Palio is the name given in

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

to an annual athletic contest, very often of a historical character, pitting the neighbourhoods of a town or the hamlets of a ''

comune A (; : , ) is an administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions () and provinces (). The can also have the City status in Italy, titl ...

'' against each other. Typically, they are fought in costume and commemorate some event or tradition of the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...

and thus often involve

horse racing Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its bas ...

archery Archery is the sport, practice, or skill of using a Bow and arrow, bow to shooting, shoot arrows.Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' p. 17 The word comes from the Latin ''arcus'', meaning bow. Historically, archery has been used for hunting ...

jousting Jousting is a medieval and renaissance martial game or hastilude between two combatants either on horse or on foot. The joust became an iconic characteristic of the knight in Romantic medievalism. The term is derived from Old French , ultim ...

crossbow A crossbow is a ranged weapon using an Elasticity (physics), elastic launching device consisting of a Bow and arrow, bow-like assembly called a ''prod'', mounted horizontally on a main frame called a ''tiller'', which is hand-held in a similar f ...

shooting, and similar medieval sports. Once purely a matter of local rivalries, many have now become events that are staged with an eye to visitors and foreign tourists. Palio di Siena 2 luglio 2010

The Palio di Siena is the only one that has been run without interruption since it started in the 1630s and is definitely the most famous all over the world. Its historical origins are documented since 1239 even though the version seen today was the final evolution of races held from the second half of the 16th century. In 1935, Italian Prime Minister

Benito Mussolini Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (29 July 188328 April 1945) was an Italian politician and journalist who, upon assuming office as Prime Minister of Italy, Prime Minister, became the dictator of Fascist Italy from the March on Rome in 1922 un ...

sent out an official declaration that only the one of Siena could bring the designation of Palio. All other horse races held in various parts of Italy are actually just modern reenactments. After the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, nevertheless, many other palios arose throughout the various regions of Italy. Here is an incomplete list:

Italian Palios

Palios with horse races

Tuscany

* Palio of Bientina, third Sunday of July * Palio of Buti in honor of St. Anthony the Abbot, * Palio di Castel del Piano of Castel del Piano, racing on 8 September * Palio delle Contrade, in Faella * Palio dei Rioni di Castiglion Fiorentino the third Sunday of June * Palio of Casole d'Elsa, Second Sunday of July * Palio of Piancastagnaio * Palio di Fucecchio, at the end of May * Palio in Montelaterone * Palio in

Monticiano Monticiano is a town and ''comune'' on the right bank of the Val di Merse, Province of Siena, Tuscany, central Italy. The town is situated on the Colline Metallifere. One of its ''frazione, frazioni'', Bagni di Petriolo, is popular for its Therma ...

* Palio di Siena, race is held on 2 July and 16 August * Palio della Costa Etrusca in San Vincenzo (suspended) * Palio del Valdarno, a Faella, in

Pian di Scò Pian di Scò is a ''frazione'' (municipality) in the Province of Arezzo in the Italian region Tuscany, located about southeast of Florence and about northwest of Arezzo, in the Valdarno. It was a separate commune until 2014, when it was mer ...

* Palio in

, on 7 August * Palio delle Bandiere e dei Territori in Follonica * Palio di San Luca in

Impruneta Impruneta is a town and ''comune'' of the Metropolitan City of Florence, in the Italian region of Tuscany. The population is about 15,000. Name and production The name Impruneta is derived from ''inprunetis'' meaning "within the pine woods", and ...

in October

Lazio

* Corsa a vuoto of Ronciglione, a Carnival feast. In August * Palio del Tirreno of

Maccarese Maccarese is a locality in Lazio, Italy, in the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, Metropolitan City of Rome. Its administration is divided between the Municipalities of Rome (Maccarese Nord (zone of Rome), Maccarese Nord) and Fiumicino, of which ...

Fiumicino Fiumicino () is a town and comune in the Metropolitan City of Rome, Lazio, central Italy, with a population of 80,500 (2019). It is known for being the site of Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport, the busiest airport in Italy and the ninth-b ...

