On Thursday, 13 August 2026, from 6.00 pm, the medieval village of Varzi, in the heart of the Staffora Valley, comes alive for a new edition of the Mercatino sotto le Stelle (Market Under the Stars). Organised by Nuova Pro Loco Varzi, this year's event takes on the theme “Return to the Past”: the streets, arcades and squares of the historic centre fill with craft and vintage stalls, food stands, costumed entertainment and a special opening of the striking Witches' Tower, for an evening that blends market browsing, live music and an atmosphere from another era.

The evening's programme, from 6.00 pm until late

From 6.00 pm the market opens along the streets and arcades of the centre, with stalls of crafts, hobby items, vintage objects and demonstrations of traditional trades, alongside street food and beverage stands to accompany an evening stroll through the village's lanes.

At the same time, in Piazza Umberto I, the Pro Loco runs a refreshment point with sangria, beer and other offerings for the evening crowd, while traditional dinners, costumed moments, music and dancing take shape across the town centre.

During the evening, visitors can also see an oil-on-canvas painting exhibition by artist Valentina Tambussi, and for anyone seeking an unusual view of the village, there is the chance to climb the Witches' Tower, courtesy of the Varzi Viva association: from the top, the view stretches over the rooftops of Varzi, the Staffora Valley and the surrounding hills.

At 9.00 pm, in Piazzetta 25 Aprile, a keep-fit, dance-school and ju-jitsu display takes place, while from 9.30 pm the stage in Piazza Umberto I hosts the live show by Nico e Franz, the evening's musical highlight.

Around 11.00 pm, again in Piazza Umberto I, a costume parade and awards ceremony for the best masks takes place, accompanied by communal tables set up for the occasion. The celebration then continues in Via Reponte Vecchio with a DJ set and cocktail bar curated by UP! Eventi, for those wishing to extend the evening into the night.

Return to the Past: the theme of the 2026 edition

The theme chosen for the 2026 edition, “Return to the Past”, ties naturally into Varzi's medieval character: stalls of retro and vintage items, demonstrations of old crafts and costumed moments play out beneath the village's fourteenth-century arcades, recreating for one evening the feeling of a time suspended between history and legend. The chance to climb the Witches' Tower, usually open to the public only on special occasions, strengthens this link between the market and the town's historical memory.

Varzi, the village that guards the Witches' Tower

Varzi is one of the most distinctive villages of the Oltrepò Pavese, set in the Staffora Valley at the crossroads of Lombardy, Piedmont, Liguria and Emilia. Its historic centre preserves the medieval arcades built between the 14th and 16th centuries to shelter travelling merchants, along with the Malaspina Castle, whose thirteenth-century tower is known to everyone as the Witches' Tower: the name recalls an episode from 1464, when, amid a climate of trials for heresy and witchcraft, twenty-five women and several men from the area were imprisoned in the tower and sentenced to be burned in the town square. Roughly twenty-nine metres tall, the tower is today open to visitors only on special occasions such as this one, and it remains one of the village's most evocative landmarks, alongside the renowned Salame di Varzi DOP, the flagship product of local gastronomy.

How to reach Varzi

Varzi can be reached via the SS461 road through the Staffora Valley, which connects Voghera to the Val Trebbia across the Apennines of the Pavia area. The historic centre is subject to restricted traffic during the event: visitors are advised to leave their car in the free car parks along the ring road and continue on foot through the market streets.

Frequently asked questions about the Mercatino sotto le Stelle 2026

When does the Mercatino sotto le Stelle 2026 take place?

The event takes place on Thursday, 13 August 2026, in Varzi, in the province of Pavia, starting at 6.00 pm and continuing into the night.

Where does the event take place?

The market fills the streets and arcades of Varzi's historic centre, with the main moments concentrated in Piazza Umberto I, Piazzetta 25 Aprile and Via Reponte Vecchio.

Who is performing live this year?

The evening's live show, from 9.30 pm in Piazza Umberto I, is by Nico e Franz. The programme also includes a keep-fit, dance-school and ju-jitsu display in Piazzetta 25 Aprile and a closing DJ set curated by UP! Eventi.

Can visitors climb the Witches' Tower during the event?

Yes: during the evening, courtesy of the Varzi Viva association, visitors will be able to climb the Witches' Tower, the thirteenth-century monument that is normally open to the public only on special occasions.

Is entry to the market free?

Strolling among the market stalls along the streets and arcades of the centre is free of charge. For information on themed dinners or paid activities run by individual businesses, visitors can contact Nuova Pro Loco Varzi.

Photo - Sergio Azzaretti

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