Events

Set amongst the mining areas of the Maremma, Gavorrano is beautiful town that annually hosts important and significant cultural and artistic events worthy of being appreciated and experienced in all of their charm and particularity.

Here is a list of some of the best of these events, in chronological order:

April:

-“Mediterranea” (Mediterranean): great concerts and musical shows at Gavorrano.

July:

-“Festa del Cane” (Festival of the Dog): a traditional dog show with musical entertainment and food stalls offering the typical products of the territory.

-“Il Vino di Casa” (House Wine): a charming gastronomic festival celebrating the typical sweets of Gavorrano, with a competition between the local wine producers.

August:

-“Sagra Paesana”(Town Festival): held in Gavorrano, this festival has stands and food stalls, offering visitors the chance to try the delicious local cuisine.

-“Salto della Contessa” (Jump of the Countess): a historic recreation of the fascinating legend of Pia dei Tolomei, wife of Nello Pannocchieschi, who was said to have been killed in the Pietra castle in the countryside of Gavorrano under the orders of her husband. Mentioned by poet Dante Alighieri, this medieval murder mystery is still sung about today by Maremman poets and storytellers.

-“Palio dello Zendado”(Palio of the Zendado):  a ‘palio’ is a banner or cloth won during some type of traditional race or contest, in this case a race between the traditional city districts on the 15th.

-“Ferragosto”: a spectacular event with musical shows and entertainment, held on the evening of the 15th.

-“Grey Cat festival”: a fantastic Jazz festival that never fails to draw a great deal of attention and visitors to Gavorrano.

October:

- “Sagra della Polenta”(Polenta Festival): Polenta is a thick maize porridge, celebrated here in this gastronomic festival held in the district of Bivio Ravi.

November:

- “Disfida dell’Acquacotta”(Acquacotta Challenge): A gastronomic fair held in association with Slow Food, celebrating the local cuisine and acquacotta, which  literally stands for “cooked water” and is a traditional Tuscan soup made with bread, vegetables and soup.

December:

-“Festa di Santa Barbara”(Santa Barbara Festival): traditional celebrations in honour of the patron saint of the town.

Must see events:

“Salto della Contessa” (Jump of the Countess): Seen as one of the most evocative and curious events held in the small town of Gavorrano, this festival reconstructs the legend of the death of Pia dei Tolomei, described by poet Dante Alighieri in Canto V of Purgatory.

According to his story, the young Pia suffers the agony of captivity in Pietra Castle in Gavorrano before falling to her death from its highest tower.

Dante suggests that her killer was her own husband, a Sienese nobleman, who wanted to marry Margaret Aldobrandeschi.
Whilst the roots of this legendary event are profoundly ancient, the reconstructions performed during this festival certainly appear very detailed, exact and suggestive.

The town is divided into two districts, the first represents the Pannocchieschi family, of Nello, and the other represents the Ptolemies, of Pia.

The day begins with a parade in medieval clothing, followed by a feast and then the play of Pia, finishing with her brutal death from the highest tower of the castle and making this festival unbelievably unique and far too good to miss.

“Palio dello Zendado”(Palio of the Zendado): Held on the 15th of August, the same day as the historic festival “Salto della Contessa”, the “Palio of Zendado”  is a colourful traditional event with very ancient roots.

A ‘palio’ is a banner or cloth won during some type of traditional race or contest, in this case a walking marathon between the ancient districts of Gavorrano.

The race track winds through the ancient streets the historic center of the town and participants must face the difficult winding paths, narrow alleyways and stairways.

The prize for winning is a Palio cloth, a piece of fabric, hand-painted by a local artist and something of great pride and honour.

The winner is then given the honour of participating in the Sbandieratori show, helping to reenact the sad story of Pia dei Tolomei.