Monteriggioni is a walled village of a few dozen houses built by Siena in 1213–1219 as a frontier fort against Florence. Its complete ring of walls and fourteen towers is the setting for ‘Monteriggioni di Torri si Corona’, a medieval festival held over the second weekend of July since 1990. The 33rd edition ran from 9 to 12 July 2026 and opened, as usual, with a ticketed medieval banquet in Piazza Dante Alighieri on the Thursday evening, followed by three days of events from the afternoon until late.
Inside the walls the festival recreates a 14th-century market town: craftspeople, merchants and taverns line the lanes, costumed figures play villagers, soldiers, nobles and pilgrims, and re-enactment groups set up historical camps. Shows run on several small stages, with jugglers, fire artists, falconry, music and dance; there are medieval games and storytelling for children, and the whole village is lit by torches after dark. Each edition is themed around an episode in the castle’s history.
Entry is ticketed: in 2026 a full ticket cost €8, reduced €5, with children under 10, residents and disabled visitors free, sold through TicketOne and at the gate. The village is closed to traffic, and visitors park in the signed car parks below the walls. The event is organised by the Monteriggioni tourist office and the municipal company Monteriggioni AD 1213. Monteriggioni is 15 km north-west of Siena on the Via Francigena; buses run from Siena, and the nearest railway station is at Castellina Scalo, 3 km away. Evenings are very crowded inside the small enclosure, so arrive in the late afternoon if you want to see the craft demonstrations.
