The Tuscia area of Viterbo is one of the regions of Italy richest in tradition. Among these, one of the most popular is without doubt “La Notte delle Candele” (“The Night of the Candles”), an event that each year closes out the “Piccole Serenate Notturne” (“Little Nocturnal Serenades”) festival, held every year in late August and organized by a local cultural association.
The event takes place in Vallerano, a truly charming village that is also one of the most lively towns in the entire Tuscia area.

The Night of the Candles in Vallerano

This event is a magical journey in which the audience, growing larger year after year, is guided expertly through a unique artistic experience, made up of images, sounds, and captivating impressions, set in enchanting locations that bring together different facets of a beautiful natural landscape and a return to one’s roots, culminating in an encounter with beauty on a night that turns out to be truly full of magic.
The atmosphere of this fairy-tale setting is breathtaking, and La Notte delle Candele has become an event no one wants to miss. Interest from visitors continues to grow year after year, thanks in part to the outstanding quality of the artistic program that sets it apart, as well as its unique character.
It’s an event that has gained considerable popularity in both local and national press, as well as on Rai, local television channels, and some of the best-known websites.

The history of the Night of the Candles

The first edition took place in 2007 in Vallerano, and after many successful years, since 2016 this event, with its magical atmosphere, has also been exported to other jewel-like European villages, with two editions held in Spain, in the Catalonia region, in Pals, near Girona, and in 2018 in the small village of Ordino, in the Pyrenees, in the Principality of Andorra.
On that occasion, around 10,000 candles lit up the streets and squares of Ordino on the night of June 22nd, starting at 9:00 PM, just as happens in Italy.
The event featured five simultaneous performances, combining live music and modern dance, both featuring established artists, along with stunning fire shows and the accompaniment of live jazz music.
All this while numerous stalls set up around the village offered food and drink featuring local traditional products, and several video installations helped create a truly surreal atmosphere.

The dates of the Night of the Candles

This event closes out the important “Piccole Serenate Notturne” festival, held each year in Piazza dell’Oratorio in Vallerano during the last week of August.
This festival is always packed with a diverse program of original, high-quality music, set in this square, which feels almost like a natural theater. It’s a true cultural and temporal melting pot, exactly as envisioned by the artistic direction since the festival’s very first edition.
Spanning a wide range of genres, from jazz to swing, opera to classical music, folk to ethnic and popular music, the event also features performances of Roman-dialect “stornelli” alongside Neapolitan songs, ranging from Mediterranean to Jewish musical traditions. Over the years, there hasn’t been a single musical genre that hasn’t taken center stage, to great applause, at the Vallerano event.
Eighteen years of work carried out with great professionalism by the organizers, and with equal enthusiasm, have brought wonderful emotions to all visitors.
Photo: https://www.centumcellae.it/eventi/e-la-notte-delle-candele-a-vallerano/
Stay overnight at Agriturismo Ferrari to visit the Night of the Candles