Events not to be missed
If you have decided to spend your holiday on the Amalfi Coast, you should know that there are many events not to be missed! One of the most important is the Ravello Festival, a musical and cultural festival in which classical music, cinema, literature, and the figurative arts in general are given ample space. It takes place every year in July in the splendid gardens of Villa Rufolo, the inspiration for the screenplay of the second act of Richard Wagner’s Parsifal. Conceived in 1953 by Paolo Caruso and Girolamo Bottiglieri, it has hosted internationally renowned orchestras such as the St Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, the Orchestre National de France, the London Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della Rai and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. On the stage, which seems almost to be suspended in the air, artists, dancers, musicians, actors and opera singers will take turns to give you unique experiences!
Exciting and thrilling, the Regatta of the Ancient Maritime Republics is a sporting event in which Amalfi, Genoa, Venice and Pisa compete against each other! This historical re-enactment takes place on one day, chosen between the end of May and the beginning of July, and is hosted, in rotation, in the cities that host the beautiful event. A historical procession animated by characters dressed in period costumes precedes the regatta, which then consists of four crews made up of a helmsman and eight rowers. The boats, whose figureheads were designed by Professor Alvio Vaglini in the 1950s, will be recognisable by their different colours: Genoa is white and features a dragon, Pisa is red with an eagle, Venice is green with a reference to the winged lion and Amalfi is blue with its winged horse.
One of the best-loved and most popular festivals is the Festa della Madonna Nera with Lo Sbarco dei Saraceni in Positano. On 12 and 13 August, folklore, tradition and devotion mingle to celebrate the Byzantine Madonna dating back to the 13th century. Hundreds of boats from neighbouring towns arrive here to watch the spectacular fireworks display, one of the most impressive on the entire Coast. This is where the fateful landing of the Saracens takes place: as many as four hundred figures in characteristic costumes give life to the important historical event, where the town is set on fire and all the virgins kidnapped. According to tradition, bread and melon is eaten on the beach until late into the night!
Gastronomically speaking, there are two festivals that are impossible to miss: ‘A tutto tonno’ and the Sagra del Pesce Azzurro. The first takes place in August in Cetara, a typical fishing village firmly anchored in its craft and culinary traditions. This event is dedicated to tuna, which is one of the main dishes here, and to all those fishermen who dedicate their lives to catching this delicious and genuine Mediterranean fish. Kiosks are set up at the port where you can sample anchovies, oil, wine, limoncello and – of course – tuna! The Sagra del Pesce Azzurro, on the other hand, comes to life in Atrani. Towards the end of August, this small town of sailors dresses up for tourists and locals alike: colours and music envelop every alleyway while you can taste, by purchasing a ticket. a menu full of Atrani specialities!
