Preview 2025

The Ancient Rite of the Wedding of the Sea

Sunday 1st June 2025

Exhibitions, culture, gastronomy for a weekend of tradition.

How did the ancient rite come about?

The story, from which the celebration is inspired, features Pietro Barbo, Bishop of Cervia, who later became Pope Paul II.

On Ascension Day 1445, while returning from Venice, he was surprised by a storm at sea. The story tells that the bishop calmed the waters, thus bringing ship and crew to safety, after having thrown his ring into the sea.

Even today, Cervia relives the atmosphere, preserving its memory and traditions.

Looking forward to the 2025 programme

find out what happened in the 2024 edition

Host city for 2024: Cortina d'Ampezzo

Find out how the Sea Wedding came about

MOTOR VESSEL TICKET

to attend the ceremony at sea on Sunday 12th May

LANDING Porto Canale - Cervia side
from 5 to 5.30 pm

Scheduled departure at 6pm

Programme 2024

EXHIBITIONS

Banksy in Cervia

SALT WAREHOUSE TOWER

every day until June 2nd
Monday to Thursday 3-8 pm
Friday 3-11 pm
Saturday and pre-holidays 10 am-11 pm
Sundays and public holidays 10 am-9 pm

Tickets at Magazzino del sale or ciaotickets.

• Find out more about Banksy in Cervia

Photography exhibition organised by the Cervese Photography Group

SALA RUBICONE - Via Evangelisti
from 10 am to 12.30am and from 4 pm to 9 pm

The Colours of the Thistle - Painting and Projects for the Future

MUSA SALT MUSEUM
Saturday, Sunday and holidays from 2.30 pm to 7 pm

Photography exhibition by Varabei Hanna on the beauty of nature

ARTEMEDIA HALL
from 10 am to 7 pm

FOOD AND WINE

from 10th to 12th May

Discover the products of the Adriatic Sea, fish and Cervia mussels, and get to know the area's typical recipes

A sea that unites, food stand

ALIPRANDI SQUARE

Friday from 7 pm
Saturday and Sunday from 12 am to 7 pm

Typical local seafood dishes organised by Circolo Pescatori La Pantofla.

Friday 10th May

Concert for the 580th anniversary of the Marriage of the Sea

THEATRE OF CERVIA - Via XX Settembre 125
9 pm

The Grande Orchestra Città di Cervia brings its repertoire to the stage of the historic theatre named after Walter Chiari.

Saturday 11th May

Wedding Ring Ceremony

PIAZZA GARIBALDI
11 am

Exchange of gifts with the host city Cortina d'Ampezzo.

Special participation by Maria Pia Timo and Vito as the Lady of the Ring and the Podestà.

Presentation of the International Leonardo Award "The Immortal Light".

Music by La Corelli Orchestra

In case of bad weather the ceremony is in the Municipal Theatre Walter Chiari - Via XX Settembre 125

Sunday 12th May

Ring Trophy

PIAZZALE DEI SALINARI
10 am

Archery tournament
Organised by the City of Rimini Archers Company named Seven Arrows

Sea and Fishing' heritage walk

Meeting point at San Michele Tower
10 am

organised by the F.E.S.T.A Association

Cervia in the past between tradition and folklore

GARIBALDI SQUARE
4 pm

Performance by the group of flag-wavers, musicians and standard bearers, representing the Palio del Niballo di Faenza, in collaboration with the Municipality of Faenza, and parade of figures in historical costumes.

RITES OF THE RING

Traditional Mass of the Ring

GARIBALDI SQUARE
4.30 pm pm

Archbishop Lorenzo Ghizzoni blesses the ring that will be thrown into the sea.
Musical accompaniment by the Ad Novas Choir.

Ring Parade

Departure from GARIBALDI SQUARE
5.15 pm

Prayer and wreath-laying in memory of those fallen at sea

GABRIELE D'ANNUNZIO SEAFRONT, Memorial to the Fallen at Sea
5.30 pm

Embarkation for the ceremony and exit to the sea

CANAL PORT
6 pm

Motorboat tickets

• Full price € 5.00
• Reduced (children up to 10 years) € 3.00
• Only available online
• Tickets can be purchased no later than 3.00 pm on Sunday

LANDING Porto Canale - Cervia side

from 5 to 5.30 pm - scheduled departure at 6 pm

All proceeds will be donated to charity.
In the event of bad weather there is no refund.

INFORMATION:

IAT Torre San Michele office - via Evangelisti 4, Cervia, tel. 0544 974400 - info@discovercervia.com

It will also be possible to follow the ceremony live on Facebook and on the maxi screen on the Lungomare D'Annunzio - Tourist Port area and in Piazza Garibaldi

Cockaigne on the water

CANAL PORT
9.00 pm

A typical competition of skill among young people from Cervia who compete in a race along the grease-covered pole sloping over the canal port.

Sensia Bread and Spinster's Cake

The Pane della Sensia is a tradition linked to the Marriage of the Sea. It is a round-shaped bread with a cross design on its surface.

The recipe of the Dolce delle Zitelle (Spinsters' Cake) was  developed a few years ago by the Cervia Hotelier Institute IPSEOA, after a study on the cuisine of the past.

These traditional Cervia classics will be on sale from 6th to 12th May.

Bakery:

• Forno Doganieri - Cervia, Via Grazia Deledda 2/a
• Forno Giuliani - Milano Marittima, Viale Dante 75
• Forno Martini - Cervia, Via Stazione 16
• Forno Zamagni - Tagliata, Via Sicilia 8

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Programmes and dates are subject to change