Pisa, Italy

Pisa Events, Italy

San Ranieri Historical Regatta - 17th June
Pisa celebrates its patron saint in a regatta with each boat containing eight oarsmen representing the four areas of the city: San Martino, Sant'Antonio, Santa Maria and San Francesco. The competition is held on the Arno along an upstream stretch of 2 km. The night before, the famous Luminara is held in which thousands of candles are hung from the buildings by creating a spectacle of rare beauty. Thousands of locals crowd along the Arno to see the fireworks at midnight.

Gioco del Ponte
The last Sunday of June sees the renewal of the challenge between the two banks of the Arno: Tramontana and Mezzogiorno. On Mezzo Bridge, the 6 teams from each hamlet challenge each other by pushing a heavy, 70 ton cart on a 50 meter rail over its opponent’s line.

Boat Race of the Maritime Republics - September
Since 1955 this rowing race commemorates the ancient rivalry between the marine cities of Medieval times which dominated the Mediterranean: Amalfi, Pisa, Genoa and Venice. The boats are identical with eight oarsmen each. They only differ in color and emblems. The race takes place each year in one of the four cities.

International Festival of Sacred Music
Piazza dei Miracoli, September through October. The International Festival of Holy Music takes place in the cathedral and is the most important event of its kind in Italy. It presents important compositions in holy music performed by the best Italian and international symphonies and choirs.

Volterra A.D. 1398 - last week of August
A unique occasion to immerse oneself in the magical atmosphere of the Medieval, in one of the most beautiful towns in Tuscany: Volterra. The best manifestation is the “Giornata di Festa nell’Anno Domini 1398”: from dawn till dusk the historic center is reconstructed to appear as the medieval city in 1398 with markets, craftsmen, musicians, jewelers, commoners and nobles.