Palio of the Contrade of Artena

Palio of the Contrade of Artena 2025

From August 1 to 10, 2025, Artena relived its great Palio of the Contrade, the 17th-century re-enactment linked to the visit of Pope Paul V to the ancient town of Montefortino, a Borghese fiefdom. The event opened with the Baroque Dinner in the square and the historical pageant of over a thousand costumed participants.

For ten evenings, the ten districts of Artena competed at Villa Borghese in the twenty-two folk games of the rural tradition, from wheat threshing to tug-of-war, culminating in the final donkey race. The 2025 banner, dedicated to the memory of the Borghese family, was painted by Artena artist Alisea Ciafrei. The festival, as every year, attracted thousands of people each evening, confirming its status as one of the most beloved historical events in the province of Rome.