Agosto Medievale 2026 — Ventimiglia’s Medieval Festival & Historic Boat Regatta

For nine days every August, the ancient border town of Ventimiglia throws one of the Ligurian Riviera dei Fiori’s most colorful summer events: Agosto Medievale. From August 6–14, 2026, the historic centre transforms into a living medieval pageant — with costumed parades, a traditional wooden boat regatta, street performers, and banquets that have run annually since 1977.

A Medieval Town Comes Alive

Ventimiglia, with its Roman theatre, medieval old town perched on a hill above the Roia River, and strategic position at the Franco-Italian border, is the perfect setting for a historical festival. The old town (“Ventimiglia Alta”) — a warren of stone alleyways, archways, and tiny piazzas — becomes the stage for reenactments of daily life in the Middle Ages: blacksmiths at their forges, scribes at their desks, falconers with their birds of prey, and musicians playing period instruments.

The highlight is the corteo storico (historical parade) on the evening of August 9, when hundreds of participants in meticulously crafted medieval costumes wind through the streets carrying banners, torches, and the symbols of Ventimiglia’s noble families. Drums echo through the stone alleyways, and the entire town feels transported back to the 13th century.

The Regata dei Gozzi

A uniquely Ligurian tradition takes to the water during Agosto Medievale: the regata dei gozzi, a rowing race of traditional wooden Ligurian fishing boats. Teams from Ventimiglia’s historic quarters compete just off the town’s beachfront, their painted gozzi cutting through the blue water as crowds cheer from the Lungomare. The race is a reminder that Ventimiglia, like so many Ligurian towns, was built on the sea as much as the land.

Food, Fire, and the Full Experience

• Medieval banquets: Throughout the festival, open-air taverne medievali serve rustic dishes inspired by historical recipes — think grilled meats, bean soups, and local Rossese wine served in terracotta cups.
• Nightly entertainment: After dark, the piazzas host fire-eaters, jugglers, storytellers, and open-air theatre performances.
• The market: Artisans sell handmade crafts, leather goods, and jewellery in a medieval-style market that runs daily.
• Closing fireworks: The festival ends on August 14 with a fireworks display over the sea, a prelude to the Ferragosto holiday the next day.

Visit Ventimiglia for Agosto Medievale

• Getting there: Ventimiglia is the last Italian stop on the Genoa–Nice railway line, 15 minutes from the French border. Trains run frequently from Sanremo, Imperia, and Genoa.
• When to go: The evening of August 9 for the grand parade, or August 14 for the closing fireworks. The weekend days (8–9 and 13–14) are the busiest.
• Don’t miss: The Friday market (August 7 and 14) on the Lungomare is one of the largest in Liguria — a tradition in its own right. And the Hanbury Botanic Gardens, just outside town, are spectacular in August.
• Combine with: The beaches of the Riviera dei Fiori, the hilltop village of Dolceacqua (20 minutes inland), or a day trip across the border to Menton and the Côte d’Azur.

Agosto Medievale is Liguria’s answer to a Renaissance fair — but with the sea breeze, real medieval stonework, and all the warmth of an Italian summer festival that’s been running for nearly 50 years.