Tuscany Holiday rent BLOG

This coming weekend, June 23rd & 24th, Colle Val d’Elsa, near Siena, plunges back into its history and hosts the second edition of Il Rinascimento di Colle, a huge open air show that will last from 5pm to midnight. As the reader can infer from the title, the two days are dedicated to the reenactment of the Renaissance period. The picturesque setting of this event will be held in the upper part of town, with its well preserved medieval centre and the Castle.

This year’s theme is “Merry Celebrations and Games on the Via Francigena” and the main goal is precisely to continue to entertain and amuse visitors with buskers, musicians, jesters, jugglers, storytellers, fights and travelling shows, with a special eye, and space, for children. To complete the historical reenactment there will also be a military garrison, artisans, antique shops and markets and taverns set up in the squares where one can taste the typical products of Tuscan tradition. To breathe the Renaissance atmosphere it will suffice to walk around town where it will be easy to meet many walk-ons dressed in period costumes.

Active protagonists of these two days are the various associations of Colle Val d’Elsa, committed to revive the age old period crafts and markets, to set up taverns where one can taste traditional recipes and to liven up the town with many shows with the help of professionals. A great show under the open sky, therefore,  that will turn into ‘protagonist’ whoever will want to participate and discover the upper town of Colle Val d’Elsa and its local history, having fun and in good company.

Il Rinascimento di Colle is not a mere historical reenactment but also an opportunity to introduce the territory of Colle and its artistic, cultural and gastronomic heritage as well as its products of excellence: crystal. Colle Val d’Elsa, in fact, produces 95% of the Italian production and 15% of the world one. At the Castle, the oldest part of Colle, it will be possible, during the 23^rd and 24^th of June, to assist at its processing, both hot and cold.

The town can be accessed through the ancient, monumental Porta Nova and following a long, winding street visitors will find a series of elegant  16^th and 17^th century noble houses, such as Palazzo Usimbardi, Palazzo Buoninsegni and the Town Hall, to finally reach the magnificent Palazzo Campana which marks the entrance to the Castle. Suddenly the atmosphere changes, the streets are narrow and paved, the superb noble houses are now of the 15^th and 16^th century, such as Palazzo Luci, Palazzo Morozzi, Palazzo Giusti and Palazzo Dini, and interspersed with enthralling tower-houses, among which the most famous is la Casa-Torre di Arnolfo di Cambio, birthplace of the famous sculpture and architect.

Also worth a visit are the Civic and Religious Art Museum, on the first floor of the beautiful town hall, and the incredible Crystal Museum down in the new part of town know as the Plain, whose structure was built incorporating the chimney of a former glass company. The exhibition illustrates the history of glass production, from its origins in the 14^th century, with some medieval findings, to the factory plants of the 19^th century, with the production of optical and dichroic glass, the invention of a new system of producing objects by half casts, the experiments in 1963 on making lead glass, up to today’s modern design objects.

Certainly worth a visit. Here is one of our lovely accommodations in Colle Val d’Elsa. For more info just contact us through www.tuscanyholidayrent.com.

By tradition every 16^th June the Lungarni, the avenues along the river Arno, of Pisa are floodlit at night by the Luminara di San Ranieri. The first historical document attesting the tradition of the Luminara goes back to 1337. More than 70 thousand nightlights illuminate the town’s houses, the bridges, the churches and the towers overlooking the river Arno while a firework display colours its waters. Stalls and small parties are distributed in and around the historic centre

As by tradition the Pisans celebrate their patron saint, San Ranieri – Saint Rainerius – on the 17^th June. The previous evening thousands of wax candles are set in glasses and fixed on white wooden frames, in jargon “linen”, biancheria, and placed on buildings and monuments, outlining their architectural forms. The only exception to this unique scenario is the Leaning Tower, which is equally illuminated archaically by pans of oil, also placed on the battlements of the city walls surrounding the Square of Miracles.

Special candles are used, especially manufactured to resist wind and produce a particularly bright flame. For many years Pisa used glass beakers. Since 1999 for security reasons these have been replaced by special coned-shaped glasses of transparent plastic, easily set in the metal rings of the frames, la biancheria.

Once set alight, and all the public and private illumination is shutdown, the effect of multitudes of twinkling lights on the water of the River Arno, together with the floating candles entrusted to the current,  offer visitors a unique splendour with an antique flavour. The evening concludes with a series of firework displays at midnight performed from the Cittadella and the nearby bridge, and, in recent years, from the other bridges of town.

The celebrations in honour of the patron Saint continue the following day in the waters of the River Arno, where Pisa celebrates its Regatta of San Ranieri. Four boats, drawing inspiration from the frigates of the Medici order of the Knights of Saint Stephen, compete to win the Palio di San Ranieri. The first traces of this palio date back to the 13^th century, when chronicles cite an event held in the year 1292 in celebration of the Assumption. Only from 1718 was the palio disputed on the 17^th June to celebrate the patron Saint, San Ranieri.

There is one boat for each historic quarter: Santa Maria, San Francesco, San Martino and Sant’Antonio. Their galleys are respectively called ‘the Azure’, ‘ the Yellow’, ‘the Red’ and ‘the Green’. Each crew consists of eight rowers, a helmsman and a bowman. At the finishing line, the latter have to climb up ropes to the top of a ten meter mast, mounted on a barge in the middle of the river, and reach the banner of victory with the same colour of his quarter. The last one to reach it wins a couple of ducks.

Another good oppor-tunity to plan a visit to one of the most famous towns in the world. For accommodations in Pisa come visit www.tuscanyholidayrent.com.