Belvedere sotto le Stelle
Shows, rural traditions, and the flavors of Ischia in the scenic village of Serrara
About Belvedere sotto le Stelle
Belvedere sotto le Stelle: a summer night in the village of Serrara
In the heart of the island of Ischia, the Belvedere of Serrara is one of the most evocative viewpoints in Campania: from here, the gaze drops sheer down to the village of Sant'Angelo, the Maronti coast, and, on the clearest evenings, traces the profile of the nearby islands. It is precisely at this panoramic spot that the Municipality of Serrara Fontana, in the province of Naples, hosts Belvedere sotto le Stelle, the summer event promoted by the Parish of Santa Maria del Carmine with the patronage of the municipal administration.
This is not a festival built for mass tourism: it is a village feast, designed to bring the inhabitants of the hamlet together and to welcome those who climb up here, where Ischia changes its face and becomes an island of mountains, terraces, and vineyards.
A community feast
The evening was born with a simple and clear idea: to involve residents and visitors through shows, music, entertainment, local traditions, and gastronomy, all concentrated in a single evening and in a single place. The Belvedere square thus transforms into a large open-air plaza, with game stations, food stalls, and the entertainment stage overlooking the luminous void of the coast.
The event is part of the summer calendar of the Serrara parish, which for decades has enlivened the village with its initiatives around the feast of the Madonna del Carmine, the patron saint of Serrara.
Shows, magic, and entertainment
The program is built primarily around families and children, with a series of events that follow one another from sunset until late at night:
- Dino Pasticcino, the baby dinosaur that wanders among the audience;
- the magic show by Mago Margot;
- bumper cars and a course dedicated to children up to five years old;
- Baby Dance with a confetti cannon;
- the «Talking Hat» inspired by the world of Harry Potter;
- the music of DJ Igor Monti, the soundtrack of the entire evening.
The island's rural traditions
Alongside the entertainment is the most identity-driven part of the festival: a parade in traditional costumes and the setup of a rural museum, with tools, objects, and testimonies of island rural life. It is the way chosen by the organizers to remember that Serrara Fontana, the highest and smallest municipality in Ischia, grew for centuries on vines, stone terraces, and field work, long before the island became a spa and seaside destination known throughout Europe.
The food stalls
The culinary journey is entrusted to local chefs, associations, and businesses, each with their own specialty. Among the proposals announced in the most recent edition:
- gnocchi with rabbit sauce by chef Alessandro Nistri, a symbolic dish of Ischian cuisine;
- the «Bacetto a Margherita sul Belvedere di Serrara» by Nello and the Compagnia del Gusto;
- «The Queen of Frying», with fried montanara;
- penne alla puttanesca by the Il Palmento Association;
- meatball sandwiches from Il Capannaccio;
- fried zeppole by Betty and the Compagnia del Fritto.
A roundup that tells the story of the island's popular cuisine well: few ingredients, street frying, Ischian-style rabbit, and simple desserts to be eaten standing up, looking at the sea.
Why climb up to Serrara
Those who arrive in Ischia often stay on the coast, between Ischia Porto, Forio, and the Maronti. Climbing to Serrara on the evening of the festival is instead a different way to get to know the island: narrow roads that climb towards Mount Epomeo, fresher air even in the height of summer, and the silence of the village interrupted for one night by the music and voices of the community. For those visiting Campania in July, it is one of the most authentic opportunities to see Ischia as it is when it is not playing the part of a postcard.
Belvedere sotto le Stelle — edition 2026
Belvedere sotto le Stelle 2026: the second edition
The Belvedere of Serrara hosted Wednesday, July 15, 2026, from 8:30 PM, the second edition of Belvedere sotto le Stelle, an event promoted by the Parish of Santa Maria del Carmine with the patronage of the Municipality of Serrara Fontana, on the island of Ischia.
A unique evening designed to involve residents and visitors through shows, music, entertainment, local traditions, and gastronomy, in the panoramic setting of the village of Serrara. On the square, the magic show of Mago Margot, the character Dino Pasticcino, the Baby Dance with the confetti cannon, and the «Talking Hat» inspired by the world of Harry Potter alternated, while the music was entrusted to DJ Igor Monti.
Alongside the entertainment, the part most linked to the memory of the village: the parade in traditional costumes and the setup of a rural museum. To complete the picture, the stations dedicated to games and the numerous food stalls, from gnocchi with rabbit sauce by chef Alessandro Nistri to fried zeppole for dessert. To facilitate participation, a free shuttle service by Ischia Bus was activated from the localities of Cava Pontina and Martofa.
Programme Belvedere sotto le Stelle 2026
Wednesday, July 15, 2026 — from 8:30 PM, Belvedere of Serrara
- Dino Pasticcino, the baby dinosaur among the audience
- Magic show by Mago Margot
- Bumper cars and a course for children up to five years old
- Baby Dance with a confetti cannon
- The «Talking Hat» inspired by the world of Harry Potter
- Parade in traditional costumes
- Setup of the rural museum
- Stations dedicated to games
- Music and soundtrack of the evening with DJ Igor Monti
Food stalls
- Chef Alessandro Nistri — gnocchi with rabbit sauce
- Nello and the Compagnia del Gusto — «Bacetto a Margherita sul Belvedere di Serrara»
- M. Patalano, V. Calise, S. Iacono — «The Queen of Frying», with fried montanara
- Il Palmento Association — penne alla puttanesca
- Il Capannaccio — meatball sandwiches
- Betty and the Compagnia del Fritto — fried zeppole
Shuttle
Free shuttle service by Ischia Bus from the localities of Cava Pontina and Martofa.
Highlights Belvedere sotto le Stelle 2026
- Second edition of the festival at the Belvedere of Serrara, one of the most beautiful panoramic viewpoints in Ischia
- Magic show by Mago Margot and entertainment with Dino Pasticcino
- Baby Dance, bumper cars, and play area for children up to five years old
- Parade in traditional costumes and rural museum dedicated to the island's rural memory
- Six food stalls with gnocchi with rabbit sauce, fried montanara, penne alla puttanesca, meatball sandwiches, and zeppole
- DJ set by Igor Monti until late at night
- Free Ischia Bus shuttle from Cava Pontina and Martofa
Prices Belvedere sotto le Stelle 2026
Practical information — Belvedere sotto le Stelle
Where it takes place
Belvedere of Serrara, hamlet of Serrara, Municipality of Serrara Fontana (80081), island of Ischia, province of Naples, Campania.
How to get there
Ischia can be reached by ferry or hydrofoil from the ports of Naples (Molo Beverello, Calata Porta di Massa) and Pozzuoli. From the port of Ischia, you can go up to Serrara with the CS/CD bus lines and with direct routes towards Serrara and Sant'Angelo, or by car along the panoramic road that crosses Panza and Fontana. Parking in the village is limited: on festival evenings, it is advisable to leave the car in the valley.
Free shuttle
During the event, a free shuttle service by Ischia Bus is active from the localities of Cava Pontina and Martofa, designed specifically to avoid traffic and the shortage of parking spaces in the center of Serrara.
Tips
- It starts in the early evening, around 8:30 PM: arriving early helps to find a spot and enjoy the sunset from the Belvedere.
- Bring a light sweatshirt: at an altitude of 400 meters, the evening is cooler than on the coast.
- Food stalls operate on a pay-per-item basis, so it is useful to have cash.
- For updated information on dates and programs, it is useful to follow the channels of the Parish of Santa Maria del Carmine and the Municipality of Serrara Fontana.
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