Which are the best events happening in October in Italy? Find here the complete list selected by Where Milan. The very best of events in Milan, Rome, Florence, Venice, Sicily, Naples, the Alps and more. Find out where in Italy your events take place and use our personalized map at the end of this page.
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SPORT | Barcolana Regatta in Trieste
1-10 OCTOBER 2021
Trieste, near Venice, Friuli Venezia Giulia (Northern Italy)
A perfect occasion to visit the beautiful city of Triste, La Barcolana is one of Italy’s most famous sailing events. It happens every autumn, a stone’s throw from Venice, and it gathers more than 2,000 sailing boats and 300,000 spectators. Hundreds of events. Barcolana is a festival worth to visit and to attend.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of the Barcolana Regatta
FAIR | Truffle Fair at Acqualagna
23-31 OCTOBER 2021
Acqualagna, near Rome, Marche (Central Italy)
When we think of truffle we tend to think of the Piedmont region and Alba. Few people know that two-thirds of the Italian truffle production comes from this village in the Marche region: Acqualagna. Every last week of October, the village celebrates its most acclaimed product: the truffle. Plunged into the beautiful and charming countryside of Pesaro and Urbino, Acqualagna is an off-the-beaten-track jewel.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of the Acqualagna Truffle Fair
FESTIVAL | Wired Next Fest Technology Festival
13 OCTOBER 2021
Florence, Tuscany (Central Italy)
Three days dedicated to science and technology by one of the coolest magazines around. Wired Fest celebrates innovation in economy, science, politics, entertainment, and culture. More than 150 conferences, art performances, 3D print and drone workshops, gaming sessions, film and documentary screenings, coding marathons and much more.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of Wired Next Fest
FAIR | The White Truffle of Alba Fair
9 OCTOBER – 5 DECEMBER (ON WEEKENDS) 2021
Alba, near Turin and Milan, Piedmont (Northern Italy)
Alba is a small village in the Piedmont region famous worldwide for its unique and delicious white truffle: one of the most expensive ingredients in the world. Every autumn it holds a big international fair dedicated to this fungus that only grows wild and escapes every method of cultivation. A unique opportunity to taste it, maybe grated on eggs or with truffle topped fresh pasta.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of Alba International Fair of White Truffle
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
MUSIC | Opera Season at La Fenice Theatre in Venice
NOVEMBER TO OCTOBER 2021
Venice, Veneto (Northern Italy)
One of Venice’s landmarks and main attractions, Teatro la Fenice offers its guests an interesting 2021-2022 season featuring a meld of opera, performances, dance and a fascinating symphonic season. The Barber of Seville, La Boeme, 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
LOCAL FOLKLORE | The Biggest Halloween Celebration in Italy
31 OCTOBER 2021
Corinaldo, near Rome, Marche (Central Italy)
There’s no particular reason why but the fact is that Corinald’s Halloween is the most famous one in Italy. During the night of 31st October the alleys of this tiny village of the region March fills with witches, masquerades, fire show, and much more.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of Corinaldo’s Halloween
See also: Halloween in Milan
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
SPORTS | Historical Sailing Boat Gathering in Tuscany
17-19 OCTOBER 2021
Viareggio – near Florence, Tuscany (Central Italy)
The Historical Sailing Boat Gathering (Raduno Vele Storiche di Viareggio) takes place in Viareggio once a year and it is an excellent opportunity to see some of the most fascinating historical vessels in the country dating from the 20th century to the 1970s.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of the Historical Sailing Boat Gathering of Viareggio
SPORT | Deejay Ten Marathon Milan
OCTOBER (TO BE CONFIRMED)
Milan, Lombardy (Northern Italy)
One of the most famous marathons held annually, Deejay Ten is organised by radio station Radio Deejay and Italian dj Linus. The motto is “run like a deejay”: thousands of people wear the iconic orange t-shirt and rush across the city for a non-competitive run.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of Deejay Ten Marathon
FESTIVAL | Trieste Coffee Festival
ESTIMATED DATES 22-24 OCTOBER 2021
Trieste – near Venice, Friuli Venezia Giulia (Northern Italy)
