Sanremo Music Festival

Sanremo Festival 2027: dates and what's new

Rai announced the dates on 6 June 2026 and published the rules on 21 September 2026. The 24 songs must be new and last no more than 3 minutes 30 seconds. The winner of Sarà Sanremo 2026 is automatically among the 24. That is the young artists’ show, broadcast live on Rai1 from the Casino theatre on Friday 18 December 2026. Artists’ proposals are collected until 23 November 2026 and the line-up can be announced from 29 November 2026, so the names are not yet known.

The five evenings, according to the official rules:

• Tuesday 16 and Wednesday 17 February: the 24 artists perform their competing songs, split across the two nights.
• Thursday 18 February (Covers): each artist sings an Italian or international song with guests. It has its own ranking and does not affect the final result.
• Friday 19 February (Performance night): new in 2027. Artists present their song in interpretive or staged formats different from the other nights; the public and a new International Jury of Experts vote. The winner represents Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest 2027.
• Saturday 20 February (final): the final ranking draws on nights 1, 2 and 5. The top artists go into a closing phase in which the public vote decides the overall winner.

The rules also ban artificial intelligence when it replaces or alters the creative contribution of authors and artists. The 2026 edition ran from 24 to 28 February with Carlo Conti and was won by Sal Da Vinci with “Per sempre sì”. Official sources: Sanremo on the Rai website.

Where the Festival takes place

Ariston Theatre

Since 1977 (except 1990) the Festival has been held at the Ariston Theatre on via Matteotti, the pedestrian shopping street. The rest of the year it is a cinema, theatre and concert hall, and in autumn it hosts the Premio Tenco. During Festival week fans and photographers gather at the entrance to watch the singers arrive. The theatre’s official site is aristonsanremo.com.

Sanremo Casino

The Festival began in 1951 in the ballroom of the Casino, the Liberty-style building opened in 1905, and stayed there until 1976. The Casino still hosts television: Sarà Sanremo, the December show that opens the road to the Festival, is broadcast from its theatre.

Via Matteotti and piazza Colombo

The Walk of Fame starts in front of the Ariston, with plaques in the pavement for each winning song along via Matteotti. In 2026 piazza Colombo hosted the Suzuki Stage, with free concerts every evening from Tuesday to Saturday (Gaia, Bresh, The Kolors, Francesco Gabbani, Pooh), announced by Rai and listed on the town’s site. The 2027 programme has not been published yet.

Experiencing Festival week

Even without a ticket for the Ariston the week is worth the trip: live broadcasts, concerts in the square and artists in the street. Here is how to plan.

• Tickets: seats are few and not sold at the box office. In 2026 Rai used Vivaticket with online registration (22 December 2025 to 8 January 2026), a draw and a maximum of two tickets per person. For 2027 the arrangements are not yet known: follow Rai’s official site and avoid unauthorised resellers.
• Red zone: in 2026 the town set up a red and a yellow zone around the Ariston, with a map on its website. The 2027 rules will come close to the event.
• Parking and shuttles: in 2026 the town ran dedicated car parks with a shuttle included, 20 euros a day in total. For 2027 check Sanremo Live & Love, the town’s visitor site, and our guide to parking in Sanremo.
• Where to stay: hotels in the centre fill up months ahead. If you find nothing, look in nearby towns on the train line, such as Bordighera, Arma di Taggia or Imperia.
• Restaurants: always book on Festival evenings.

A little history

The first edition took place on 29 January 1951 in the Casino ballroom: three performers (Nilla Pizzi, the Duo Fasano and Achille Togliani) presented 20 songs, and Nilla Pizzi won with “Grazie dei fiori”. The Festival stayed at the Casino until 1976; since 1977 it has been at the Ariston, except 1990, held at the Valle Armea flower market. Since 1956 the winner has usually represented Italy at Eurovision. In 2027 the rule changes: it is the winner of the Performance night who goes.

What to see in Sanremo besides the Festival

Between evenings, visit the Pigna, the Sanctuary of the Madonna della Costa, the Russian Church, the Casino and Villa Nobel. Everything else is in the guide to Sanremo.