A Festival Hopper's Food-and-Faith Weekend in Gubbio

Begin at the Roman theater, where the ancient remains are presented as a striking reminder of the passage from the Roman Empire to the medieval city.

Walk Corso Garibaldi for the statue of Saint Ubaldo and the festival flags representing the three teams: yellow, blue, and black and red. The statue includes a place where visitors are encouraged to put a finger and say a prayer.

Visit the restaurant identified in the source as Rostaria Laria on Corso Garibaldi. The described meal is white ragu with pasta, juniper, herbs, rustic bread, bruschetta, and a traditional sweet made by dipping toeti in vinsanto.

Explore Piazza Grande and Palazzo dei Consoli, completed in 1337. The square and palace are the essential medieval setting for understanding why the festival feels inseparable from Gubbio's architecture.

Use the Funivia to reach the upper hill and Basilica of Sant'Ubaldo. The ride provides views over the old town, medieval walls, rolling green hills, and olive trees.

At the top, visit the Basilica of Sant'Ubaldo and see the preserved saint. The source describes the church as dating to 1513 and emphasizes the views back toward the Roman theater, old town, and surrounding hills.

Stop at the bar beside the basilica for coffee or wine, with lunch or dinner available at the restaurant below it. This is described as a particularly special viewpoint and a strong place to pause above the city.

See the large medieval wine barrel near the passage toward the cathedral. It is described as a 15th-century barrel holding 20,000 liters and as a reminder of how wine was consumed historically when water was unsafe.

Reach Piazza Grande around 6:00 p.m. on the festival eve if you are already in town, or return early on the main day. The square begins filling well before the bells, and once the crowd is dense it can become difficult to enter or move.

Watch the Ceri ceremony in Piazza Grande as the teams enter, lift the enormous structures, and begin the run. The source describes the Ceri as extremely heavy and explains that each team carries its saint through the ceremony.

Follow the route toward Corso Garibaldi for La Mostra, when the Ceri are shown through town and brought past important families and elders. Expect extremely tight crowds and do not attempt to force your way through the procession.

Use Hotel Ducale as a regrouping point during the ceremony. The source places it directly by Piazza Grande and specifically identifies it as a reliable place to find a bathroom when the town is packed.

At Hotel Ducale's festival food service, try focaccia, Roman-style pizza, cornetti, panini, and coffee. The source also describes the focaccia with olive oil and rosemary and notes that it works well as an easy meal while the streets are crowded.

Go to Baroli for a practical festival breakfast or midday stop when seated restaurants are unavailable. The source highlights cornetti, coffee, and crescia filled with salami, cheese, spinach, sausage, or eggs, with an approximate price of €3-€7.

Visit La Gelateria for pistachio, hazelnut, and chocolate-with-nuts gelato. The source also mentions a second location outside the walls where the gelato can be seen being made.

Have the traditional crescia meal at La Cresa Mia. The described spread includes fried bread, crescia, cheese, salami, pancetta, grilled minced meat, eggplant, roasted yellow pepper, spinach, and house wine. It is eaten informally with hands and is presented as a family-style local meal.