From 23 to 30 July 2023 the Palio delle Barche Boat Race is back on in Passignano sul Trasimeno. The engaging race between the four ‘rioni’ (districts) of the town in a competition played out on land and water, historical re-enactments and the unrivalled Umbrian hospitality offering a wealth of traditional wine and food.
Il Palio delle Barche: the history
Il Palio delle Barche is the re-enactment of the last battle between two noble families of Perugia, the Baglioni and the Oddi. The military operations of last bloody battle fought in 1495 was set in Passignano: a small army of the Oddi family had to flee, chased out by the Baglioni troops. The men of the losing family headed from the castle towards the lake with their boats on their shoulders. This moment is re-enacted at the Boat Race which has become a traditional event in Umbria.
The 2023 programme
The Palio delle Barche 2023 involves many fringe events alongside the race that re-enacts the escaping army, making this event in Passignano sul Trasimeno a must. For example, L’incendio del Castello, the Burning Castle, on 24 July 2023, or the race of the vases ‘la corsa delle brocche’ scheduled for 28 July 2023. The four districts of Passignano will be feasting, with their cellars and taverns open to visitors, offering typical dishes of lake Trasimeno and entertaining guests with shows and re-enactments in costume. Check out the full programme on the official website.
Il Palio: the race
On the last Sunday of July the four districts of the town: Centro Storico (historical centre), Centro Nuovo or Centro Due (the new centre or Centre 2), Oliveto (olive grove) and San Donato (saint Donato) compete in race that has three stages:
1. The Rioni race in boats the water to the town dock
2. When they are on shore, with their boats on their shoulders, they start running through the historical centre of town.
3. When they are back at the dock, the teams get back into the lake to complete the race.
The actual race will be held on Sunday 30 July 2023: over the days before that, the rioni compete in other races in preparation for the big finale.
Passignano sul Trasimeno: how to get there
Passignano sul Trasimeno is about 65 km from Todi. To drive there simply take SS3bis motorway to the Passignano Est exit. Don’t miss out on your chance to partake in the celebrations in Passignano and the many other summer events in Umbria while still enjoying the convenience and peace of the stay of your dreams!
Thanks to its central position, Todi is the ideal base for visiting the cities and getting to the many summer events that the region of Umbria has to offer every year.
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