Ricorrenza della Madonna del Rosario

Bonassola's most cherished festival

The Ricorrenza della Madonna del Rosario is the most important traditional festival in Bonassola, a seaside village on the Riviera di Levante in the province of La Spezia, nestled between Levanto and the Cinque Terre. Celebrated on the first Sunday of October, the festival commemorates the naval victory of Lepanto and unites faith, tradition, and community over three days of events.

Procession and Ligurian Cristi

The religious heart of the festival is the procession on Sunday afternoon, when the statue of the Madonna winds through the village streets accompanied by a musical band. Particularly evocative is the participation of confraternities from other municipalities, who carry the traditional Cristi liguri (Liguria's large processional crucifixes).

Fair, fireworks, and candles on the sea

Alongside the religious rites, the Municipality organizes three days of fair, with food and non-food stalls, gastronomic stands for tasting local products, musical entertainment, and evening dances, as well as a charity raffle. The most anticipated moment is the fireworks display on Saturday evening, accompanied by the evocative placement of candles on the sea, which illuminate Bonassola's bay.

Bonassola, a pearl of the Riviera spezzina

With its beach and the pedestrian tunnel connecting it to Levanto, Bonassola is one of the most beloved destinations on the coast of La Spezia. Experiencing the Madonna del Rosario festival means discovering the authentic side of the village, outside the summer season, when the community comes together around its roots.