It’s no exaggeration to say that Italians live for sagre. Our in-house experts are here to explain what a sagra is and which Tuscan autumn events deserve a place on your calendar, with some advice on enjoying them as much as locals do.
Italy’s food festivals run nearly year-round but autumn is the busiest season. Chestnuts, white truffles and the new wine all arrive within a few weeks of each other. From late September the posters start going up on village walls and roadside boards: sagra della castagna, festa dell’uva, sagra del cinghiale, mostra mercato del tartufo. Many of these events also include a historic parade or a contest between the town’s quarters, and some have run for ages.
What is a Sagra?
A sagra is a village food festival, run by volunteers and built around one local product.
A sagra celebrates a single ingredient or dish, usually the one the area is known for. In the Apennine villages it is chestnuts. Elsewhere it might be porcini, wild boar or tortelli. Most sagre are organized by the local Pro Loco, the volunteer association that promotes each town, or by the parish or the local sports club. Residents do the cooking, the tables are long and shared, and the money raised usually goes back into the town.
The format is consistent. You line up at the cassa, pay for your dishes and take your ticket to the serving window. Paper tablecloths and a carafe of house wine are standard. Entry is almost always free and you pay only for what you eat, but bring some cash, because not every stand takes cards. A festa is usually a broader celebration. A mostra mercato is a larger fair where producers sell directly to visitors.
Ready to learn more about standout local festivals in Tuscany?
Grapes and Parade Floats in Impruneta
On the last Sunday of September, Impruneta’s four quarters parade floats they have built over months.
Impruneta, a short drive south of Florence and long known for its terracotta, has held its Festa dell’Uva since the 1920s. On the last Sunday of September the four rioni, Fornaci, Pallò, Sant’Antonio and Sante Marie, compete in Piazza Buondelmonti with large allegorical floats, costumed performers and staged choreography. The 2026 parade, on September 27, was the hundredth edition.
The parade lasts one afternoon, but the work behind it fills the whole of September. Hundreds of residents spend their evenings in the quarters’ workshops and sewing rooms. This is what sets the best Tuscan festivals apart: the town is doing it for itself, and visitors are welcome to watch.
Chestnut Sundays in Marradi
Every Sunday in October, Marradi fills its old center with chestnut stalls and vintage trains ferry in visitors.
Marradi sits in the Apennines northeast of Florence, on the Faentina railway line to Faenza. Its Sagra delle Castagne, also called the Mostra Mercato del Marron Buono, takes over the historic center on every Sunday in October. The star is the local marrone, part of the Marrone del Mugello IGP. You will find it in chestnut tortelli, in castagnaccio and as roast chestnuts eaten straight from the paper cone.
The train is the easier way to get there. The road over the pass is all curves, and parking in the village fills up early. On festival Sundays, historic trains, sometimes pulled by a steam locomotive, run from Tuscany and from Romagna. Seats are limited and must be booked well ahead. Other chestnut festivals follow the same October rhythm, from nearby Palazzuolo sul Senio to the villages of Monte Amiata, whose chestnut also carries IGP status.
Archers and Brunello in Montalcino
On the last weekend of October, Montalcino’s quarters meet in an archery tournament beneath the fortress.
The Sagra del Tordo has been held on the last Sunday of October since the late 1950s. A procession of about 150 figures, in costumes modeled on the late fourteenth and early fifteenth centuries, winds through the town. In the afternoon, archers from the four quarters, Borghetto, Pianello, Ruga and Travaglio, compete on a field below the medieval fortress.
Each quarter runs its own food stand, serving dishes such as pici and pappardelle al cinghiale with Montalcino wine. In recent years a historic train has run from Siena on the festival Sunday, with a bus connection up to the town.
White Truffles in San Miniato
The last three weekends of November belong to the white truffle.
San Miniato, a hill town between Florence and Pisa, hosts the Mostra Mercato Nazionale del Tartufo Bianco over the last three weekends of November. Truffle producers set up in the piazzas of the old town, alongside stands selling local wine, olive oil, cheese and cured meats. The historic center is closed to private cars during the fair, and a shuttle bus runs up from the lower town. Truffle hunting and extraction in Italy has been on UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage since 2021.
If you want a longer season, Piedmont’s Fiera Internazionale del Tartufo Bianco d’Alba runs on weekends from October into early December.
Standout Autumn Sagre at a Glance
Most events follow a fixed rule, such as a particular Sunday of the month, rather than a fixed date.
| Festival | Where | When | What to Expect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Festa dell’Uva | Impruneta (Florence) | Last Sunday of September | Float parade and contest between four quarters |
| Sagra delle Castagne | Marradi (Florence) | Every Sunday in October | Marron Buono, chestnut dishes, historic trains |
| Sagra del Tordo | Montalcino (Siena) | Last weekend of October | Costume procession and archery tournament |
| Mostra Mercato Nazionale del Tartufo Bianco | San Miniato (Pisa) | Last three weekends of November | White truffle market with local wine and oil |
| Fiera Internazionale del Tartufo Bianco | Alba (Piedmont) | Weekends, October to early December | Truffle market, tastings and events |
If you are thinking about moving to a Tuscan town where these festivals mark the calendar, our team can help with the visa, residence and property side of the move.
Planning Next Year’s Fun?
Some of Tuscany’s historic celebrations are worth planning months in advance.
Siena runs its Palio on July 2 and August 16. Arezzo cheers its Giostra del Saracino twice a year, in June and on the first Sunday of September. Elaborate street festivals accompany these events.
In Florence, the Scoppio del Carro fills Piazza del Duomo on Easter Sunday. The calcio storico matches take place in June, with the final on June 24 for San Giovanni. On the evening of September 7, children carry paper lanterns through the city for the Rificolona.
If you would like to talk through a move to Tuscany by email before booking a call, write to us.
Wants to Enjoy a Sagra Like a Regular?
Check the program the week before, arrive early and share a table.
Programs change every year. Smaller sagre often confirm their dates only a few weeks ahead, on posters, on the Pro Loco’s social media pages or on the comune’s website. On Sundays, arrive before the lunch rush or be ready to wait in line. Bring a friend or two, or make some new ones while tasting new delicacies!
Sagre are family events. Children run between the tables, and grandparents know which dish to order. Sitting next to strangers is normal and a good way to practice your Italian. For newcomers, the local festa is also one of the easiest ways to meet the neighbors. Offer to help the following year, even if the job is washing dishes, and people will start to recognize you in the piazza.
Know someone planning a fall weekend in Tuscany? Share this article with them. The right Sunday can turn a village visit into the best meal of the trip.
This briefing is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Please contact us for advice specific to your situation.
Article last reviewed 22 September 2026.
