A Medieval Festival in Bevagna

  June is a magical month at Genius Loci:  we are surrounded by endless fields of stately, majestic sunflowers, the days are long with balmy evenings…and just down the road, Bevagna is alive and abuzz with one of Italy’s most highly acclaimed and marvelous festivals.  Il Mercato delle Gaite runs for 10 days in the second half of June.

smiling sunflowers welcoming us back

This period is a wonderful time to visit Umbria.  Book your stay today at Genius Loci and let us help you with the information you need to get the most enjoyment out of this magnificent festival.

2274ME

adorable youngsters – look at those shoes!

10489931_10203683045750525_781711798726795700_n

the blacksmith

1854ME

silk thread

2087ME

wool dyeing with all natural herbs

2385ME

a woman in the procession

             a huge thank you to guest/friend Julie Thomas for her amazing photos above

Italy is famous for its festivals.  They were originally organized in small towns, by the local people who all participated in one way or another to keep expenses to a minimum, devolving the profit either to a charity or to the needs of their own town or village.

Over the years, many of these once local festivals began to outsource the work to national cooperatives that send in a team.  As you can imagine, this utterly changes the spirit and atmosphere of the festivals.  Maurizio and I have been to some of these outsourced festivals and much to our dismay, they were entirely different, less coherent and much less enjoyable:  the towns had “sold their souls”.

Luckily Bevagna continues true to itself.  Year after year it is awarded its due recognition as one of the Top 10 Festivals in Italy.  It meets and exceeds the basic criteria for this award – that an historic committee approve the authenticity, that the medieval culinary traditions be strictly respected…and above all, that a high percentage of local residents be involved in myriad ways.  Bevagna has one of the highest percentages, in fact, of local participation of all the top-rated festivals.

Its soul is intact, as are all those of the magnificent Umbrian towns.  The towns are just as well-known for what they have not become as for what they are.  

Each June, the locals don medieval garb as they go about the Festival activities.   Each quarter – gaita – creates a tavern where dishes are prepared exclusively from documented medieval recipes.  The four gaite compete intensely in horse races, archery, processions, medieval street music, banquets, workshops and tavern menus.  

Artisan workshops are recreated, welcoming visitors with demonstrations and explanations.  While all the workshops are interesting and worth visiting, we find the paper-making, candle-making from local beeswax, cloth dyeing from local herbs,  silk weaving process (complete from raising the silk worms to spinning the thread),  blacksmith, basket weaving and thatching using local river reeds truly remarkable. 

These finished products are exhibited and sold on “market days” .

Bevagna delle Gaite

 one of the typical street markets

Candle makers

 the pure beeswax candle-making workshop

A weaver working on an antique loom

 the silk weaving on antique looms workshop

Street vendors

 the ceramic market

P1140747

 flat bread and local acorn-fed pork sausages

P1000965

evening processions and pageantry in the town square

P1140710

beautiful Bevagna – one of the rare flat Umbrian towns

Won’t you join us in June for this amazing Medieval Gaite Festival in Bevagna?

MORE STORIES

OUR ROOMS

Our Classic Doubles

The Classic Doubles are normally-sized, beautifully-appointed and furnished and feature lovely lateral views of the surrounding countryside.

Learn More

Our Deluxe Doubles

The Deluxe Doubles are extra-spacious, beautifully-appointed and furnished, suite-like rooms with magnificent, sweeping views and comfortable sitting areas.

Learn More

Our Apartment

This self-catering apartment is available with or without daily breakfast at the Inn and every-fourth-day housekeeping services.

Learn More

TOURS & TASTINGS

Discover all that Genius Loci has to offer.

Learn More
Go to Top