Planning a trip to Italy in May or June means that you are coming at the tail end of spring and the beginning of summer, just as tourists really begin to arrive and while everything continues to fully bloom. Not only is this when weather is milder but more than pleasant enough for days in a luxury villa with pool in Italy or by the sea but it is also when Italy is at its potentially prettiest. The coming summer days and this natural splendour, as well as harvests beginning to load tables with delicious produce, means that there are plenty of reasons to celebrate.
As a result, May and June are a time when there is an especially large number of sagre, traditional local festivals that can celebrate saints, holy days, historic events, particular food products, and more with feasts, parades, parties, concerts, and other events. Those who book a vacation rental in Italy at this time of the year, will be able to enjoy authentic, traditional experiences alongside locals, sample incredible wines, enjoy regional dishes, and really get a genuine look into Italian life.
Of course, while the food-related events and parties are well worth seeking out and enjoying, we also recommend experiencing one of the infiorata events that take place around Italy each May or June. These particular celebrations, or “flowering” events, are the pride of several towns located around Italy and involve the creation of breath-taking, elaborate flower-based decorations that wow guests and locals alike.
The event centres around the Feast of Corpus Christi, the feast day that marks the celebration of the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. This feast day must take place on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday, 60 days after Easter, or the Sunday immediately following this, meaning it will be on the 19th of June 2025. So, while infiorata is usually associated with May, many iterations took place in June in 2024 and many will do so this year as well. While some versions of the event traditionally take place on the feast day, others vary so there will be a number of different dates in 2025.
Regardless of the exact date, the particulars of the celebrations are the same each year. The evening before, in towns where the event is held, thousands of participants descend on historic streets with baskets full of petals from fresh or dried local blooms, divided by colour, a cartoon (or design) is chalked onto the streets, and then the act of slowly bringing it to life with the flowers takes place overnight.
The tradition is said to be Roman and Baroque in origin, dating back to when Benedetto Drei, an architect and the master of floristry for the Vatican, and his son Pietro used, "leafed and chopped flowers to emulate the works of the mosaic," in the 17th century to celebrate patron saints of Rome, Saints Peter and Paul, for their feast day. In the 18th century, this type of display was used to celebrate the Feast of Corpus Christi in Genzano, a town in the Metropolitan City of Rome today by recreating the painting of Madonna del Cuore by Sebastiano Conca in flowers. The idea stuck, expanded, and spread across Italy in the following centuries until it became the elaborate display we know today, which is held all across the peninsula.
So, if you love flowers, art, and a good spectacle but also want to enjoy Italian-style celebrations while you are staying in a villa in Italy, then these are the infiorata events that you should consider visiting...
Infiorata di Spello
June 21–22, 2025
Taking place in the small town of Spello, amidst the rolling green hills of Umbria, this iteration involves over a thousand people who work together to create a mile-long carpet of images with flowers through the narrow streets of the historic centre. This carpet covers the route that the passage of the Blessed Sacrament will be carried along in a procession by the bishop on the Sunday morning. Dating to the 19th century, Spello’s iteration now marks the town as a place of incredible artistic skill and the scent and sight of this wonder is unforgettable. It is also one more great reason to book a vacation rental in Umbria in time for the event!
Infiorata di Noto
May 16–20, 2025
Those considering a villa in Sicily this May who are interested in this sort of event will be happy to note that the gorgeous town of Noto has its own edition that has been taking place for over three decades along Via Nicolaci. Specifically honouring the tradition in Rome, Noto’s so-called Baroque Flower Festival pays homage to the origins of this now nationwide celebration. Tickets must be bought to view the display and cost €3.50 for single tickets and €5.00 for car tickets with those under 12 and guests with disabilities going free.
Infiorata di Bolsena
Dates still to be announced for 2025
Heading to a holiday rental in Latium and the town of Bolsena, the event is particularly meaningful. This is because the town is the site of a miracle associated with the Corpus Christi that is said to have occurred in 1263, when a questioning priest had his belief solidified by the sight of blood pouring from the Host and onto the linen cloth below his hands. Declared a miracle by Pope Urban IV, the blood-stained Host and linen cloth were eventually placed in the Cathedral of Orvieto, where they remain on display, and this event led to the Pope establishing the Feast of Corpus Christi. It makes sense, then, that this is home to one of the largest-scale versions of the event with a 3-kilometre long flower-covered procession route.
Infiorata di Genzano di Roma
June 15-17, 2025
Where the tradition of specifically using flowers to honour the feast day was born, this is another must-see edition for those who book a villa in Latium!