromboli volcanic island, and other areas of the Mediterranean Sea, this festival speaks of the local culture.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of the Festival del Fuoco
FESTIVAL | Ancient Greek Theatre Festival of Siracusa
SUSPENDED
Siracusa, near Palermo, Sicily (Southern Italy)
Siracusa’s Greek Festival is one of the most important events of this kind in Italy. Greek plays are on display in the spectacular atmosphere of Siracusa’s Roman amphitheatre. Among these: Oedipus at Colonus and Euripides’ Heracles.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of the Greek Theatre Festival of Siracusa
DANCE | Mediterranean Dance Festival
VARIOUS DAYS IN JULY. EXACT DATES COMING SOON. STAY TUNED.
San Nicola Arcella, near Naples and Palermo, Calabria (Southern Italy)
The Mediterranean Dance Festival was conceived as a summer school for dancing passionates. The energy and powerful vibe of the Mediterranean culture bring teachers, pupils, and professional dancers into a unique atmosphere in the magic natural scenery of the beaches of San Nicola Arcella Village.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of Mediterranean Dance Festival
FESTIVAL | Unicorn Festival in Tuscany
SUSPENDED
Vinci, near Florence, Tuscany (Central Italy)
Welcome to the Unicorn Festival: one of the biggest Medieval and fantasy events in the country. Explore the Middle Ages on this occasion and enjoy the beautiful Tuscan countryside and cuisine. Vinci, a charming small village, was Leonardo da Vinci’s hometown. The town hosts a small museum dedicated to the legendary artist.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of the Unicorn Festival
FESTIVAL | Estate Fiesolana: the oldest multidisciplinary festival in Italy
26 JUNE – 6 AUGUST 2021
Fiesole, near Florence, Tuscany (Central Italy)
The Estate (Summer) Fiesolana is the oldest multidisciplinary festival in Italy. It dates back to 1911, when it took back for the first time in Italy to the stage Oedipus by Euripides. The programme schedule, in the historical atmosphere of the Roman amphitheatre, concerts, theatre plays, jazz, and dance. Fiesole is a charming little village just few minutes from Florence.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of the Estate Fiesolana
FESTIVAL | Puccini Opera Festival in Tuscany
23 JULY AND 6-13 AUGUST 2021
Torre del Lago, near Florence, Tuscany (Central Italy)
Giacomo Puccini is probably the most celebrated Italian opera composer in the world. There is no better occasion than exploring his music in his homeland. This beautiful part of Tuscany, between Lucca, Pisa, and Viareggio (on the Thyrrenian Sea) hosts every year a huge festival featuring his most famous operas. Listen to Madama Butterfly while sitting in the suggestive theatre that faces the Massaciuccoli lake.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of the Puccini Festival in Massaciuccoli
FESTIVAL | Effetto Venezia: One of Tuscany’s most famous festivals in Livorno
JULY. EXACT DATES COMING SOON. STAY TUNED.
Livorno, near Florence, Tuscany (Central Italy)
Venice, yes but in Tuscany. How come? Venice is the name of Livorno’s most ancient area, the only one not that was not bombed during World War 2. Livorno is one of the region’s most interesting cities. Not for its charming architecture maybe, but surely for its inhabitants, famous all over the country for their wit. Effetto Venezia (Venice’s Effect) ia a five days festival held every summer that features concerts, food stalls, and cultural events.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of Effetto Venezia Festival
MUSIC | Suoni delle Dolomiti is a High Altitude Music Festival on the Dolomites
JULY-AUGUST. EXACT DATES COMING SOON. STAY TUNED.
Different areas on the Dolomites, near Trento, Trentino Alto Adige (Northern Italy)
Ever dreamt of listening to a trumpet or a violin overture at sunrise on top of a glacier? The Dolomites’ Sounds is one of the most charming and breathtaking events in Italy. It consists of a two month long summer festival featuring music concerts on top of the mountains.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of I Suoni delle Dolomiti
MUSIC | Umbria Jazz Festival
9-18 JULY 2021
Perugia, near Rome, Umbria (Central Italy)
Umbria Jazz is the most famous Italian jazz festival. Umbria is a region not as famous as Tuscany, yet as beautiful as that. Just less known. This is a great opportunity to discover one of Italy’s gems, the town of Perugia and Umbria, and to listen to some of the most famous jazz artists in the world.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of Umbria Jazz Festival
NATURE | The Flowering of the Plateau of Castelluccio di Norcia
JULY-AUGUST
Castelluccio di Norcia, near Rome and Florence, Umbria (Central Italy)
It’s one of the most charming nature events in the country. The flowering of the plateau of Castelluccio di Norcia, a stone’s throw from Assisi, happens during spring and summer when a huge field of lgentianellas, daffodils, violets, poppies, buttercups, daffodils, purple eugeniae, clovers, shamrocks and much more blossom of thousand colours. It is one of the most secluded places in the country. A Trip here is also a great opportunity to taste a plate of Castelluccio’s delicious lentils, the most famous in the world.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of The Flowering of the Plateau of Castellucio
SPORT | Outdoor Festival in the Alps
JULY. EXACT DATES COMING SOON. STAY TUNED.
Cervinia, near Milan, Aosta Valley (Northern Italy)
Three days of outdoor activities in the mountains in the small village of Cervinia, in the Alps, one of the most famous ski destinations in Italy. Mountain climbing, trekking, mountain bike trails, free ride, slackline, nordic walking, yoga, golf, paragliding, summer ski on Plateau Rosà glacier, and much more. For the most passionate, there will be a base camp with tents at 3,317 mt. A charming opportunity to sleep under the stars.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of Cervinia Outdoor Festival
SPORT | Matterhorn Cervino X Trail
EARLY JULY. EXACT DATES COMING SOON. STAY TUNED.
Cervinia, near Milan, Aosta Valley (Northern Italy)
The Matternhorn/Cervino X trail is one of the most famous mountain runs in the world. The Matterhorn, or Cervino, is a 4478mt high mountain, and one of the most difficult to climb. Cervinia is a mountain village built in the 1930s and among the top ski destinations in Europe. Two days of extreme running competition plunged in the stunning Alpine scenery.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of Matterhorn Cervino X Trail
FESTIVAL | Celtic Festival in the Aosta Valley
EARLY JULY. EXACT DATES COMING SOON STAY TUNED.
Different areas, Aosta Valley (Northern Italy)
A weekend dedicated to the celebration of Celtic culture, especially dance and music. The International Festival of Celtic Art and Music originated in 1997 in the Veny Valley (near Courmayeur, one of Italy’s top ski destinations). Today, it schedules concerts at the Bard Fortress, Morgex, Brusson, and Chamonix Mont Blanc.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of the International Celtic Festival
SPORT | Cervinia Maxi Avalanche
SUSPENDED
Cervinia, near Milan, Aosta Valley (Northern Italy)
A huge event for mountain and mountain bike passionate. Maxiavalanche is a downhill marathon that takes place on a 1500mt drop descent in the Alps. An incredible event in the suggestive atmosphere of one of Italy’s top sports destinations: Cervinia.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of the Maxi Avalanche
