Dal 21 aprile al 1° maggio ha avuto luogo ad Anghiari la 43ª Edizione della Mostra Mercato dell’Artigianato della Valtiberina Toscana, una  mostra itinerante che propone a visitatori e turisti una suggestiva passeggiata tra vicoli e piazzette, dove si aprono per l’occasione le “botteghe” artigiane ed artistiche disseminate nel suggestivo borgo medievale. Un’occasione che richiama ogni anno numerosi visitatori che possono ammirare il meglio del “fatto a mano”, una vasta gamma di prodotti artigianali nei settori del legno e cuoio, tessuti e ferro battuto, ceramica e metalli preziosi.

The southern Tuscany, hill-town gem, Anghiari, turns into an artisan market each year at the end of April for the Mostra Mercato dell’Artigianato della Valtiberina.

This “Show-and-Sell of the Tiber Valley Artisans” festival fills medieval vaulted walkways, frescoed Renaissance civic buildings, noble palazzi, ancient olive oil and wine cellars, and even a Roman cistern and Roman wine press area with the crafts and creations of artists and artisans from all over central Italy; particularly from this Tiber Valley area. Some artists and artisans set up their stands right along the fortified medieval walls.

Throughout the festival, young artisans are at work, too: a student group from the local liceo scientifico sculpts under the guidance of their professore in the Piazza del Popolo. The students sculpt images from the 15th century Battle of Anghiari, immortalized in a painting by Da Vinci which is now lost.

Rolling drums can be heard as proud figures in Renaissance dress, parchments in hand, act out the call to the Battle of Anghiari from the window of the 14th century tribunal, Palazzo Pretorio (now City Hall).

Over 50 artisans fill Anghiari to show-and-sell. It is impossible to see them all, but part of the pleasure is simply wandering the charming labyrinthine backstreets to find them.