Which are the best events happening in September 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.
> Scroll down to search for accommodation with Booking.com
FAIR | Milan’s Women Fashion Week
21-27 SEPTEMBER 2021
Milan, Lombardy (Northern Italy)
It’s the world’s most famous fashion event: Milan’s Women Fashion Week is the gathering moment par excellence for all the most famous fashion designers as well as for the young emerging ones. A week of fashion shows, parties, events, conferences. Milan turns into the centre of the world. Autumn and spring are the best moments to visit Sicily, when the heat cools down a bit and the colours are at their best.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of Milan’s Women Fashion Week
SPORT | Formula One in Monza
10-12 SEPTEMBER 2021
Monza, near Milan, Lombardy (Northern Italy)
The race track of Autodromo Nazionale Monza is located near Milan, the world’s third purpose-built motor racing circuit after Brooklands and Indianapolis and it is set in the Royal Villa of Monza woodland park. On 2 September Formula One category runs in this historic circuit.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of the Autodromo of Monza
LOCAL FOLKLORE | The Palio of Asti, a Medieval bareback horse race
SEPTEMBER
Asti, near Turin and Milan, Piedmont (Northern Italy)
Together with the Palio of Siena and that of Arezzo, the Palio of Asti is one of the most famous in the country. A traditional Italian festival of Medieval origin, the Palio consists of a bareback horse race where different areas of the village race one against the other. These kind of festivities are very important to Italian culture, dating back to centuries ago and still crucial to its local culture. A charming and exciting event, watching the Palio on the first Sunday of September can also be an occasion to wander the town in search for the region’s mouth watering recipies. The piedmont cuisine is one of the most famous in the country.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of the Palio of Asti
FESTIVAL | Wired Next Fest Technology Festival
30 SEPTEMBER – 1 OCTOBER
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
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
FAIR | Cheese in Bra is the world event for cheese lovers
20-23 SEPTEMBER 2021
Bra, near Turin and Milan, Piedmont (Northern Italy)
This is something you don’t want to miss if you want to get deep into Italian culture. Cheese is the most famous cheese fair in the world. Have you ever had extra-virgin olive oil with Tuscany goat cheese? The best national and international cheese producers gather here from all over the world to expose their mouth-watering products. Promoted by Slow Food, this fair is an unmissable opportunity for the weekend.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of Cheese at Bra
FOOD | Delicious Anchovies Festival in 5 Terre
SEPTEMBER
Monterosso, near Genova and Milan, Liguria (Northern Italy)
Cinque Terre is a must-visit if in Italy. Five small villages perched on the rocks and facing the picturesque gulfs of the Mediterranean sea with lemon trees bending into the water. On the first days of September, the village of Monterosso hosts a unique festival dedicated to one of the most famous ingredients of the local cuisine: the anchovy. Taste the delicious “pan do ma” (bread of the sea) topped with anchovies, oil, garlic, and a pinch of oregano.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of Monterosso
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 | Suoni dal Golfo: a Music Festival at 5 Terre
AUGUST – SEPTEMBER
Cinque Terre, near Milan and Genova (Northern Italy)
This is probably one of the most unique and magic occasions to visit legendary destination Cinque Terre. A music festival held in the villages surrounding the Gulf of the Poets, a place that has inspired artists such as Shelley, Byron, and Wagner. The concerts are held in breathtaking locations such as Tellaro and Lerici, with the final show performed on a floating platform in the sea. Do not miss it.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of the Suoni dal Golfo Festival
FAIR | Genova International Boat Show
22-25 SEPTEMBER
Genova, near Milan and Cinque Terre, Liguria (Northern Italy)
Genova’s Boat Show is the biggest boat fair in the Mediterranean Sea. With brands such as Riva, Swan, and many others it represents a benchmark in the field. This is a unique occasion to visit the Genova, a beautiful, charming, and off-the-beaten-track example of a Mediterranea city, and understand its bond with the sea. Take the opportunity to taste the region’s delicious cuisine with bruschette, focaccia, and hand-made trofie with pesto.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of the Boat Show
LOCAL FOLKLORE | Kite Festival in Urbino
SEPTEMBER
Urbino, near Rome and Florence, Marche (Central Italy)
Hundreds of coloured home-made kites fly over the castled town of Urbino, in the Marche region. Every September the city celebrates flying kites to remember a famous poem by Italian poet Giovanni Pascoli: The Kite. A charming opportunity to enjoy one of the most fascinating regions in the country and visit the historical Urbino, heart of Italian Renaissance painting.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of the Kite Festival of Urbino
EXHIBITION | Grotesque process
OPEN ALL YEAR
Milan, Lombardy (Northern Italy)
In 2006, in order to realize the photographic work Grotto, Thomas Demand, commissioned by Fondazione Prada, used a postcard as his starting point in recreating a grotto located on the island Maiorca. Employing 30 tons of grey cardboard, shaped with the help of a computer and laid out to form a stratification with 900,000 sections, the artist recreated the rock chamber, stalactites and stalagmites displayed on the postcard in order to photograph the work.
