Twice a year, the medieval piazza at the heart of Arezzo transforms into something most people only see in films. Hundreds of locals in 13th-century costume fill the square. Knights on horseback charge a wooden target at full speed. And an entire city holds its breath waiting to see which neighbourhood wins the golden lance.
This is not a re-enactment for tourists. It is the Giostra del Saracino — a jousting tournament that Arezzo has been running for over 700 years.
What Actually Happens
The tournament pits the four ancient quarters of Arezzo against each other. Each quarter — Porta Crucifera, Porta del Foro, Porta Guido Monaco, and Porta Santo Spirito — sends two knights into the piazza.
Each knight charges on horseback toward a wooden effigy called the Buratto — a figure representing a Saracen king. The Buratto holds a shield in one hand and a rotating arm with three spiked iron balls in the other.
The knight must drive a lance into the shield to score points. But when the lance hits, the effigy spins — and if the knight is too slow, the iron balls swing round and strike him. Points are awarded based on where the lance lands on the target. The quarter with the highest combined score takes the Lancia d’Oro — the golden lance.
Why Arezzo Takes This So Seriously
To understand why this matters so much, you need to understand how deeply Italians identify with their local neighbourhood. In Arezzo, the rivalry between the four quarters runs through everything — it shapes friendships, family loyalties, and the calendar of the year.
Each quarter has its own flag, its own colour, its own history of victories and defeats. Children grow up knowing which quarter they belong to. Winning the Giostra is a matter of genuine pride, not performance.
In the weeks before each tournament, the neighbourhood trains its flag throwers — the sbandieratori — and prepares its costumes. On the day itself, over 300 people process through the city in full medieval dress before the first lance is ever thrown.
When It Started and Why
The origins of the Giostra trace back to the Crusades era. Medieval knights practised their lance skills by charging at wooden targets — it was serious military training, not entertainment. Arezzo formalised this into a civic competition sometime in the 13th century, and the tradition took root.
The tournament was suspended for a long period in the 20th century but revived in 1931, and it has been held every year since. Today the June edition is dedicated to San Donato, the patron saint of Arezzo, whose feast day falls in early June. The second tournament, held in September, was added more recently.
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The Setting Is Half the Experience
The Giostra takes place in the Piazza Grande, one of the most beautiful public spaces in all of Tuscany. The square slopes gently, almost like a natural amphitheatre, and is ringed by medieval and Renaissance buildings on every side.
It is the kind of Italian piazza that feels designed for drama — which is exactly what it gets twice a year. Every seat in the temporary grandstands sells out quickly. Locals who cannot get a ticket watch from the windows of the surrounding buildings.
Arezzo itself is often missed by visitors who rush between Florence and Rome. But the city has a remarkable medieval centre, a monthly antique market that draws dealers from across Europe, and the frescoes of Piero della Francesca inside the Basilica of San Francesco — one of the greatest cycles of Renaissance painting anywhere.
What Makes It Different From Siena’s Palio
Most people who have heard of Italian neighbourhood rivalries think immediately of the Palio di Siena — the famous horse race. The Giostra del Saracino works on similar civic passion but through a completely different contest.
There are no horses racing around a crowded square. The competition is a test of individual skill — the precision of the lance strike, the timing, the control at full gallop. Each charge lasts just a few seconds, and the crowd reacts instantly to every point scored or missed.
It is quieter than the Palio in spectacle but no less intense in feeling. The same streets, the same families, the same quarters — all of it channelled into one moment of skill and speed. If you understand how Renaissance Tuscany shaped the culture of these cities, the Giostra feels like a living fragment of that world.
If You Want to Go
The June Giostra takes place on the Saturday before the third Sunday of June. The September edition is on the first Sunday of September. Arezzo is easy to reach by train from Florence in under an hour, or from Rome in around two hours.
Tickets for the grandstands sell out, so book early. But arriving in Arezzo the day before is worthwhile in itself — the city begins its preparations with flag displays, drumming, and costumed processions through the old streets the evening before the main event.
The golden lance will be awarded to one quarter. The other three will wait until next time. In Arezzo, there is always a next time.
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The Italian Tradition That Turns Every Piazza Into a Dining Table — why the evening meal still spills into public spaces across Italy.
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