The TRAVELER'S JOURNAL: September eleventh, enjoying jousting in Foligno.

Like its neighbors, Assisi and Spoleto, the city of Foligno is a jewel tucked in the lush, Umbrian hills of central Italy. The village first entered Rome's empire in 295 B.C., but earthquakes and invaders repeatedly leveled it. The present city dates back to the 12th-century, when it grew into a local power, before being engulfed by the papal wars 200 years later. History endowed Foligno with a wealth of medieval and renaissance art, architecture, and civic tradition. For example, on two Sundays every September, Foligno's citizens participate in a contest that dates back to the 17th century.

Like the Palio horserace in Sienna, the Giosta della Quintana, the joust of Quintain, is a real spectacle. Ten knights, each representing one of the city's wards, compete by trying to snatch rings from the fingers of the Quintain, a walnut statue of a huge warrior that spins on a pivot. What makes this interesting is that the knights are wearing full armor, riding top speed on charging horses, and trying to pick off the ring with the tip of their 15- foot long lances. And they're cheered on by legions of local lords and ladies, all clad in full Baroque regalia.

The evening before each Quintana is a raucous festival. Hundreds of regal participants thread through the cobbled streets of Foligno. Local trattoria prepare traditional dishes from centuries old recipes, and spontaneous celebrations erupt all over town.

Even though the modern Quintana only dates from the end of World War Two, it's an exuberant escape to which all are invited.

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