> Additional info and tickets Grotesque Process Official Website
MUSIC | Opera Season at La Fenice Theatre in Venice
NOVEMBER TO OCTOBER
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 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
EXHIBITION | Emperor Trajan: Building the Empire and Creating Europe
UNTIL 16 SEPTEMBER
Rome, Lazio (Central Italy)
An exhibition held in the suggestive atmosphere of the Trajan’s Market celebrates the Roman prince that brought the Empire to its maximum splendour. What is the meaning of building an empire? Which is the relation between the Roman Empire and today’s Europe? Politics, economics, welfare, and militaristic conquests are the founding stone of a good and healthy statesmanship.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of the Exhibition at the Trajan’s Markets
FAIR | Modena Motorgallery
22-23 SEPTEMBER
Modena – near Milan and Bologna, Emilia Romagna (Northern Italy)
A huge event displaying the best of vintage and classic car exhibit and auctions. Two days for car passionate to explore the best of Italian and international design in the heart of Ferrari’s historical birthplace.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of Modena Motorgallery
FESTIVAL | Clown Festival near Macerata
30 SEPTEMBER – 7 OCTOBER
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
SPORT | Color Run Marathon
SEPTEMBER
Turin, Piedmont (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 | Tutti Matti per Colorno Circus and Street Art Festival
SEPTEMBER
Colorno – near Parma, Milan, and Bologna, Emilia Romagna (Northern Italy)
A unique circus and street art festival held nearby Parma in the majestic location of the Royal Palace. Some of the best clowns, acrobats, musicians, and street artists from Italy, France, United States, Netherlands, Japan, and Spain.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of Tutti Matti Per Colorno
FESTIVAL | Cirque Bidon
SEPTEMBER
Different cities, Emilia Romagna (Northern Italy)
Circus lovers, this is something you will not expect. If you’re used to traditional circus this event will blow your mind. Cirque Bidon is a nomad circus idea that goes back to the 70s. The visionary and surreal caravan of Francois Bidon travels across Italy to bring its 16 artists, 10 horses, and a henhouse. Artists, clowns, acrobats create an antithetic idea od circus build upon human values and poetry.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of Cirque Bidon
FESTIVAL | Giuseppe Verdi Opera Festival
27 SEPTEMBER – 21 OCTOBER
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 | Dan Flavin neons at Chiesa Rossa
OPEN ALL YEAR
Milan, Lombardy (Northern Italy)
A site-specific artwork and installation designed by American artist Dan Flavin following an invitation, in 1996, from Italian priest Giulio Greco. This artwork is the central element of the Santa Maria Annunciata in Chiesa Rossa Church in Milan, part of a project realized by Fondazione Prada. Enter the nave of this 1930s church to visit Untitled: green, pink, gold, ultraviolet, and blue sources of illumination permeate the sacred atmosphere of this temple.
> Additional info and tickets Dan Flavin’s Official Website at Chiesa Rossa Church
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
LOCAL FOLKLORE | The Saracen Joust
2 SEPTEMBER
Arezzo, near Florence, Tuscany (Central Italy)
The Saracen Joust of Arezzo is an ancient game of chivalry that dates back to the Middle Ages. It is somehow similar to the Palio of Siena (the bareback horse-race held in August) and it was born as an exercise for military training. The tournament became the most important tradition in the city and it is held twice a year in June and September.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of the Saracen Joust
SPORT | Tor des Geants: the most difficult ultra trail in the world
11-13 SEPTEMBER
Gressoney, near Milan, Aosta Valley (Northern Italy)
More than 300 kilometress running in the Alps. This is the Tor des Geants (The Giants Tour – in the local dialect): a trail of more than 24,000 altitude and 150 hours to complete it. The trail runs accross the most famous and beautiful higher than 4,000 meters Alps in the region.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of the Tor des Geants
ART | The Great Cretto: Land Art in Sicily
ALL YEAR LONG
Gibellina, near Palermo, Sicily (Southern Italy)
The Great Cretto is one of the world’s most famous site-specific works of land art. It was created in 1984 by Italian artist Alberto Burri to celebrate and remember the village of Gibellina which was erased from the face of the world during the Belice earthquake of 1968.
FOOD | Gorgonzola Cheese Festival near Milan
SEPTEMBER
Gorgonzola, near Milan, Lombardy (Northern Italy)
Everyone knows mozzarella. However, few know gorgonzola, the most famous Italian cheese from the north. A creamy, molded cheese to eat with polenta, bread, or risotto. It’s a real delicatessen. The cheese was named after the Gorgonzola village, not far from Milan. Today, this village annually hosts a festival dedicated to this superb ingredient.
> Additional info and tickets Official Website of the Gorgonzola Cheese Festival
