The Ariston Theatre, temple of popular culture

One cannot say one has been to Sanremo without a stop in front of the Ariston Theatre. The venue serves as a permanent cultural hub. Inaugurated in the 1960s, the Ariston is an example of multi-purpose theatre architecture that hosts film, dance and concerts (including the prestigious Premio Tenco) all year round. The 2026 edition of the Festival, the 76th, will be held from 24 to 28 February, but the first edition was held in the Casino Theatre in 1951 and remained there until 1976, before being moved to the Ariston. In its first edition, three performers took turns to sing the 20 songs in the competition: Nilla Pizzi, Achille Togliani and the Duo Fasano, and in that edition the winner was 'Grazie dei fiori', performed by Nilla Pizzi.