Dalla PiaSpello, Umbria, Italy

Now in its 15th edition, this competitive festival focuses on the professions and creative processes behind Italian cinema. Screenings, masterclasses, and talks draw film enthusiasts and industry professionals to Spello's historic theatres.

Assisi's two rival districts compete for the Palio prize in a spectacular display of medieval pageantry: flag-wavers, musicians, theatrical performances, and candlelit processions transform the town into a living stage.

For Corpus Christi, the streets of Spello are transformed overnight into breathtaking floral tapestries. Local artisans spend the night arranging thousands of petals, leaves, and seeds into intricate scenes — religious, cultural, and artistic. A procession blessed by clergy follows in the morning.

Founded in 1958, the Festival dei Due Mondi is Italy's flagship multidisciplinary arts event. The 69th edition brings world-class opera, contemporary dance, orchestral concerts, and visual arts to the UNESCO-recognised hilltop city of Spoleto, bridging European and American artistic traditions.

Over 50 years old and still growing, Umbria Jazz transforms Perugia's piazzas, theatres, and clubs into a 10-day celebration of jazz in all its forms. Past headliners have included legends from Miles Davis to Herbie Hancock. Free outdoor stages make it accessible to everyone.

Every November, the first pressing of the new olive harvest is celebrated right here in Spello. The Festa dell'Olivo e Sagra della Bruschetta fills the streets with the smell of toasted bread rubbed with garlic and drizzled with peppery fresh-pressed oil. There are oil tastings, market stalls, the traditional 'carri della frasca', and live music. Now in its 61st edition — one of Umbria's most authentic autumn events.

Bringoli are the traditional Umbrian pasta — thick, hand-rolled spaghetti made with just flour and water, served with wild boar ragù, truffle, or local sauces. Now in its 47th edition, this sagra in the village of Lisciano Niccone is one of the most beloved in the region.

Bettona — a tiny hilltop gem barely 15 km from Spello — hosts one of Umbria's most characteristic sagre. Goose prepared in rich local recipes is the star, but the setting inside the medieval walls, with live music and long communal tables, is just as memorable. 40th edition.

Torta al testo is the emblematic street food of Umbria — a thick flatbread cooked directly on a testo (a traditional stone disc) and stuffed with cured meats, cheese, or greens. Now in its 51st edition, this sagra is a wonderful initiation into Umbrian food culture.

Cantalupo di Bevagna, a hamlet in the valley between Spello and Bevagna, hosts this beloved sagra dedicated to snails cooked in local style — in tomato sauce, with garlic and herbs, or grilled. Now in its 45th edition, it draws crowds from across the region for its warm village atmosphere.

San Giovanni Profiamma, just outside Foligno (10 km from Spello), celebrates two local classics: handmade gnocchi and rocciata, a traditional Umbrian sweet-savoury rolled pastry filled with walnuts, figs, and dried fruit. At 30 editions old, this is a true community event with long tables and home cooking at its best.