Red Bull Cliff Diving Polignano 2026 has already taken place. We'll post the next date as soon as it's confirmed. All Upcoming Events in Apulia
Polignano a Mare – A balcony juts out over the bay, with a 27-meter vertical drop below. From September 25 to 27, 2026, the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series—the world’s premier cliff-diving series—will make its thirteenth stop here: Twelve men will dive from 27 meters, and twelve women from 21 meters into the Adriatic Sea. This guide tells you when each round takes place, where to get the best view, and how to get there without the hassle of parking.
Red Bull Cliff Diving in Polignano a Mare at a Glance
- When
- Friday, September 25, through Sunday, September 27, 2026
- Where
- Old Town Cliff overlooking Lama Monachile Bay, Polignano a MareRegion Apulia
- Organizer
- Red Bull
The Italian leg of the World Cliff Diving Series—three days of competition overlooking the Old Town Bay.
As of October 8, 2026 · Information provided by Red Bull. Subject to change on short notice.
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The competition will take place over three days: the first round on Friday, September 25, starting at 5:30 p.m.; the second and third rounds on Saturday; and the final rounds on Sunday, September 27. The women will start before the men in each round, with a half-hour interval between each round. For Friday, the organizer has designated the Amore di Mare balcony as the jumping site; on the following two days, jumps will take place from Casa L’Abbate, a residential building built directly into the cliff face.
The three days of competition in Polignano a Mare
All times are local. Sunday concludes with the awards ceremony at 3:18 p.m.; the livestream on Red Bull TV begins at 1:30 p.m. that day.
| Date | Upcoming Events |
|---|---|
| Fri, September 25 5:30 p.m. | Women's 1st Round, Dive from the Amore di Mare Balcony |
| Fri, September 25 6:00 p.m. | Men's First Round, Diving from the Amore di Mare Balcony |
| Sat, September 26 1:15 p.m. | Women's Round 2, Start from Casa L’Abbate |
| Sat, September 26 1:45 p.m. | Men's Round 2, Jump from Casa L’Abbate |
| Sat, September 26 2:15 p.m. | Women's Round 3 |
| Sat, September 26 2:45 p.m. | Men's Third Round |
| Sun, September 27 1:40 p.m. | Women's Final Round |
| Sun, September 27 2:40 p.m. | Men's Final Round |
| Sun, September 27 3:18 p.m. | Awards Ceremony |
As of September 2026 · Schedule according to the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series. The organizer reserves the right to make changes.
How does a cliff diving competition work?
Twelve women and twelve men compete; eight from each category are regular starters in the series, and up to four are added as wild cards. Each competitor performs four dives: one compulsory dive, one intermediate dive, and two freestyle dives with no upper limit on difficulty. Five judges evaluate the takeoff, posture in the air, and entry, awarding scores from 0 to 10; the highest and lowest scores are discarded, and the remaining three are multiplied by the difficulty score.
Because the divers enter the water at speeds of up to 85 kilometers per hour, the split second before impact is crucial: They must tense their muscles before hitting the water and immediately dive to the side. They always enter the water feet-first, with their arms close to their bodies. In Polignano, every point counts double, because this is where the King Kahekili Trophy—the overall series title—will be decided.
Red Bull Cliff Diving in Polignano a Mare by the Numbers
The heights are the standard heights for the series and remain unchanged in Polignano—unlike at some stops, where divers jump from a bridge or a tower, the platforms here are set into the limestone of the old town.
As of September 2026 · Information provided by the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series.
Where do you think you can see the jumps best?
The organizer has not set up any bleachers or ticket booths for the event in Polignano. Anyone who wants to watch the event finds a spot in the natural amphitheater overlooking the bay: on the rocks, on the old arched bridge, down on the Lama Monachile pebble beach, or on one of the terraces in the old town. According to the organizer, 35,000 people did just that in 2025.
Good to know: That’s exactly why the best spots are taken hours before the first round, and there’s almost no shade on the cliffs. If you head to the bay early in the morning, you’ll have your pick of spots; if you arrive an hour before, you’ll be in the third row. The most relaxed option is by water: Local operators run boat tours into the bay, where you can watch the jumps up close with the white old town behind you.
Traffic patterns are being changed around the bay, and the streets in the old town are narrow. Take the train or park your car in one of the lots further out—the city estimates it will take ten to fifteen minutes to walk from there.
How do you get to Polignano a Mare?