, not held in 2008. * Palio Madama Margarita di Castel Madama, every second Sunday in July * Palio dell'Arcata in

Acquapendente Acquapendente is a city and ''comune'' in the province of Viterbo, in Lazio (Italy). Acquapendente is a centre for the agricultural production of vegetables and wine, and has a tradition of pottery craftsmanship. Its ''frazione'' of Torre Alfina is ...

* Palio in

Bomarzo Bomarzo is a town and ''comune'' of the province of Viterbo (Lazio, Central Italy), in the lower valley of the Tiber. It is located east-northeast of Viterbo and north-northwest of Rome. History The city's current name is a derivation of ...

* Palio del Tributo in Priverno * Palio of

Tolfa Tolfa is a town and ''comune'' of the Metropolitan City of Rome, in the Lazio region of central Italy; it lies to the ENE of Civitavecchia by road. It is the main center in the Monti della Tolfa, an extinct volcanic group between Civitavecchia a ...

last Sunday in August * Palio of Sacrofano, Second Sunday in September * Corsa of Formello, on 10 August * Palio di San Matteo, on 22 September * Corsa al Fantino in Capranica * Corsa in

Campagnano di Roma Campagnano di Roma is a (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, Metropolitan City of Rome in the Italian region of Lazio, Latium, located about northwest of Rome. It was first mentioned in 1076, having been carved out of the grea ...

* Palio of Selci in September * Corsa of Monterosi, on 15 September * Carosello Storico dei Rioni of Cori, in June and July * Pallio della Carriera in Carpineto Romano ( RM). * Palio delle Quattro Porte – Vallecorsa

Lombardy

* Palio della Valle Olona * Palio di Legnano, Last Sunday in May * Palio di S.Pietro at

Abbiategrasso Abbiategrasso, formerly written Abbiate Grasso. (local ; ), is a ''comune'' and town in the Metropolitan City of Milan, Lombardy, northern Italy, situated in the Po River, Po valley approximately from Milan and from Pavia. Twin towns Abbi ...

* Palio degli Asini in Premosello * Palio of

Rho Rho (; uppercase Ρ, lowercase ρ or ; or ) is the seventeenth letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals it has a value of 100. It is derived from Phoenician alphabet, Phoenician letter resh . Its uppercase form uses the same ...

, Second Sunday in October * Palio di Avucat at Caponago, second Sunday in September

Piedmont

* Palio di Asti, every third Sunday in September * Palio dei Borghi of

Fossano Fossano () is a town and ''comune'' of Piedmont, Northern Italy. It is the fourth largest town of the province of Cuneo, after Cuneo, Alba and Bra. It lies on the main railway line from Turin to Cuneo and to Savona, and has a branch line to Mon ...

, at the end of June * Palio storico dei Borghi di Avigliana, at

Avigliana Avigliana (; ; ) is a town and (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Turin in the Piedmont region of Italy, with 12,129 inhabitants as of 1 January 2023. It lies about west of Turin in the Susa valley, on the motorway going from Turin to ...

, Third Sunday in June * Palio di Druento, at Druento

Sardinia

* Palio of

Cagliari Cagliari (, , ; ; ; Latin: ''Caralis'') is an Comune, Italian municipality and the capital and largest city of the island of Sardinia, an Regions of Italy#Autonomous regions with special statute, autonomous region of Italy. It has about 146,62 ...

* Palio dei Comuni of Fonni, First Sunday in June * Palio dei Comuni of Goceano * Palio "Sas Carrelas", at

Bono Paul David Hewson (born 10 May 1960), known by the nickname Bono ( ), is an Irish singer-songwriter and activist. He is a founding member, the lead vocalist, and primary lyricist of the rock band U2. Bono is known for his impassioned voca ...

* Palio of

Sassari Sassari ( ; ; ; ) is an Italian city and the second-largest of Sardinia in terms of population with 120,497 inhabitants as of 2025, and a functional urban area of about 260,000 inhabitants. One of the oldest cities on the island, it contains ...

