Boccaccesca 2019 in Certaldo

Food and wine tastings, street-food and markets turn the village of Certaldo into a hub of taste.

From 04 October 2019 to 06 October 2019

From October 4 – 6 ‘Boccaccesca’ is back in Certaldo (FI) the province of Florence to transform the village that gave birth to the ‘Decameron’ author into a gigantic banquet table! The Certaldo food and wine festival will definitively give you the possibility to indulge in tastings of local produce as well as from other areas of Italy and to accompany them with some good wine. As if that were not enough, in addition to the music that will make the atmosphere of the event even more cheerful, a bustling market will also be set up with lots of artisan products. In short, as you will have understood, referring to the Certaldo Food festival as a village fete is absolutely diminishing, after all it is well known that in this delightful ancient village people celebrate in a big way! Just think of Mercantia, the street arts festival!

Boccaccio would certainly be proud of the event that every year, now in its 21st edition, is dedicated to him! After all, in the various novels of the Decameron, food plays a rather important role. When trying to understand how to cope with the plague, it is being asked if the cure for the terrible disease could be ‘drinking a lot and be merry and going about singing and amusing oneself’. We could also mention Chichibio, the great Venetian chef forefather of modern celebrity cooks such as Cracco and Bastianich! But one novel more than any other is linked to Certaldo and Boccaccesca: it is that on Frate cipolla which is set precisely in the village near Florence! Even the friar’s name is not accidental and is another clear reference to Certaldo: the onion is, in fact, a renowned local produce, so much so that it has become a Slow-food Presidium! It is excellent in stews, ideal to prepare delicious compotes for cheeses and can also be added raw to salads as a nice combination. You can rest assured that among the many delicacies that you can taste during the most joyful amongst the events in Certaldo, you will also find a few recipes with the famous and delicious Certaldo onion!

Now that you are surely drooling over all this food, it is time for us to tell you how to be best prepared in order for you not to get lost along the Boccaccesca taste route! The festival takes place between the two end sides of the town, each of which features different foods and entertainment events: Certaldo basso and the upper village. The rich program of Boccaccesca 2019 includes many events with most of them being free. Clearly, if you want to grab a bite and drink something you will have to dig into your pocket, but entry into the village, from 11.00 to 20.00 is completely free.

• CERTALDO BASSO: MARKET STALLS AND STREET FOOD

In the lower village, as we have already mentioned, you will find the rich Certaldo market with many stalls that will entice you with handmade products originating from the passion and ability of skillful hands and creative minds! I don't know about the men, but the ladies will surely have the opportunity to do a bit of shopping. How to resist! Still in the lower part of the village, a large area will be dedicated to Boccaccesca street-food: small outlets in the village including café bars and pubs, shop owners and food-trucks will delight you with their prodcuts. You can taste the typical Tuscan platters of cold meats, porchetta, cheese, hot-dogs and gourmet hamburgers, fritters, sweet buns and homemade ice cream. Mamma mia...enough to stuff yourself!

• CERTALDO ALTO: MUSIC, DELICACIES AND WINE.

The medieval heart of the village, in its upper part, becomes a real hub of taste.

What’s more, there will also be plenty of music! In the streets of the town musicians will stage live performances while some of the Boccaccesca events 2019 will be inspired by musical tunes. Just as an example, during the cooking shows the chefs will prepare dishes dedicated to particular soundtracks. Also, in front of Palazzo Pretorio a true ‘music lounge’ will be set up with instruments that those visiting Boccaccesca in Certaldo will be able to play. If you know how to strum something it could be your moments of glory, and if you are good at it, that’s even better!

But let's get down to the nitty-gritty and talk about the most enjoyable part of one of the most exciting autumn Tuscan festivals. Let's start with the Percorso del gusto of Boccaccesca: visitors will receive a map that will help them find the ‘goodies’, that is the gastronomic excellences showcased at the event. It will be like going on a tantalizing treasure hunt. At the cash desks of the food festival in Certaldo you can buy the tokens with which you will then pay for Certaldo food and wine tastings, each costing €2.50. You will also find the Boccaccesca Wine Bar, an area where you can taste great wines from Tuscany and other Italian regions. With a €10 coupon you will be given the glass of Boccaccesca to use for your wine tastings. Be careful not to overdo it!

• BOCCACESCA FOR CHILDREN

The Boccaccesca 2019 program also includes several events for the little ones. One of the most amusing is with no doubt ‘the game of the senses’: children up to 13 years of age will be given a special card with questions they will have to answer. They will then also have to visit the 5 stations dedicated to sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch in order to receive a beautiful gift! The ‘Ragazzi in pentola’ prize is also dedicated to children, in this case to those a little older and attending middle schools who, together with exceptional tutors and great chefs, will compete in the kitchen in the making of many tasty dishes.

Food, music, wine, crafts in the setting of an ancient medieval village are the ingredients featured at the Certaldo food and wine festival, a perfect event for an early autumn weekend in Tuscany. Given that in Certaldo you will probably end up indulging in a bit too much revelry, it might be a good idea to then try and burn it off: what about choosing one of our tour in Florence to discover this wonderful city with one of our guides?

Perfect, then mark in your diary the Bocccaccesca dates in 2019: see you in Certaldo on October 4-6!