Castiglione Racconta

Castiglione Racconta: books come to the square

Castiglione Racconta is a literary festival debuting in the summer of 2026 in Castiglione della Pescaia, a seaside gem of the Maremma region in the province of Grosseto, Tuscany. It is one of the most anticipated additions to the town's summer calendar: for the first time, a series of evenings dedicated to books and their authors will enliven the heart of the village, transforming a square overlooking the sea into a grand open-air cultural salon.

A festival curated by Pierfrancesco De Robertis

The artistic direction is entrusted to journalist and writer Pierfrancesco De Robertis, an editorialist for Quotidiano Nazionale and the Poligrafici group. His influence is evident in the variety of the program, designed to span different genres and styles: from cuisine to sports, from the sacred to thrillers. Each evening features a one-on-one dialogue with the author, conceived as an intimate setting where the audience can listen, ask questions, and discover the work of writers up close.

Where and when

The meetings are held in Piazza Orto del Lilli, in the center of Castiglione della Pescaia, with events taking place throughout July and August. The time is always the same: 7:00 PM, the golden hour of the Tuscan coast, when the heat subsides and the evening stroll begins to fill the village. Admission is free, a choice that makes the festival accessible to everyone, residents and tourists alike.

Authors and guests

The lineup for the first edition brings together leading figures from Italian fiction, journalism, and non-fiction. The announced guests include writers and voices beloved by the general public, capable of ranging from novels to true crime, from cooking to reportage, and from civil reflection to historical narrative. It is a program designed for those who love to read, but also for those who simply want to spend a summer evening listening to stories and ideas.

Castiglione della Pescaia, a city of writers

The festival is rooted in a deep bond between Castiglione della Pescaia and literature: the Maremma village has long been a retreat for intellectuals and writers, most notably Carlo Fruttero, whose birth centenary is celebrated in 2026. Castiglione Racconta ideally gathers this legacy and relaunches it, offering Maremma and Tuscany a new cultural appointment destined to grow season after season.