It’s medieval season in Tuscany at the moment. Between May and September every weekend has at least one ‘festa medievale’ showcasing the towns historic traditions.
I’d been determined to visit one, but due to a combination of kids parties, weather and other travel plans, we only just got a chance to go to one last weekend.
Although a lot of effort goes into organising the festivals, often it’s very hard to actually work out when they are and what’s going on at them. Dragging 3 kids in 30-degree heat an hour and a half to a hilltop Tuscan village needs a bit of certainty. Fortunately whoever organised the festival in Mamantile did an amazing job with the program. There was a very clear list of events and times and even a map of the different stands and performers!
Most of the festivals are evening events, so at 3pm on Sunday - feeling reasonably confident that there would actually be something to see when we got there, we headed off. The poppies in the field next to our house were in full bloom.
On the way we passed through another hilltop town with a great playground so we stopped for a break. Of course, this being Italy, there was a bicycle race about to start as well.
We made it to Mamantile and wandered the streets of the fortified town. Lots of the market stands had games of chance set up. Audrey won a glass of Coke(!).
We grabbed food and drinks at one of the stands and were convinced to try the local delicacy - veal tongue.
It was delicious.
We were still eating when we heard a trumpet fanfare. The parade was beginning.
We recognised some of the people from the donkey Palio in Torrita do Siena. There is clearly a finite supply of authentic medieval costumes and weapons.
After the parade we found another area with games of skill. In the first one contestants had to throw a ball to cut the finger off a heretic (or a witch perhaps?). In a concession to modern times, they used a carrot instead of the heretic’s actual finger. At least you could win a glass of wine.
Then it was off to the archery range.
We all won candy.
Next to the games area was a falcon display. Falconry is a big deal in Tuscany.
We were considering leaving when we noticed a group of costumed guys start to argue theatrically at a table next to us. It was pretty clear we were about to be treated to a performance.
They staged an authentic period bar-brawl, to the delight of the crowd.
That was the perfect end to the afternoon, we headed out of the town and back to the car to get home and get ready for school the next day.
