Read news from:
Austria
SHARE
COPY LINK
For members

DISCOVER ITALY

Sagra: The best Italian food festivals to visit in November

Harvest season may be coming to an end, but Italy's 'sagre' food fairs are still going strong. You'll have the opportunity to visit some of the country's best local harvest festivals if you come to Italy in November.

Published: 6 November 2023 16:29 CET
Here are some of the food and wine festivals to look forward to in Italy this month.
Here are some of the fairs to look forward to in Italy this month. Photo by Alfonso Scarpa on Unsplash

One of the best things about visiting Italy in the autumn is having the opportunity to attend a sagra, a type of harvest festival or fair centred around one particular food or drink item local to the town hosting it.

A sagra can last for several weeks or one day, and consists of anything from raucous celebrations with music and dancing to more relaxed tasting experiences amid food stalls and wooden benches. It will usually be hosted in a field or a piazza (square), and entry is free.

While October is the month with the most sagra, they typically continue well into November. Chestnuts, truffles, wine, olive oil and polenta are just some of the products being offered in villages and towns across the country this month.

Abruzzo

Festa dell’Olio Nuovo (olive oil festival), November 10th-12th in Frisa. 

Calabria

Sagra della Castagna (chestnuts festival), November 11th-13th in Sant’Agata di Esaro.

READ ALSO: Seven reasons autumn is the best time to visit Italy

Campania

La Sagra delle Sagre (local products and culture festival), 10th-12th in Sant’Angelo dei Lombardi.

Sagra della Castagna e dei Prodotti del Sottobosco (chestnuts festival), November 11th-12th in Acerno.

Pzzett e Vin Cuott (sweetened desserts festival), November 11th-13th in Scisciano.

Funghi porcini mushrooms grow in many areas of Italy during the autumn. Photo by Tamara Malaniy on Unsplash

Friuli Venezia Giulia

Estate di San Martino (local products fair), November 10th-12th in Villanova.

Lazio

Festa dell’Olio e del Vino Novello (olive oil and wine festival), November 10th-12th and 17th-19th in Vignanello.

Sagra della Polenta (polenta festival), November 11th-12th in Nerola.

Il Giorno di Bacco (wine festival), November 19th in Palombara Sabina.

Emilia Romagna

Novemberfest (grilled meats and beer festival), November 10th-11th and 17th-18th in Bevilacqua.

Fiera dell’Oliva e dei Prodotti Autunnali (olives and autumnal products festival), November 19th and 26th in Coriano.

Cioccolandia (chocolate festival), November 11th-12th in Piacenza.

Fiera del Formaggio di Fossa (cheese festival), November 19th and 26th in Sogliano al Rubicone.

Chestnuts can be widely found in Italy during the autumn. Photo by Federico Panaiotti on Unsplash

Lombardy

Sapori d’Autunno (autumn flavours festival), November 10th-12th and 17th-19th, Comazzo.

Festa del Torrone (nougat festival), November 11th-19th in Cremona.

Formaggi in Piazza (cheese festival), November 18th-19th in Sondrio.

Marche

Festa della Cicerchia (legumes fair), November 24th-26th in Serra de’ Conti.

Piedmont

Fiera Internazionale Tartufo Bianco d’Alba (international white truffle fair), until December 3rd in Alba.

Acqui e Sapori (truffle market), November 24th-26th in Acqui Terme.

Puglia

Sagra del Fungo Cardoncello (cardoncello mushroom festival), November 11th-12th in Ruvo di Puglia.

A number of harvest food festivals will take place across Italy this weekend.

A man sniffs a truffle at the International White Truffle Festival in Alba. Photo by Marco BERTORELLO / AFP.

Sicily

Sagra dell’Ulivo (olives festival), November 11th-12th in Pollina.

Sagra della Cassatella (sweet fried pastry fair), November 17th-19th in Agira.

Un Giorno di Pecora (lamb and mutton fair), November 19th in Santa Ninfa.

Trentino Alto Adige

Festa della Noce (walnut festival), November 10th-12th in Cavrasto.

Tuscany

Autumnia (autumn foods festival), November 10th-12th in Figline Valdarno.

Sagra del Porcino (porcini mushroom festival), November 9th-11th in Lucignano.

Sagra del Cinghiale (wild boar festival), November 9th-12th and 16th-19th in Chianni.

Veneto

Festa del Baccalà (salted cod festival), November 10th-12th and 17th-19th in Borgoricco.

Sagra del Frico (cheese crisp fair), November 11th-12th, 18th-19th, 25th-26th in Lorenzaga.

This list is not exhaustive. Did we miss out your favourite November sagra? Leave a comment below to let us know.

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.
For members

DISCOVER ITALY

25 alternative places to see in Veneto other than Venice

As the most popular tourist destination in Italy, Veneto has a lot to offer. But there's a lot more to this region than just Venice, Verona, and Lake Garda.

Published: 14 June 2024 11:24 CEST
25 alternative places to see in Veneto other than Venice

Tucked in the North-East corner of Italy, lies Veneto, an Italian region spanning from the Dolomites in the North to the Adriatic in the East. This history-saturated region is perhaps best known for otherworldly Venice and romantic Verona which is just under an hour’s reach of Lake Garda.