The easiest way is by train. The town has its own train station on the Adriatic Line south of Bari; from there, it’s just a few minutes„ walk to the old town. If you’re flying, you’ll land at Bari “Karol Wojtyła” Airport, about 40 kilometers north: According to Trenitalia, the regional train takes 15 minutes to reach Bari Centrale and runs 34 times a day; the airport leg and onward travel can be booked on a single ticket. By car, take the SS16 Adriatica, the coastal highway between Bari and Brindisi.
The municipality has published its own guide to parking. It lists six areas and recommends arriving by mid-morning and avoiding the hours between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. when looking for a spot.
The six parking areas in the municipality of Polignano a Mare
| Parking area | Here's what you can expect |
|---|---|
| Cemetery Rest Area at the cemetery, outside the city center | According to the municipality, this is the most likely place where you'll still find a spot—just a few minutes from downtown. |
| San Francesco d’Assisi Parking Lot near the Old Town | Paid parallel parking spaces, closer to the center than any others—they fill up quickly during peak season. |
| Gravel Area at the Station at the train station | An unpaved area right next to the train station, often less crowded than the central streets. |
| Via V. C. Basile Elevation of the Q8 Gas Station | A good alternative area along the main roads when things come to a standstill in the city center. |
| Lauro Park Cristoforo Colombo Square | Organized parking lot by the sea, close to the swimming beaches; parking fees apply. |
| Via Marconi behind the train station | It's free and has plenty of parking spaces, so it's quite popular. |
From each of these locations, it’s a ten- to fifteen-minute walk to the Old Town. You can find out how much parking costs at the pay station—be sure to bring some change.
As of September 2026 · Areas according to the “Guida parcheggi” (Parking Guide) issued by the municipality of Polignano a Mare on June 16, 2026.
Come on over Friday night
Everyone wants to see the final round on Sunday—the first round on Friday at 5:30 p.m., on the other hand, takes place in the soft evening light and in front of a much smaller crowd. It’s also the only round that’s jumped from the Amore di Mare balcony. If you come on Friday, you’ll have the cliff almost all to yourself—and the whole weekend still ahead of you.
What Polignano a Mare Has to Offer Besides Cliff Diving
The cove where the divers enter the water is called Lama Monachile: a pebble beach nestled between two cliffs, spanned by an old arched bridge. On typical summer days, the cove is a swimming spot; during the three days of competition, it serves as the landing zone. In 2026, the town will hold the Bandiera Blu—the environmental award for beach resorts—for the nineteenth time; the award has been granted to the public beaches of Cala Paura and San Vito, as well as the Coco Beach Club, Cala Fetente, and Cala San Giovanni beach resorts.
Read more about theTopic
Perched above the coast is the white old town with its viewing terraces, beneath which a series of sea caves stretches out. One of these is home to the Grotta Palazzese, a restaurant under a rock canopy right above the water; the restaurant is now accepting reservations for the 2026 season. On the Lungomare stands the statue of Domenico Modugno, the singer of „Volare“ who was born here and to whom the city dedicates three days of celebration in early September. In July, the literary festival Il Libro Possibile fills the alleys, and in December, the Premio Pino Pascali art prize takes center stage. You can find more about the town itself in our Travel Guide to Polignano a Mare, see the overview of Events in Apulia.
Is it worth the trip to the Red Bull Cliff Diving event in Polignano?
If you want to watch sports in a setting that no arena can match, then yes. World-class action takes place right outside the living room window of a private home here, and the venue has been on the series’ calendar since 2009—no other venue has hosted as many events. The weekend is less suitable for anyone looking for a quiet beach vacation: The sea is still warm in late September, but the city is packed during these three days. The solution is simple: Add a few days before or after, and you’ll get the best of both worlds. For more on what else the region has to offer, check out our overview at Apulia, and our video shows how a competition day here turns out Report on Gimeno and Iffland's Victory.
italien.news is not the organizer of this event. Dates, times, and the program are subject to change or may be canceled due to weather—please check them on the organizer’s and the municipality’s official websites before your trip.
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FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions About Red Bull Cliff Diving in Polignano
Sources and Further Information
- Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series – Polignano a Mare 2026, Dates and Schedule (accessed in September 2026)
- Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series – Polignano a Mare (accessed in September 2026)
- Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series – Rules, Format, and Scoring (accessed in September 2026)
- Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series – A Look Back at the 2025 Season (accessed in September 2026)
- Municipality of Polignano a Mare – Major Events of 2026 (accessed in September 2026)
- Municipality of Polignano a Mare – Parking Guide (accessed in September 2026)
- Trenitalia – Regional Train Service to Bari „Karol Wojtyła“ Airport“ (accessed in September 2026)
- Puglia Region – The 2026 Blue Flags in Puglia (accessed in September 2026)
- Grotta Palazzese – 2026 Season (accessed in September 2026)
