Ancient Flavors Festival

A celebration of rustic flavors in the village of Tusa

The Ancient Flavors Festival is one of the most beloved gastronomic events of the summer in Tusa, a small town in the Metropolitan City of Messina, Sicily, overlooking the Tyrrhenian coast and nestled in the Nebrodi hills. The festival was created to showcase the territory and its most genuine products, the fruit of hillside agriculture consisting of fava beans, tomatoes, onions, olives, extra virgin olive oil, cheeses, ricotta, bread, and sausage.

Where it takes place

The heart of the festival is the scenic Piazza Mazzini, in the town's historic center, dominated by the Mother Church of Maria SS. Assunta with its Gothic portal and bell tower. Tasting stalls are set up among the stone houses of the village, while the square transforms into a large open-air living room where visitors sit until late in the evening.

Traditional dishes

The festival is a journey through Tusa's tastes: you can sample egg meatballs in tomato sauce, bruschetta with melted sardines, extra virgin olive oil and oregano, vastelle tusane with salted anchovies, tomato sauce and cheese, and sandwiches with sausage and porchetta accompanied by the typical sweet and sour onion relish. For dessert, there is no shortage of cannoli with fresh ricotta, potato sfinci, and Tusa-style biancomangiare.

• Egg meatballs in tomato sauce
• Bruschetta with melted sardines, extra virgin olive oil and oregano
• Vastelle tusane with anchovies, tomato and cheese
• Sandwiches with sausage, porchetta and sweet and sour onion relish
• Cannoli, potato sfinci and biancomangiare

Music and atmosphere

The evening is enlivened by a musical group that alternates between light music and Sicilian folk, interspersed with ballroom dancing that involves both young and old. It is a village festival in the most authentic sense of the term, where the community gathers and welcomes visitors in a convivial atmosphere.

Tradition and territory

Organized by the oratory and Circolo Anspi Arconide of Tusa with the patronage of the Municipality, the Ancient Flavors Festival has been held for many years and is now part of the town's summer calendar, alongside other events such as the Olive Oil Festival and the Fish Festival. For visitors, it is also an opportunity to discover Tusa, its medieval historic center, and the nearby archaeological site of Halaesa Arconidea.