Our First Palio at Fritto Misto Comune: Already Planning for Next Year.
Well, that was a wild ride…..
The Palio di San Giovanni Battista just wrapped up here in Fabriano, and it was Fritto Misto Comune’s very first Palio season. We’re still buzzing from the energy, and already making plans for next year — because this festival isn’t just a medieval reenactment; it’s the lifeblood of this town. And we’re in it now.
Fabriano comes alive for ten glorious, jam-packed days every June. The old town divides into four porte — Blue (Porta Cervara), Red (Porta del Borgo), Yellow (Porta del Piano), and Green (Porta Pisana — that’s us, or close enough, depending on who you ask). The competition is fierce but full of love, with each porta bringing food, theatre, costume, crafts, and fire to the cobblestoned streets.
We hosted friends, met locals, drank wine with strangers, and got a taste of what being part of a real Italian comune feels like. It’s a little chaotic, incredibly heartwarming, and very hard to leave behind.
What Stole the Show for us….
The Hostarie (Tavern Nights):
Each porta sets up a temporary osteria — some serving more than 1,000 people a night — all run by volunteers (some as young as 6!). Every evening we ate at long communal tables, not knowing who we’d be seated with, but always walking away with new friends, full bellies, and full glasses.
The Blacksmith’s Challenge – Sfida del Maglio:
Forget jousting — Fabriano’s version of competition means fire, muscle, and metal. Each porta competes to forge a key that fits a medieval-style lock, live in the piazza. The sparks fly. The crowd goes wild.
The Infiorate:
Possibly the most touching and beautiful moment of the whole festival. Local artists design sketches, then teams of women (and the occasional man) transform them into giant, breathtaking paintings made entirely from flower petals and herbs. They work for 24 hours straight inside the town’s churches. The scent, the silence, the detail — it’s a reverent, goosebump-inducing experience.
The Craft Market:
Fabriano has 14 out of the 24 crafts recognised by UNESCO (Florence has all 24, but they’re in Florence, so fair enough). On the final Saturday, the piazza is transformed into a living museum — paper makers, leather workers, shoemakers, candle dippers, and blacksmiths all demonstrating their crafts with pride, surrounded by the next generation learning by doing. That, friends, is the good stuff.
Want In for Next Year? Book Early.
We’re not kidding — the Palio di San Giovanni Battista is something special.
And Fritto Misto Comune is just two minutes from all the action. Our two self-contained apartments are the perfect base for a week-long immersion in tradition, food, and community.
Next year, we’re planning to be even more involved — think aperitivo nights, workshops, and who knows, maybe even a porta cheer squad - if you book, you will be invited to join in!
So, who’s coming? Bookings are now open for next June.
We’d love to host you, but be quick, these dates will book out fast.
Follow along, or better yet, come stay….
