Sant’Alessandro: the island of Ischia travels back in time

The magic of Sant’Alessandro returns to enchant the island of Ischia. A journey through memory, costumes, and the roots of a community that comes together every year around its historic procession, transforming the village into an open-air stage where different eras intertwine in one great narrative.

A procession that begins at the “magnificent fortress”

From the gateway of the Aragonese Castle, the solemn procession that opens the celebrations sets off: figures in period costumes, ladies, knights, musicians, and dancers. The parade is not merely a spectacle, but a ritual of identity that tells the story of Ischia’s traditional costumes throughout the various eras.

Wednesday, August 26: the procession through Ischia Ponte

At 6:00 PM, the second grand parade will set off from Piazzale delle Alghe, passing through:

Via Luigi Mazzella, Via A. Sogliuzzo, Via F. Sogliuzzo, Corso Vittoria Colonna, Via Roma, Via Iasolino, and finally reaching Palazzo d’Ambra.

Back in the village of Sant’Alessandro, the traditional “specialties” of the festival will take place, featuring historical reenactments, music, and ancient rituals.

A celebration that brings history and community together

All of these groups are twinned with the Municipality of Ischia, together with the dancers of the ballet dedicated to Barbara Rumore.

The procession will depart from the village and make its way to Piazza San Girolamo, where performances and official greetings will take place.

Sant’Alessandro is not merely a folkloric celebration: it is a bridge between past and present, a way of preserving collective memory and passing it on to future generations. Every costume, every step of the procession, and every sound of the musicians is a fragment of an identity that the island continues to protect and share.