Serravalle Gioca

A medieval village turned into a games room

For an entire weekend, the historic center of Serravalle Pistoiese, located in the heart of Tuscany, closes to traffic and unfolds into a massive open-air games room. Tables, chessboards, dice, and cards take over alleys, squares, and loggias, while the ancient walls of the Rocca di Castruccio provide the backdrop for a festival designed for all ages. Serravalle Gioca was created to promote gaming as an occasion for meeting, sharing, and growth, engaging children, teenagers, and adults alike.

Thematic areas

The event is spread across various spaces throughout the village:

• Historic center streets: hundreds of stations with modern board games, freely accessible.
• Former school on Via Garibaldi: the tournament area, dedicated to competitive players.
• Loggiato of the Church of San Michele: the space for independent productions, where developers and creators showcase their projects.
• Former Oratory of the Vergine Assunta: meetings, conferences, demonstrations, and presentations, featuring participation from professors from the University of Genoa.
• Rocca di Castruccio: refreshment points, active throughout the event.

Tournaments, role-playing games, and indie productions

The program alternates between role-playing games, presentations, and tournaments of famous titles. Announced challenges include classics like Catan and Ticket To Ride, as well as more recent games for enthusiasts: from the duels of Mindbug and Unmatched to the car races of HEAT, and the fantasy and horror settings of various role-playing games. There is also plenty of space dedicated to independent productions, a showcase for the vibrant world of indie creators.

A space for the little ones

Serravalle Gioca pays great attention to families: for children, there are workshops to introduce them to board games and animated readings using the Kamishibai theater, the traditional Japanese paper storytelling art. It is a way to discover the joy of playing from an early age, away from screens.

A local project

The event is promoted by the Department of Culture of the Municipality of Serravalle Pistoiese in collaboration with the gaming association Giocaconisa, which has been active in the area for years. The event enhances both the heritage of the medieval village and the culture of analog gaming, confirming Tuscany as a land capable of blending tradition with new forms of social interaction.