Palio di Sant'Anselmo and Biscotto Festival

The Palio di Sant'Anselmo, the heart of Bomarzo's tradition

In the village of Bomarzo, in the province of Viterbo, in the heart of the Lazio Tuscia region, the Palio di Sant'Anselmo is the most anticipated event of the year. Every late April, during the feast of the patron saint, the town divides into its five districts—Dentro, Borgo, Poggio, Croci, and Madonna del Piano—which compete in a spectacular bareback horse race. The winning district claims the Palio banner, a unique painting commissioned annually from a different artist and jealously guarded in the district's church.

Sant'Anselmo and the origins of the festival

The event is rooted in the devotion to Anselmo, a 6th-century bishop and lord of Bomarzo, remembered for his charity toward the poor and pilgrims traveling along the Via Francigena toward Rome along the Tiber. According to tradition, it was the bishop himself who ordered the preparation of a sweet bread to be distributed to the needy: this gave birth to the famous Biscotto di Sant'Anselmo. While the horse race dates back to the 17th century according to some sources, the event in its current form has been organized by the local community since the 1980s.

The Renaissance historical pageant

One of the most evocative moments is the historical pageant that parades through the streets of the center with over a hundred participants in lavish 16th-century costumes. Starting from Palazzo Orsini, the parade recreates the court and the wedding of Vicino Orsini—the same nobleman who commissioned the famous Monster Park, the Sacred Wood of Bomarzo—and Giulia Farnese, bringing the splendor of the Italian Renaissance back to life.

The Biscotto Festival

Alongside the Palio, the Biscotto di Sant'Anselmo Festival takes place, reaching its 53rd edition in 2026 (the first was held in 1973, thanks to the Pro Loco). The biscotto is a large sweet ring-shaped pastry, handmade with sourdough and then dipped in the so-called "zozza," a mixture of liqueurs, oil, wine, sugar, lemon, and anise. The preparation, entrusted to the women of Bomarzo for generations, keeps a recipe that has remained virtually unchanged for centuries alive.

Four days of celebration

The event spans four days: from the parade of the districts and the blessing of the biscotto, to the selection and drawing of the horses, leading up to the general rehearsal and the main event on April 25th, featuring the blessing of horses and jockeys in Piazza Duomo, the historical pageant, and the Palio race at the Campo del Fossatello. An identity-defining event that draws thousands of visitors to Lazio every year, attracted by the spectacle of the race, the charm of history, and the aromas of local gastronomy.