Umbria

* Palio (Giostra) del Giglio at

Monteleone d'Orvieto Monteleone d'Orvieto is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Terni in the Italian region Umbria, located about 35 km southwest of Perugia and about 60 km northwest of Terni. It is one of I Borghi più belli d'Italia ("The most ...

, 16 August * Palio di Nera Montoro in September

Veneto

* Palio di Feltre First Sunday in August. Horse race and Archery contest * Palio dei 10 Comuni del Montagnanese, at Montagnana, first Sunday in September *

Palio delle contrade di Monselice Palio is the name given in Italy to an annual athletic contest, very often of a historical character, pitting the neighbourhoods of a town or the hamlets of a ''comune'' against each other. Typically, they are fought in costume and commemorate so ...

Second and Third Sunday in September.

Marche

* Palio dell'Assunta di Fermo, on 15 August * Palio of Montegiorgio * Palio of Sant'Emidio also called ''Quintana'' in

Ascoli Piceno Ascoli Piceno (; ; ) is a (municipality) and capital of the province of Ascoli Piceno, in the Italy, Italian region of Marche. Geography The town lies at the confluence of the Tronto, River Tronto and the small Castellano (river), River Castell ...

* Corsa del Drappo in Loreto, on 7 September * Contesa della Margutta a Corridonia, early September * Palio della miniera di zolfo di Cabernardi, early August * Palio dei Castelli in

San Severino Marche San Severino Marche is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Macerata in the Italian region Marche, located about southwest of Ancona and about southwest of Macerata. History From prehistory to Roman age The oldest remains of human ...

, early June

Emilia-Romagna

* Palio di Ferrara, Last Sunday in May * Palio del Maggio, at

Savigno Savigno is a ''frazione'' of the ''comune'' (municipality) of Valsamoggia in the Province of Bologna in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about southwest of Bologna Bologna ( , , ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Emil ...

in May * Palio delle contrade in San Secondo Parmense * Palio di Parma, * Palio del Niballo, at

Faenza Faenza (, ; ; or ; ) is an Italian city and comune of 59,063 inhabitants in the province of Ravenna, Emilia-Romagna, situated southeast of Bologna. Faenza is home to a historical manufacture of majolica-ware glazed earthenware pottery, known ...

* Palio di Giovecca, at Giovecca * Palio of Mordano

Sicily

* Palio of Butera * Palio of

Piazza Armerina Piazza Armerina (Gallo-Italic of Sicily: ''Ciazza''; Sicilian: ''Chiazza'') is a ''comune'' in the province of Enna of the autonomous island region of Sicily, southern Italy. History The city of Piazza (as it was called before 1862) developed ...

, 11 to 13 August * Palio dell'Ascensione in Floridia * Palio di San Vincenzo, in Acate

Basilicata

* Palio di Sant'Antonio abate in Pignola, on 17 January, a race with Horses, donkeys and mules

Abruzzo

* Palio della Giostra Cavalleresca in

Sulmona Sulmona (; ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the province of L'Aquila, in the Italy, Italian region of Abruzzo. It is located in the Valle Peligna, a plain once occupied by a lake that disappeared in prehistoric times. In the ancient era, it was ...

Last Saturday and Sunday of July * Palio della Giostra Cavalleresca dei Borghi più Belli d'Italia – in

* Palio della Giostra Cavalleresca d'Europa –

Puglia

* Palio del Viccio of Palo del Colle – held at carnival.

Palios with donkey races

Umbria

* Giochi de le Porte of

Gualdo Tadino Gualdo Tadino (Latin: ''Tadinum'') is an ancient town of Italy, in the province of Perugia in northeastern Umbria, on the lower flanks of Monte Penna, a mountain of the Apennines. It is NE of Perugia. History Gualdo has a long history and was o ...

Lombardy

* Corsa cogli Asini of Dairago * Palio degli Asini in Bereguardo * Palio del Cinghiale, in

Cesano Boscone Cesano Boscone ( ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Milan in the Italian region Lombardy, located about southwest of Milan. Cesano Boscone borders the following municipalities: Milan, Corsico, Trezzano sul Naviglio. It ...

