Medieval Markets in the Village

A Dive into the Middle Ages in the Heart of Upper Savignano

The Medieval Markets in the Village animate every year, on the last weekend of November, the ancient village of Savignano sul Panaro, a small municipality in the province of Modena overlooking the Panaro river valley. The event takes place in the upper part of the town, in the charming medieval fortified nucleus that gathers around the castle and ancient residences, in a labyrinth of alleys, staircases, and small squares where time seems to have stood still.

Atmosphere and Setting

For two days, the village streets are lit by torches hung on the house walls and bonfires lit along the roadsides, while exhibitors, dressed in period costumes, offer objects, artistic crafts, and handicrafts inspired by Christmas festivities. The natural backdrop of the historic center, with its stones and arches, frames a market that is both a historical re-enactment and an anticipation of Christmas.

Shows and Entertainment

The program alternates markets and exhibitors with numerous itinerant entertainment acts that cross the village:

• street shows, circus acts, and fire performances;
• folk music and concerts by bagpipers and choirs;
• nativity scene exhibition along the streets;
• animated readings, games, and puppet shows for children;
• guided tours of the village and walks in the surrounding areas.

Inns and Local Flavors

The culinary heart of the event are the inns set up in the village streets, where you can taste traditional Emilian specialties: borlenghi, crescente, piadine, grilled sausage, ciacci, and fried cream, as well as roasted chestnuts, doughnuts, and strudel. All accompanied by local wines, craft beer, hot chocolate, Irish coffee, and mulled wine, perfect for warming up on late autumn evenings.

An Event of the Terre di Castelli

The initiative is organized by the Associazione Borgo Castello ODV in collaboration with the Municipality of Savignano sul Panaro and the Consulta del Volontariato. The village hosting it has ancient origins: the castle dates back to 1026, and the entire settlement, enclosed by a double ring of walls, still retains its medieval layout today. Savignano sul Panaro is also famous for the discovery of the Venus of Savignano, a Paleolithic statuette now preserved in Rome. The event is part of the tourist circuit of the Terre di Castelli, in Emilia-Romagna, and is one of the most beloved occasions to discover this little-known corner of the province of Modena.