Festa del Mare (San Giacomo)
Medieval parades, procession and ten thousand lanterns at sea in Levanto
About Festa del Mare
Levanto between history and the sea
The Festa del Mare in honour of Saint James the Apostle, patron saint of sailors, is the major traditional event in Levanto, on the coast of the province of La Spezia. Established in 1969, it commemorates the town's founding in 1230 and intertwines historical reenactment, religious devotion, and spectacle.
Medieval Parades
The first day is dedicated to history: costumed groups parade through the town centre, while the historical procession with ladies and knights from the Da Passano family reenacts the medieval past of the village. In the evening, Piazza Cavour hosts medieval tournaments, with swordplay, flag-throwing displays, and tug-of-war.
The Procession and the Ten Thousand Lanterns
On July 25th, the feast day of Saint James, the procession takes place with the statue of the saint and the characteristic wooden crucifixes carried by the confraternities. In the evening, the evocative sea ceremony: the laying of a wreath in honour of the fallen, the illumination of the gulf with ten thousand floating lanterns, and the final fireworks display. A moment of rare intensity that draws thousands of people to Levanto every year.
Festa del Mare — edition 2026
The 2026 edition of Levanto's Festa del Mare celebrates San Giacomo on July 24th and 25th. Recognized as an Authentic Ligurian Event 2026 and funded by the Liguria Region, the festival combines historical reenactment, faith, and spectacle.
July 24th is dedicated to medieval historical parades featuring ladies and knights from the Da Passano family and evening tournaments in Piazza Cavour. On July 25th, the procession and the evocative sea ceremony with ten thousand floating lanterns and fireworks.
Programme Festa del Mare 2026
July 24th
- Morning — Arrival of costumed groups and parade through the town centre
- Afternoon — Historical procession with ladies and knights from the Da Passano family
- Evening — Medieval tournaments in Piazza Cavour: swordplay, flag-throwing, tug-of-war
July 25th — San Giacomo
- Procession with the statue of the saint and wooden crucifixes from the confraternities
- Sea ceremony with laying of a wreath in honour of the fallen
- Illumination of the gulf with ten thousand floating lanterns
- Concluding fireworks display
Highlights Festa del Mare 2026
Prices Festa del Mare 2026
Practical information — Festa del Mare
Where and when
The festival takes place in the historic centre and by the sea in Levanto on July 24th and 25th, around the feast day of Saint James.
How to get there
Levanto is well-connected by train (station on the Genoa-La Spezia line, gateway to Cinque Terre). Special trains are often scheduled during the festival.
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Where does it take place — Festa del Mare
Centro storico e mare di Levanto