Piedmont

*Palio degli Asini di Alba in

Alba ''Alba'' ( , ) is the Scottish Gaelic name for Scotland. It is also, in English-language historiography, used to refer to the polity of Picts and Scots united in the ninth century as the Kingdom of Alba, until it developed into the Kingd ...

*Palio degli Asini di Cocconato in

Cocconato Cocconato is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Asti in the Italian region Piedmont, located about east of Turin and about northwest of Asti. It is one of I Borghi più belli d'Italia ("The most beautiful villages of Italy"). Coccona ...

*Palio degli Asini di Quarto d'Asti in Quarto d'Asti *Paglio ragliante di Calliano in Calliano * Palio dei Borghi in Venaria

Toscana

* Palio dei Ciuchi of Campagnatico, in September * Palio dei Micci of Pozzi, frazione di Seravezza * Palio dei Ciuchi of Carmignano, in September * Palio dei somari of Bagnolo * Palio dei somari of Torrita di Siena * Palio dei Somari of Montepulciano Stazione * Giostra dei sestrieri, Palio dei Ciuchi of Roccatederighi * Palio de' Ciui of Lugnano * Palio dei somarelli of Vallerona

Campania

* " Il Palio di Somma Vesuviana", second Sunday in September * " Palio del casale", Palio Nazionale degli asini, Camposano * " Palio del ciuccio", Cuccaro Vetere.

Lazio

* Palio delle Contrade, in Gonfalone di Arpino. * Palio delle Contrade of

Corchiano Corchiano is a town and ''comune ''in the province of Viterbo, Lazio, central Italy. It was an ancient settlement of the Faliscans and, in the Renaissance and later, a fief of the Farnese family. The local produce is hazelnuts and wine. Annual ...

, First Sunday in August * Palio delle Contrade of Allumiere * Palio di San Ciro at Sora

Marche

* Palio del Somaro in Mercatello sul Metauro

Emilia-Romagna

* Palio di Ferrara * Palio di Parma, * Palio dei somari of

Grizzana Morandi Grizzana Morandi ( Medial Mountain Bolognese: ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Bologna in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about southwest of Bologna. The town is summer holiday resort, located in the mountai ...

Friuli

* Palio dei Borghi di Fagagna, second Sunday in September

Palios with boat races (''Palii remieri'')

Tuscany

* Palio dell'Argentario, in Porto Santo Stefano, 15 August * Palio di Calcinaia of Calcinaia * Palio di San Ranieri, in

Arno The Arno is a river in the Tuscany region of Italy. It is the most important river of central Italy after the Tiber. Source and route The river originates on Monte Falterona in the Casentino area of the Apennines, and initially takes a sou ...

and

Pisa Pisa ( ; ) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) in Tuscany, Central Italy, straddling the Arno just before it empties into the Ligurian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa. Although Pisa is known worldwide for the Leaning Tow ...

on 17 June * Palio Madonna del Lago of Massaciuccoli, since 1967

Liguria

* Palio Marinaro di San Pietro, at

Genoa Genoa ( ; ; ) is a city in and the capital of the Italian region of Liguria, and the sixth-largest city in Italy. As of 2025, 563,947 people live within the city's administrative limits. While its metropolitan city has 818,651 inhabitan ...

, first Sunday of July * Palio del Golfo, at

La Spezia La Spezia (, or ; ; , in the local ) is the capital city of the province of La Spezia and is located at the head of the Gulf of La Spezia in the southern part of the Liguria region of Italy. La Spezia is the second-largest city in the Liguria ...

, first Sunday of August * Palio dei Sestieri, in

Ventimiglia Ventimiglia (; , ; ; ) is a resort town in the province of Imperia, Liguria, northern Italy. It is located west of Genoa, and from the French-Italian border, on the Gulf of Genoa, having a small harbour at the mouth of the Roia river, w ...

