In flight, on a gondola, with a record-breaking sock, on a carousel and, symbolically, burned in a bonfire: every city has its own way of celebrating the Befana which always gives emotions and magic to young and old.
Here are some ideas for combining visits and excursions with the Epiphany celebrations on the first long weekend of the year.
From 4 to 6 January in
Urbania
, in the Marches, the National Befana Day is celebrated to which the keys to the city are handed over to kick off three days of celebrations.
From the bell tower, right in the centre, the Befana flies on her broomstick over young and old who are waiting for her to receive gifts and sweets.
It is an acrobatic flight from 36 meters high, scenic and evocative, which every year offers a show of lights, music and special effects.
The city of the Befana pays homage to its most famous fellow citizen with decorations and festoons in the historic centre, where thousands of stockings are hung and where hundreds of "befane" enliven squares and streets with workshops and shows.
There are many events celebrating the old woman, starting from her house-museum: here, among games and infusions, you can see the cauldron where sweets are prepared,
not before leaving a letter with your wishes at the Post Office;
it is also possible to listen to the fairy tales that the Befana tells in front of the lit fireplace.
On January 6, during the parade through the streets of the centre, the old lady carries the longest hand-sewn sock in the world, which you must touch as a lucky gesture.
From Urbania begins the upper Metauro valley, which extends from the Cesane mountains towards the Adriatic to the Apennine ridge;
it is an area that includes, along the river, the municipalities of Fermignano, Peglio, Sant'Angelo in Vado, Mercatello sul Metauro and Borgo Pace.
It is a territory rich in history and culture, which allows you to discover places such as Urbino and natural sceneries such as the Gola del Furlo and Alpe della Luna, dotted with villages, towers and churches.
Info: festadellabefana.com
In
Verona
the Befana is celebrated with a bonfire: "Brusar la Vecia", they say, burn the old woman;
at 18 in piazza Bra, next to the Arena, an enormous puppet about ten meters high made with wood, rags and kindling is set on fire.
It is an evocative celebration and a propitiatory ceremony which recalls the ancient rite of the Epiphany in popular tradition, i.e. the transition from the old to the new year by warding off evil spells.
The event is preceded and accompanied by musical and pyrotechnic shows and by the arrival under a great comet star of the Three Kings with gifts and sweets for the little ones.
In the morning, Piazza Bra also hosts the Befana del Vigile, a charity event with a collection of foodstuffs and gifts for the most needy and with a parade of vintage cars.
It is an opportunity to stroll in the historic centre,
The Befana arrives in
Venice
by boat: on 6 January the Regata delle Befane takes place along the Grand Canal.
The dressing is done in the Magazzini del Sale;
then at 11 in front of Palazzo Dolfin Manin the participants paddle along the canal towards San Marco and from here to the Rialto bridge.
It is a suggestive celebration along the canals of the city between traditions and culture, art and beauty.
And it is also an opportunity to take a boat or a motorboat and go around the most beautiful islands in the Venice Lagoon, a UNESCO heritage site.
On 6 January in the Salone Arly of
La Thuile
, a charming town in the Espace San Bernardo district of the Aosta Valley, "This Christmas I lost a reindeer" will be staged, a feast of the Epiphany with the Magician J. It is a magic show and entertainment for children who are involved in troubles and experiments, disguises and rebellious balloons, to find the reindeer.
The show is at 5pm and can be booked on the website: lathuile.it.
It's an entertaining show for those who are skiing on the 152 kilometers of slopes in the area on the border with France, where you can practice alpine skiing, cross-country skiing and snowboarding, and where you can walk with snowshoes or on foot in the woods or with a guide.
For the whole family in
Florence
there is the possibility of celebrating the Befana aboard a vintage train: on 6 January the Befana train leaves from the Santa Maria Novella station at 9, with 1930s carriages and a steam locomotive.
The train travels towards Pontassieve and goes up the entire Val di Sieve up to San Piero, in Mugello.
After a long stop for refreshments, the convoy sets off again for Florence, via Vaglia, along the Faentina line and then returns to Santa Maria Novella at 2 pm. The event is organized by the "Italvapore" Tuscan Historical Trains Association, in collaboration with the Proloco di San Piero a Sieve, the Comune of Scarperia and San Piero and the Unione Montana dei Comuni del Mugello.
Reservations on the website: prolocosanpieroasieve.it The party continues in the Florentine capital in front of Palazzo Pitti, from where we witness the departure of the Three Kings Cavalcade with typical Renaissance costumes that head towards Ponte Vecchio, Piazza della Signoria and Piazza del Duomo.
In
Rome
, the Befana rides on the rides in Piazza Navona which also hosts puppet shows, gospel concerts and stands of books and handicrafts.
There are 76 activities for the little ones including animated readings, workshops, role-playing games and storytelling shows.
Furthermore, a part of the square is set up with traditional games such as tug of war or sack racing.
There are actually many appointments in the capital to celebrate the Epiphany;
among these is the party at Villa Pamphilj which invites all children to go to the park with an empty stocking, which will be filled by the Befana with gifts and sweets.
At 11, moreover, you can attend the open-air theater show "The circus in a suitcase".
Information: turismoroma.it
