Santana, Verdi & Pinocchio

Umbria and southern Tuscany offer a wide variety of world renowned arts festivals, plus a large variety of smaller but very atmospheric events. Here a selection of this years highlights:

Umbria Jazz: Early July

The traditional festival promises music at the highest level. Tickets for the great gigs (Herbie Hancock, Santana, Sting, Miles Davis to name some of last years´top acts) need to be purchased well in advance. Uncountable events take place in the streets and clubs of Perugia giving the city an incredible international flair.

Umbria Film Festival: Second week of July

Takes place in Montone, on the piazza! Program follows soon. As Terry Gilliam describes the event:

“Floating high above an etemal landscape, in the heart of a dark stone town, images from the Adventures of Baron Munchausen tumble across a giant screen which towers over a small moonlit square. While children play, people sitting at tables or chairs arranged as an alfresco cinema, chat, talk, watch – captured by the film. Others prefer to escape – to the safety of the local café. But, there is no escape. A light shines from behind the bar. It hurIs the shadows of the drinkers back across the square and onto the screen. There they blend with the characters of my film in a dance of reality and fantasy that remains forever imprinted on my memory. The Montone Umbria film festival can do things like that to you – it is a magical event. l’m proud to be a small part of it.”

Spoleto Festival / Festival dei due Mondi: End of June

Figuratevi: End of August

The International Festival of Animated Figures is in Perugia, Italy, and tries to get kids from all over the world to come and participate in all the workshops, fun, and games, music shows for kids, and so much more. Well worth a visit!