Palio del Ciuccio

The most unusual race in the province of Naples

Every summer, Santa Maria la Carità, a town in the Agro Nocerino-Sarnese area near Pompeii, in the Metropolitan City of Naples (Campania), transforms into a medieval village for a few weeks. The most anticipated moment is the Palio del Ciuccio: a donkey race where the five districts into which the town is ideally divided compete before a crowd filling the streets and the barriers around Piazza Ernesto Borrelli.

The five districts

The heart of the event is the District Tournament, which accompanies the entire Luglio Sammaritano program and awards the title to the district that excels in the various challenges. The five districts are:

• Aquila
• Delfino
• Farfalla
• Ippocampo
• Leone

Each district brings together a group of streets and families, with its own colors, banners, and jockey. Throughout the month, the districts face off in diverse trials—from tug-of-war to gastronomic challenges—but it is the donkey race that defines the mood of the Sammaritano summer.

How the Palio is run

The formula is simple and spectacular: jockeys ride the donkeys for several laps of the circuit carved out of the town center, and the first donkey to cross the finish line wins. Donkeys, however, are not horses: they stop, change their minds, start off suddenly, and completely ignore the cheering. It is precisely this unpredictability that makes the race so fun and turns it into a folk festival rather than a sporting competition. The tradition is well-established: as early as 2018, local news reported the twenty-fourth consecutive year of racing.

The medieval historical pageant

The race is preceded by a medieval historical pageant, with costumed performers, drummers, ladies, and knights parading through the streets to the starting area. During the festival, the center hosts craft markets, street performers, and food stalls serving traditional Campanian dishes: a setup designed to revive the atmosphere of an ancient medieval village.

The Luglio Sammaritano

The Palio del Ciuccio does not stand alone: it is the flagship event of the Luglio Sammaritano, the festival organized by the Pro Loco Santa Maria la Carità, which reached its thirtieth edition in 2026. Over three weeks of religious, cultural, sporting, and gastronomic events—including the Eggplant Festival, evening shows in the square, and the "Luglio Ti Premia" lottery—represent the main gathering point for the local community and the biggest draw for neighboring towns.

Why it's worth the trip

Santa Maria la Carità is located just a few kilometers from Pompeii and Castellammare di Stabia, in one of the most visited areas of Campania: the Palio is an opportunity to see a slice of authentic Southern life far from the usual tourist circuits. It is not a re-enactment staged for visitors, but a festival the town holds for itself, which anyone can watch for free from the streets of the center. Those arriving from outside will find a community that, for one evening, divides into five colors and cheers as if at a stadium.