San Bartolomeo Fair

The patronal festival of Capannoli

The San Bartolomeo Fair is the local festival dedicated to the patron saint of Capannoli, a small town in the province of Pisa nestled in the hills of the Valdera valley, along the banks of the Era river. Saint Bartholomew the Apostle is celebrated on August 24th, while the popular fair bearing his name enlivens the town the following day, turning the squares and streets of the center into a grand community gathering.

A local tradition

This is a simple and authentic celebration, the kind that keeps the traditions of inland Tuscany alive. For one day, the center of Capannoli fills with market stalls, vendors selling local products and crafts, while rides and entertainment for children fill the squares in the late afternoon. It is a meeting point for locals, those who have moved away and return specifically for the fair, and visitors curious to discover a less-traveled corner of the Valdera.

The Villa Baciocchi Museums

The cultural highlight of the day is the special opening of the Villa Baciocchi Museums, housed in an elegant 18th-century villa built on the ruins of an ancient castle. The residence takes its name from Count Felice Baciocchi, husband of Elisa Bonaparte, sister of Napoleon. Today, the villa is municipally owned and houses three collections: the Zoological Museum, with over 1,400 specimens including mammals, birds, reptiles, and invertebrates; the Archaeological Museum, which recounts human presence in the area from prehistory to the Middle Ages, including the Etruscan period; and the Botanical Park surrounding the building.

Capannoli and the Valdera

Capannoli, with just over six thousand inhabitants, is an ideal starting point for exploring the Valdera, a land of hills, vineyards, and small villages. Its most famous hamlet is Santo Pietro Belvedere, an ancient, perched medieval village that offers panoramic views of the valley. Visiting Capannoli during the San Bartolomeo Fair means embracing the slow, genuine rhythm of Tuscan village life, far from the major tourist circuits but just a few kilometers from Pisa, San Miniato, and Volterra.