Città di Castello is an ancient town in the Tiber Valley that is still largely surrounded by town walls dating back to the 16th century. It has a long history of being attacked, destroyed, rebuilt and being passed from ruler to to ruler.
Yet, despite this, it is still a historic and pretty town where many stunning buildings have been preserved such as the Palace of the Podestà, with its baroque facade dating back to 1686; the Town Hall, built in the Gothic style with an elegant portal and windows with two lights; the Gothic Cathedral, built on the site of a Roman temple; and St. Mary Maggiore, dating back to the Gothic era but adorned by a Renaissance facade.
The Municipal Pinacoteque, meanwhile, is home to works of art by Raphael, Signorelli and Domenico Ghirlandaio, as well as many other works by artists of the Umbrian, Tuscan and Marche schools.
Yet, despite this, it is still a historic and pretty town where many stunning buildings have been preserved such as the Palace of the Podestà, with its baroque facade dating back to 1686; the Town Hall, built in the Gothic style with an elegant portal and windows with two lights; the Gothic Cathedral, built on the site of a Roman temple; and St. Mary Maggiore, dating back to the Gothic era but adorned by a Renaissance facade.
The Municipal Pinacoteque, meanwhile, is home to works of art by Raphael, Signorelli and Domenico Ghirlandaio, as well as many other works by artists of the Umbrian, Tuscan and Marche schools.
In such a historic, charming and culture-heavy town, one might not expect one of the most bizarre parades in the world and, yet, every Christmas Citta di Castello sees a very strange procession indeed happen. Just find a vacation rental in Perugia nearby and pay a visit around the holiday season to see this strange sight for yourself.
This strange sight is the Citta di Castello Canoe Club, who decorate their canoes with Christmas lights and dress up as Santa Claus on the evening of Christmas Day. They then hop into their decorated canoes and float down the Tiber River towards a bridge, Porta San Florido, where a small crib is suspended over the water. As they disembark from their canoes, they then go on to hand out sweets and small gifts to the children that await them there.
This strange sight is the Citta di Castello Canoe Club, who decorate their canoes with Christmas lights and dress up as Santa Claus on the evening of Christmas Day. They then hop into their decorated canoes and float down the Tiber River towards a bridge, Porta San Florido, where a small crib is suspended over the water. As they disembark from their canoes, they then go on to hand out sweets and small gifts to the children that await them there.
Bizarre as it sounds, it makes for great fun and children, of course, absolutely love it! If you find yourself in the area this Christmas, it is an absolute must that you find time to head to the bridge and await the aquatic santas or go one step further and follow their journey along the river bank. They'll be easy to spot, even in the evening, with their bright costumes and illuminated canoes! This is probably one of the most unique sights in Italy over Christmas!
