Celebrations in honor of Maria SS. Annunziata

The patronal feast of Castro

In the town of Castro, a jewel perched on the Adriatic coast in the province of Lecce, the feast in honor of Maria Santissima Annunziata is the most anticipated event of spring. For three days in late April, the ancient village transforms into a tapestry of religious rites, concerts, lights, and flavors, drawing residents, returning emigrants, and visitors from all over Salento.

The celebration is promoted by the Castro Festival Committee in collaboration with the Maria SS. Annunziata Parish and the City of Castro, with the patronage of the Province of Lecce and the Regional Council of Puglia.

Faith and devotion

The religious heart of the festival is the solemn procession on April 25th: the statue of the Virgin travels through the village streets amidst the festive ringing of bells and the throwing of rose petals from balconies adorned with finely embroidered handmade bedspreads. The day culminates in the Solemn Eucharistic Celebration, a central moment of a cult deeply rooted in the Castro community.

Lights, music, and entertainment

The secular program is rich and varied. The iconic Salento light displays, made of thousands of colored bulbs, illuminate the streets of the center and reflect on the water, creating a suggestive backdrop. Grand brass band concerts—featuring prestigious ensembles such as the Gran Concerto Bandistico Città di Lanciano and the groups from Francavilla Fontana and Taviano—alternate with evenings of folk music and dancing, while firework displays light up the sky above the sea.

The Sagra del pesce a sarsa

An unmissable gastronomic protagonist is the Sagra del pesce a sarsa, a tradition rooted in the early 20th century. It consists of fresh bluefish, fried and then seasoned according to an ancient local recipe based on vinegar, garlic, breadcrumbs, and mint: a humble dish of Salento maritime cuisine that is still offered and enjoyed in the streets of the village today.

Castro, pearl of Salento

The festival is also an opportunity to discover Castro, one of the most fascinating villages on the Salento coast, with its castle, small harbor, and the famous Zinzulusa Cave, among the best-known karst cavities in Italy. Devotion, folk culture, and landscape beauty merge in an event that tells the story of the most authentic identity of southern Puglia.