Sanremo’s event calendar is anchored by the world-famous Music Festival in February, but the city hosts major gatherings nearly every month of the year. From the spring flower parade to the autumn rally race, the Riviera dei Fiori keeps a steady rhythm of festivals that draw both Italian and international visitors. Most events center on the Ariston Theatre, the Casino, or the Corso Matteotti pedestrian zone. Here is what to plan around, month by month.
Sanremo Events and Festivals: Winter (January to February)
Sanremo Music Festival (Festival della Canzone Italiana)
The Sanremo Music Festival is Italy’s most important popular music event, held over five nights in early to mid-February at the Ariston Theatre (Via Matteotti 226). Created in 1951, the festival launched the careers of Andrea Bocelli, Laura Pausini, Eros Ramazzotti, and Maneskin. Each night is broadcast live on Rai 1 to an audience of 10 million viewers. Tickets for the live shows are extremely limited: most go to sponsors, VIPs, and music industry insiders. A small number of public tickets are released through TicketOne in December, typically priced 100 to 300 euros depending on the night (finale night is most expensive). If you cannot get into the theatre, the city sets up large screens in Piazza Colombo and along Corso Matteotti where you can watch for free with thousands of others. Hotels within a 1km radius of the Ariston book out completely. The exact dates are announced in September; check rai.it for the official schedule. For more, see our weather by month.
Epiphany and Christmas Season
Sanremo’s Christmas market runs from early December through January 6 in Piazza Colombo and Piazza Eroi Sanremesi, with wooden stalls selling Ligurian food products, mulled wine (vin brule), and handmade gifts. On January 6, the Befana (Christmas witch) tradition includes a children’s parade and free hot chocolate in the piazza. The Russian Orthodox Church holds a well-attended midnight liturgy on January 6 (Russian Christmas Eve) and a daytime Divine Liturgy on January 7, drawing the local Russian-speaking community and curious visitors. The church is at its most atmospheric during these services, with candlelight, incense, and Slavonic chant. For more, see our best time to visit.
Sanremo Events and Festivals: Spring (March to May)
Milan-Sanremo (La Classicissima)
The Milan-Sanremo professional cycling race is the longest one-day race on the UCI World Tour at 298 kilometers. Held on the third Saturday of March, the race finishes on Via Roma in central Sanremo after the riders crest the Cipressa (5.6km at 4.1%) and the Poggio (3.7km at 3.7%) in the final hour. The finish area on Via Roma fills from about 2:00 PM; the winner crosses the line around 5:00 PM. There is no admission fee for roadside viewing. For the best spectator experience, position yourself on the Poggio climb (accessible by walking up from the city, about 30 minutes) or at the Via Roma finish straight. The Granfondo Milan-Sanremo, an amateur version of the race, takes place in June on a slightly shorter course. Register at milanosanremo.it if you want to ride it yourself: entry is about 100 euros. For more, see our things to do.
Sanremo in Fiore (Flower Festival)
Sanremo in Fiore is a spring flower festival held on a Sunday in late March or early April, depending on Easter. The centerpiece is a parade of floats entirely covered in fresh flowers (corso fiorito), rolling down Corso Matteotti from the Ariston Theatre toward the sea. The floats are constructed by local flower growers using the carnations, roses, and mimosa that the Sanremo valley is famous for. The parade typically starts at 3:00 PM and runs for about two hours. It is free to watch from the sidewalks. The event also includes a flower market in Piazza Colombo where you can buy cut flowers and plants directly from the growers at wholesale prices. The Mercato dei Fiori in Valle Armea, Europe’s largest wholesale flower market, opens to the public during the festival weekend (usually 6:00 AM to 10:00 AM on the Saturday before the parade). For more, see our neighborhoods guide.
Easter Processions
On Good Friday, the confraternities of La Pigna organize a torchlit procession through the medieval caruggi, carrying religious statues from the Cathedral of San Siro to the Sanctuary of the Madonna della Costa. The procession starts at 9:00 PM and lasts about 90 minutes. It is a solemn, local event rather than a tourist spectacle: dress respectfully and keep noise to a minimum. Easter Sunday mass at the Cathedral of San Siro begins at 10:30 AM. For more, see our where to stay guide.
Sanremo Events and Festivals: Summer (June to August)
Summer Concert Series (Sanremo Summer Symphony)
From June through August, the Sanremo Symphony Orchestra performs a summer season at the Teatro dell’Opera inside the Casino complex and at open-air venues including the Villa Ormond gardens and the Piazza San Siro. Programming mixes classical concerts, opera, and jazz. Tickets are 15 to 40 euros depending on the performance and seating. Check the Fondazione Orchestra Sinfonica di Sanremo website (sinfonicasanremo.it) for the summer schedule, usually published in May. The open-air concerts in Villa Ormond on Thursday evenings in July are particularly popular: bring a picnic and arrive by 7:30 PM for an 8:30 PM start. For more, see our travel tips.
Ferragosto (August 15)
Ferragosto is Italy’s national summer holiday and Sanremo celebrates with a fireworks display over the old port at 10:00 PM. The Lungomare Imperatrice promenade fills with families and groups who stake out spots from late afternoon. Beach clubs organize daytime parties, and most restaurants offer a fixed-price Ferragosto lunch menu (40 to 60 euros per person). Book restaurants a week ahead if you want a table with a sea view. The city runs extended bus services until 1:00 AM on the Ferragosto night to the outlying districts.
Sanremo Events and Festivals: Autumn (September to November)
Rallye Sanremo
The Rallye Sanremo is a historic motorsport event held over a weekend in October (exact dates vary, check acisanremo.it). The rally runs special stages on the mountain roads behind Sanremo, including the Monte Bignone and Passo Ghimbegna sections. The service park and ceremonial start are typically in the old port area, free to spectators. Mountain stage viewing requires a car to reach spectator zones: arrive at least 2 hours before the stage starts because roads close early. Bring food, water, and warm clothes: mountain spectator points can be cold and windy in October. The rally has been part of the European Rally Championship and Italian Rally Championship in recent years. Some coastal roads between Sanremo and Bajardo close entirely for the rally weekend; check local road closure notices.
Targa Florio Classica
The Targa Florio Classica is a vintage car regularity race that passes through Sanremo in October as part of a multi-day route through Sicily and mainland Italy. The cars (pre-1977 models) park in Piazza Colombo for public viewing, usually for a 2-hour display on a Saturday afternoon. Exact dates and display times are published on the Automobile Club d’Italia website (aci.it) about one month before the event.