, second Sunday in August * Regata dei Rioni di Noli, in

Noli Noli (; ) is a coast ''comune'' of Liguria, Italy, in the Province of Savona, it is about southwest of Genoa by rail, about above sea-level. The origin of the name may come from ''Neapolis'', meaning "new city" in Greek. It is one of I Borgh ...

, Second Sunday in September

Apulia

* Palio of

Taranto Taranto (; ; previously called Tarent in English) is a coastal city in Apulia, Southern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Taranto, serving as an important commercial port as well as the main Italian naval base. Founded by Spartans ...

Trentino

* Palio dell'Oca, in Trento

Veneto

* Regata Storica, in

Venice Venice ( ; ; , formerly ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 islands that are separated by expanses of open water and by canals; portions of the city are li ...

Official website
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Calabria

* Palio di San Giorgio, in

Reggio Calabria Reggio di Calabria (; ), commonly and officially referred to as Reggio Calabria, or simply Reggio by its inhabitants, is the List of cities in Italy, largest city in Calabria as well as the seat of the Metropolitan City of Reggio Calabria. As ...

, on 23 April

Lazio

* Palio del mare of

Gaeta Gaeta (; ; Southern Latian dialect, Southern Laziale: ''Gaieta'') is a seaside resort in the province of Latina in Lazio, Italy. Set on a promontory stretching towards the Gulf of Gaeta, it is from Rome and from Naples. The city has played ...

Palios with weapons

Tuscany

* Palio della balestra in

Lucca Città di Lucca ( ; ) is a city and ''comune'' in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the Serchio River, in a fertile plain near the Ligurian Sea. The city has a population of about 89,000, while its Province of Lucca, province has a population of 383,9 ...

, on July 12, a crossbow contest * Palio in Pescia, an archery contest * Disfida con l'Arco in Montopoli in Val d'Arno (Pi), an archery contest * Palio del Diotto in

Scarperia Scarperia is a ''frazione'' of the ''comune'' (municipality) of Scarperia e San Piero, located in the Metropolitan City of Florence, in Tuscany, Italy, about north of Florence. It was an independent comune until 1 January 2014. Main sights * Ch ...

, on 8 September (one of the games is a knife-throwing)

Umbria

* Palio di San Rufino in

Assisi Assisi (, also ; ; from ; Central Italian: ''Ascesi'') is a town and comune of Italy in the Province of Perugia in the Umbria region, on the western flank of Monte Subasio. It is generally regarded as the birthplace of the Latin poet Prope ...

, a crossbow competition * Palio dei Terzieri, in August, an archery contest

Lazio

* Palio of

Orte Orte is a town, ''comune'', former Catholic bishopric and Latin titular see in the province of Viterbo, in the central Italian region of Lazio, located about north of Rome and about east of Viterbo. Geography Orte is situated in the Tiber V ...

, an archery contest

Friuli

* Palio di San Donato, in Cividale del Friuli, last Sunday in August, an archery contest * Palio of Cordovado, first Sunday of September, an archery contest with a medieval costume parade

Emilia-Romagna

* Palio di Santa Reparata e della Romagna Toscana, in Terra del Sole, a crossbow contest

Veneto

* Palio della Marciliana, in

Chioggia Chioggia (; , ; ) is a coastal town and (municipality) of the Metropolitan City of Venice in the Veneto region of northern Italy. Geography The town is located on a small island at the southern entrance to the Venetian Lagoon about sou ...

, a crossbow contest.

References

External links

{{Commons category, Palios
Il Palio Di Siena Official SiteIl Palio Di Siena English SiteGiostra del SaracinoPalio of AstiPalio of SienaPalio of FerraraPalio dei Rioni, Castiglion FiorentinoPalio Madama MargaritaPalio of LegnanoPalio della balestra VolterraCertame della Contea di PopoliPalio of San RufinoPalio dei 10 ComuniOttava di S. Egidio – Palio of archery
Tourism in Italy Italian traditions Festivals in Italy Sports originating in Italy