The widespread festival of the Cities of Ceramics in Santo Stefano di Camastra
Buongiorno Ceramica is a nationwide festival that, every year on the last weekend of May, brings dozens of Italian cities linked to the art of clay to life. Promoted by the AiCC - Italian Association of Cities of Ceramics, the event involves about sixty municipalities simultaneously, transforming historic centers, museums, and workshops into a vast open-air studio. In Santo Stefano di Camastra, a town in the province of Messina overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea, the event holds a special identity-defining value: the village is, in fact, one of the historic capitals of Sicilian ceramics and majolica, alongside Caltagirone and Sciacca.
Under the slogan Stefanese Shapes and Colors, Santo Stefano di Camastra celebrates the city's artistic and artisanal identity by turning the village into a widespread trail that unites art, artisans, and collective participation. Visitors can discover the secrets of clay working, from throwing on the wheel to decoration, by stepping into the workshops along the main street and meeting the master potters who have guarded the local knowledge for generations.
The heart of the festival is the extraordinary free opening of the MUDIS - Ceramics Museum, housed in Palazzo Trabia, where the area's historical and contemporary ceramics are on display. The local program includes:
The ceramic production of Santo Stefano di Camastra has roots stretching back centuries and is now recognized as one of the pinnacles of Italian artistic craftsmanship. Buongiorno Ceramica is the perfect opportunity to experience this popular tradition firsthand, discover the deep bond between the town and its clay, and take home a unique, handmade piece. The event, which is free and family-friendly, attracts enthusiasts, curious visitors, and tourists from all over Sicily and the rest of Italy, confirming the role of this Messina-based municipality in the living geography of Italian ceramics.
The 2026 edition of Buongiorno Ceramica in Santo Stefano di Camastra featured a busy calendar of events. At Palazzo Trabia, the exhibition Genesis. Episodes of growth in succession between matter and soul was inaugurated, while the Let's get our hands dirty clay workshop, open to adults and children, was held on Corso Umberto. There was also space for guided tours of the museum and the workshops of the "Ciro Michele Esposito" Art School, a parade by the "Giuseppe Verdi" marching band with majorettes, roaming music, and a conference dedicated to archaeology and the importance of ceramics. Both days offered free admission to the MUDIS - Ceramics Museum.
Santo Stefano di Camastra is located on the Tyrrhenian coast in the province of Messina, along the SS113 road. By car, it can be reached via the A20 Messina-Palermo motorway, taking the Santo Stefano di Camastra exit. By train, the Santo Stefano di Camastra-Mistretta station is served by the Palermo-Messina line.
Access to events and entry to the MUDIS are free. Workshops and guided tours may require booking.
The route winds through the historic center between Palazzo Trabia, Corso Umberto, and the artisan workshops: we recommend visiting the workshops to purchase handmade ceramics.
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Centro storico, Palazzo Trabia e MUDIS