A festival dedicated to the art of coffee held in Trieste, Italy’s biggest frontier city with the East. An event that shows how Italians drink, cherish, and share not only their cup of coffee but also the myth of it.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of Trieste Coffee Festival
FESTIVAL | Vie Festival
(TO BE CONFIRMED)
Bologna, Modena, and nearby area, Emilia Romagna (Northern Italy)
Vie Festival is a festival that celebrates contemporary and performing arts. It is hosted in different cities across the region and it brings on the stage some of the most famous contemporary artists and performers from all over the world: Thierry Salmon, Lev Dodin, Philip Glass, Robert Wilson, and Peter Stein are just some of the names.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of Vie Festival
FESTIVAL | Giuseppe Verdi Opera Festival
(TO BE CONFIRMED)
Parma – near Milan and Bologna, Emilia Romagna (Northern Italy)
The small and charming little town of Parma has been the birthplace of legendary Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi. Every year the Regio Teatro hosts a festival that celebrates the most famous operas by this artist. Nabucco, Traviata, Aida, Rigoletto are just some of them. Enjoy the opera in the stunning atmosphere of a beautiful town of Northern Italy. Parma is also known for delicious food!
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of Festival Giuseppe Verdi
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
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 | Clown Festival near Macerata
(TO BE CONFIRMED)
Monte San Giusto, near Macerata and Rome, Marche (Central Italy)
Shows, plays, exhibitions, workshops, and conferences are the centre of this events of clownerie and clown-therapy. Tens of clowns fill the charming village of Monte san Giusto making of it the “city of smiles”. Clown&Clown is an important event both for those who just want to laugh and for those who think of clownerie as an alternative therapy method. Located in the centre of Italy, the village of Monte San Giusto is just one of the charming tiny villages worth seeing in this region.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of Clown&Clown Festival
MUSIC | Opera Season in Florence at Maggio Musicale
OCTOBER TO MARCH
Florence, Tuscany (Central Italy)
The Maggio Musicale Fiorentino is an annual arts festival held in Florence and that includes a very important opera festival. Giuseppe Verdi’s Traviata, George Bizet’s Carmen, Mozart’s and Shostakovich’s concerts are just some of the events on the schedule.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of Maggio Fiorentino Festival
FESTIVAL | Lucca Comics Fair in Tuscany
(TO BE CONFIRMED)
Lucca, near Florence, Tuscany (Central Italy)
The Lucca International Fair of Comics & Games is the second most important in the world after Tokyo’s one, and the biggest in Europe. It is an annual comic book and gaming convention held every year between the end of October and the beginning of November. A particular occasion to explore one of Tuscany’s most beautiful cities.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of Lucca Comics & Games
FOOD | Cesena Street Food Festival
1-3 OCTOBER 2021
Cesena, near Bologna, Emilia Romagna (Northern Italy)
Carlo Petrini, president of Slow Food, named Cesena, a beautiful town in the Emilia Romagna region, the “street food capital”. Emilia Romagna, together with Piedmont and Tuscany, is Italy’s most famous region for its cuisine. Every October the city celebrates international, national, and regional street food with a big festival. Worth trying the “piadina with crescione”, the region’s legendary delicatessen: flatbread made of flour, lard or olive oil, cooked in terracotta and filled with creamy cheese and prosciutto.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of Cesena Street Food Festival
FAIR | Eurochocolate in Umbria
15-24 OCTOBER 2021
Perugia, near Rome, Umbria (Central Italy)
Eurochocolate is the International Chocolate Exhibition of Europe, dedicated to people’s passion for the sweet flavor of cocoa; entrance and all activities are free. Each year, the Eurochocolate Festival is held in the city of Perugia’s historic squares in central Italy. Since 1993, this event has been recognized as one of the largest chocolate festivals in all of Europe. The event will allow individuals to discover the different flavors of chocolate from cultures around the world.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of Perugia Eurochocolate Fair
