It's a yearly boat race between the four Italian Maritime Republics that
sailed the seas in medieval times. It's hosted, in turn, on the
Mediterranean sea at Amalfi and Genoa, on the Arno in Pisa and on the
lagoon in Venice, to celebrate the history and memories of
the four maritime cities.
The idea of the Palio of
the Ancient Maritime Republics was born in 1955 and the first
edition took place in Genova.
The traditional boat race is preceded by a great historical pageant of 400
boaters with participants in period costumes: flags and festoons,
trumpets and drums, horses and sedan-chairs add glamour to the solemn
procession.