Veneto consistently tops the list of Italy’s most-visited regions. In a recently published report by statistics agency Istat and Italy’s tourism ministry, Veneto had 71.9 registered overnight visitors last year, which was around 16 million more than runner-up Trentino-Alto Adige.

READ ALSO: 16 alternative places to visit in Lazio other than Rome

But what lies beyond the famous sights of Venice, Verona, and Lake Garda? We’ve divided the region into its seven provinces and looked at where’s best to go in each of them.

Metropolitan City of Venice

The surrounding areas of La Serenissima should not be missed, especially if you are planning on spending a long summer in the region; there are a few beaches here that should not be missed such as Caorle and Jesolo.

Caorle is a colourful, compact beachside town, and Jesolo offers something for all ages on its long stretch of sand, whether that be beach clubs such as Capannina or water park Caribe Bay.

MAP: Which regions in Italy have the most Blue Flag beaches in 2024? 

While they may not be as stunning as the crystal clear waters of Sardinia, they are both blue-flag beaches boasting excellent services.

For those seeking a quieter, less-crowded Venice, try its carbon copy, Chioggia. This small fishing town isn’t as grand as Venice, but it still has canals and bridges with a backdrop of the sea. The food is a bit more authentic and definitely cheaper. 

Province of Treviso 

Treviso city itself deserves a special mention here. The town is (debatably) the homeplace of tiramisu and the world championships are held there every year. The famous layered dessert was said to first be invented in the kitchen of Le Beccherie, a restaurant near the central piazza. 

Other places in the province include Asolo and Valdobbiadene. Asolo is a small hilltop town with wonderful views of greenery below it. It’s often cited as one of the most beautiful villages in Italy.

Valdobbiadene on the other hand is prosecco vineyard after prosecco vineyard. Tours and tastings are easily arranged. A favourite haunt to frequent is Osteria Senz’oste, a self-serve charcuterie and prosecco place with seats overlooking i vigneti.

Possagno is also a place you shouldn’t miss if you enjoy works by sculptor Antonio Canova; the town was his birthplace after all.

Valdobbiadene is the prosecco zone in Italy. Photo: Jessica Lionnel/The Local

Province of Belluno

Like Treviso, the city of Belluno is well worth a visit, especially for those who like cities surrounded by nature. But it’s the nature itself in this province that gets people talking.

Take Lake Sorapis for example, with its icy turquoise waters, or the Cinque Torri, a rock formation in the Dolomites that has good walking routes and marvellous views.

The famous winter sports resort of Cortina d’Ampezzo is another town in this area to check out,especially for skiers. 

If you like looking at mountains but not walking up them, try going to the forest and plains of Cansiglio – but be careful as wolves were spotted there not so long ago.

Province of Vicenza

The namesake of this province, Vicenza, has wonderful architecture designed by Andrea Palladio throughout. Landmarks to check out include the Olympic Theatre, the Basilica of St. Mary of Mount Berico and the Palladian Basilica.

Venture further out, and Bassano del Grappa, Asiago and Marostica are all places you shouldn’t miss.

As the name suggests, Bassano del Grappa is famous for the spirit grappa. There are distilleries in the town but perhaps the most beautiful feature is the alpine bridge designed by the aforementioned Palladio. 

Asiago is a town famous for its cheese, and not only. The town is lively, especially during the Christmas period, and is also known for its large war memorial.

Lastly, Marostica is perfect for chess lovers. Every September a game of chess is played in the principal square with human pieces. The tradition is supposed to have started in 1454 and it’s a very unique event to go to in Italy.

Province of Verona

Though Verona city and Lake Garda take up a huge chunk of what to see in this province, there are other small gems too. Borghetto Sul Mincio is a wonderfully quaint waterside village perfect for those seeking something a bit more rustic. 

Madonna della Corona sanctuary is also not to be missed. It lies in the heart of the Baldo rocks and is perhaps one of the most picturesque churches in Italy. 

If red wine is your passion, go to the Valpolicella zone to try out the different wines in the plentiful cellars. 

And finally Soave has an impressive mediaeval castle you can walk around.

Mountains near the Cinque Torri. Photo: Jessica Lionnel/ The Local

Province of Padua

Padua, a city known for its university, has many treasures such as Prato della Valle, St Anthony’s church, and most importantly, the Scrovegni Chapel. It often gets overlooked on the common journey between Verona and Venice.

In terms of towns in the province, Este and Cittadella are worth visiting for their churches and city walls respectively. 

The Euganean hills also have plenty to do in them, such as walks in nature. Popular spots are Arquà Petrarca, a town named after the famous poet and Abano Terme, a town locally popular for its range of hot springs. 

Province of Rovigo

Rovigo is just on the cusp of Veneto and is very close to Emilia-Romagna. The city isn’t as grand as some in the other provinces, but it does have a few nice areas to check out around it, such as the Po Delta National Park, which is great for birdwatching. 

Do you have a favourite place in Veneto that’s not listed here? Let us know in the comments below.

SHOW COMMENTS