The Palio First Page

The legend tells of a time, many centuries ago, when pirates were sailing the Mediterranean sea. Being a fishing village, the men of Porto Santo Stefano would spend many long hours on the sea workingfor their daily catch. When pirates arrived near the coast and the fisherman recognized the danger, they escaped as quickly as possible, rowing furiously to reach land and safety before being captured.
		From the 18th century until day, during the Festival of the Madonna which falls on the 15th of August, the sailors and fishermen from Porto Santo Stefano partecipate in the Palio Marinaro. It is a rowing race to commemorate the escape from the pirates. Row boats and oars, similar to those used long ago, are brought to " Mezzo Golfo" in front of the central piazza and slipped into the water where the race begins.
Before the second world war, new rules were established and agreed upon, dividing the town into four quarters, thus creating four teams. They compete against one another for the honor of winning the palio, a silken hand-painted banner, created by a local artisan.
		The Four Quarters Il Valle, the largest and most populated quarter, is found at the beginning of town. It has become the commercial center of Porto Santo Stefano where one can find many small stores; from those selling scrumptuos fresh fruits and vegetables, to those who have beautiful handcrafted items, clothes or shoes. A large attraction, near the port, is the fish market, where the fish brought in by the local boats, are sold directly to the public. The colors of the quarter's flag are light blue and white and its symbol is a lighthouse.
La Croce is the smallest quarter and because it is surrounded by the other three quarters, it does not have the possiblity to expand. It too has commercial trade along Corso Umberto 1 and Lungomare dei Navigatori. In this quarter one finds the old church of S. Stefano Protomartire which was renovated after the bombings during the second world war. La Croce is the historic center of Porto Santo Stefano. The colors of its flag are red and white and its symbol is a seagull.
		La Fortezza, is the quarter that sits on the upper part of town and extends into the hills. Its tradition is one of small farmers, the other soul of the population of Porto Santo Stefano. The Fortezza Spagnola, built in the second half of the 17th century, during the spanish rule, dominates the area as a landmark. The colors of the quarter's flag are red, yellow and green and its symbol is the fortezza.
La Pilarella, is the quarter situated on the far side of town, opposite that of Il Valle. These two zones have an intense rivalry. The town hall is located in this district in front of the central piazza, il Piazzale dei Rioni, now called Piazza delle Meraviglie after its recent renovation. Via del Molo offers a night life, during the summer season, of restaurants, bars, and shops. Many people walk this area in the evening or after dinner to breathe the fresh sea air, look at the beautiful boats and enjoy a delicious ice cream. The colors of its flag are red, white and blue and its symbol is an amphora surrounded by two dolphins.