Faenza

The word faience , meaning fine tin-glazed pottery, is derived from the city's name.

I.A.T. Faenza ( Tourist office ), Voltone della Molinella, 2 , ☏ +39 0546 25231 , [email protected] . May-Sep: M-Sa 09:30-12:30, 15:30-18:30; Su 09:30-12:30; Oct-Apr: Tu-Sa 09:00-12:30, 15:30-17:30 (Th afternoon closed) . ( updated May 2016 )

Faenza is on the Via Emilia and the Bologna–Rimini railway line, between Imola and Forlì.

The historic centre is walkable from the railway station.

The Museo Internazionale delle Ceramiche (MIC), founded in 1908, holds one of the world's largest ceramics collections and gives the English word "faience" its origin; the city's historic centre, centred on Piazza del Popolo, hosts the Palio del Niballo jousting competition each June.

The Palio del Niballo, a historic jousting reenactment dating to 1414, is held in Piazza del Popolo in late June.

Off season (November–March): Cold, foggy, and damp — the Po Valley's notorious nebbia settles in from December through February, with daytime highs often hovering around 5–8°C. Attractions operate on reduced hours and the town has a quiet, local atmosphere with very few visitors.

Best time to visit: Mid-May through mid-June, when gardens are in bloom, the weather is warm but not oppressive, and the annual Palio del Niballo — a historic jousting competition and medieval pageant — takes place in Faenza's main square on the fourth Sunday of June. Avoid late July and August if you dislike heat and humidity.

Handmade and painted majolica ceramics, the craft that gives the city its international reputation, are sold in workshops around town.

Faenza is on the Via Emilia rail line, between Imola/Bologna and Forlì/Rimini.