AROUND ITALY WITH MARTINA
AROUND ITALY WITH MARTINA
Ten reasons to join ‘Volterra 1398 AD’: much more than a medieval festival
The second and third Sunday of August, in the oldest city of Tuscany, you have the opportunity to make a unique experience: the town centre and the Archeological Park of Volterra are set as it was in 1398 A.D.
Weather you are a single travellers, a couple, a family with children or a group of friends, there are ten reasons you can really enjoy the medieval atmosphere that it is brought back to life from morning to nightfall:
- As if by magic, all of your senses are fulfilled with music, performances, medieval food and drinks, while surrounded by tradesmen, artisans, musicians, jugglers, jesters, paesants, farmers and nobles.
2. Children can experience different activities, from carpentry, archery and crossbow shooting to carding wool and weaving, to painting and playing medieval games!
3. Visitors, both adults and children, may attend falconry shows, jugglers and musicians performances.
4. You may enjoy delicious Km0 food and drinks or typical medieval dishes -like the spicy wine, ‘Ippocrasso’, and the fresh ‘schiacciata’ bread baked in the wood oven and available as it is, plane, or with different toppings, like rosmary, fresh grapes, lardo (porch fat) and woulnuts +honey
5. The ‘Grosso’ money fromVolterra is the only currency that circulates at “Volterra 1398 A.D. festival”. Crafts, food and wine may only be purchased with this currency which is available at “The old Exchange office”. One Grosso, copper coin, corresponds to 1,00 euros; Five Grossi, gold coin, corresponds to 5,00 euros
6. You may hire a medieval costume at diffent hiring spots. I did once and it was fun!
7. You may decide to visit one of the oldest museums in Europe – it was created in 1761- and one of the most important Etruscan museums in Italy, the Guarnacci Museum.
8. You also have the opportunity to discover the ‘white gold’ of Volterra, that is alabaster stone, and visit some of the exclusive alabaster workshops running in the historic centre and hosted in original medieval buildings!
9. This historical re-enactment is enjoyable for people of all ages!
I was at Volterra 1398 AD festival several times: first like a couple; then with my brother and sister in-low and their cute baby girls; this year as the mum of Dario, a very curious and active five years old boy: everytime it was a truly authentic and delightful local experience!
10. You may consider to join a private tour of Volterra with me. I will be happy to customize it to your interests and needs. Fell free to contact me for more details!