Cilento Tastes
The premier showcase of Mediterranean flavor and culture at the NEXT venue in Capaccio Paestum
About Cilento Tastes
The taste of Cilento on stage at the NEXT in Capaccio Paestum
Cilento Tastes is the event that every spring transforms the NEXT - Nuova Esposizione Ex Tabacchificio in Capaccio Paestum, in the province of Salerno, into the temporary capital of Cilento flavor. The former Borgo Cafasso tobacco factory, reclaimed by the municipality and returned to the community as a cultural and exhibition space, is located just a few hundred meters from the temples of the Paestum archaeological site: a setting that perfectly encapsulates the deep bond between this corner of Campania, its ancient history, and the Mediterranean diet, which originated right here in Cilento thanks to the studies of Ancel Keys.
A hundred food artisans, one single territory
The heart of the event is the selection of about one hundred exhibitors, all members of the Cilentox100 ETS association: small farms, dairies, oil mills, artisanal bakeries, wineries, breweries, pasta factories, cured meat producers, and distilleries working daily in the region. This is not a general trade fair: the selection rewards those who produce in Cilento, using Cilento raw materials, and those who keep crafts at risk of disappearing alive. As director Linda Auricchio explained, the goal is to defend small flavor artisans and enhance their role, contrasting territory-linked production with the logic of global mass production.
The event areas
- Arena Cilento — the show cooking space, created with the Chefhouse Academy, where traditional chefs prepare historic local dishes live.
- Cantina Cilento — the area dedicated to wine, curated with the Consorzio Vini Salerno, featuring guided tastings of Aglianico, Fiano, and other Cilento whites.
- Spazio Cultura Cilento — the area where municipalities and consortia present their tourism and cultural identity for free.
- Lab for Kids — free workshops where children become chefs for a day.
- Masterclasses — limited-seating appointments dedicated to wine, olive oil, cured meats, and gastronomic traditions.
Masterclasses, show cooking, and culture
The program goes beyond tasting. Each day alternates technical seminars, book presentations, conferences on beekeeping and local excellence, demonstrations of traditional crafts like weaving, and the participation of local hospitality schools, whose students present traditional dishes to the public. In the evening, the focus shifts to music, with free concerts closing each day alongside initiatives related to Mediterranean culture.
An event designed for families too
Cilento Tastes is an easy event to enjoy with children: the Kids Lab workshops are free, the NEXT spaces are covered and flat, and the token-based ticket system allows for small-portion tasting without having to commit to a single restaurant. This is partly why the event has grown so rapidly: the 2024 edition already recorded about 6,000 visitors, 80 exhibitors, and over 8,000 dishes served.
From Cilento to Europe: the professional side
Alongside the general public, the event has developed an increasingly marked professional dimension. Thanks to the collaboration with ICE — the Italian Trade Agency for the promotion abroad and internationalization of Italian companies — the final day hosts B2B meetings between Cilento producers and European buyers, with the goal of opening new markets to small local businesses.
Why it's worth the trip
Those who arrive in Capaccio Paestum for Cilento Tastes find in one place what would otherwise take days of travel across the inland villages of the Cilento National Park: buffalo mozzarella, Cetara anchovy colatura, white figs, Paestum artichokes, goat cacioricotta, extra virgin olive oil from the Cilento hills, and wines from the Consorzio Vini Salerno. All this just a stone's throw from one of the most important archaeological sites in the Mediterranean, which can be visited on the same day.
Cilento Tastes — edition 2026
Cilento Tastes 2026: the fourth edition
From May 1 to 3, 2026, the NEXT in Capaccio Paestum hosted the fourth edition of Cilento Tastes, organized by the Cilentox100 ETS association. This edition marked a step up towards tourism and internationalization: alongside about one hundred local exhibitors, the event welcomed twelve European buyers thanks to the collaboration with ICE, the Italian Trade Agency.
The program was presented at the Ducal Palace of Serre and introduced two significant novelties: the Cilento Culture Space, a free area where administrations and consortia shared their tourism identity — Serre, Laureana Cilento, Grotte di Castelcivita, Gioi Cilento, Castel San Lorenzo, Capaccio Paestum, and Olevano sul Tusciano took part — and the Cilento Arena, the show cooking space curated with the Chefhouse Academy and animated every afternoon from 2:30 PM to 8:30 PM by traditional chefs and students from the hospitality schools of Battipaglia and Capaccio Paestum.
Confirmed features included tastings at the Cilento Winery, curated with the Consorzio Vini Salerno, six masterclasses dedicated to wine, olive oil, cured meats, and gastronomic traditions, free Kids Lab workshops, and evening concerts linked to Mediterranean culture. Among the exhibitors were producers such as APA for buffalo specialties, Epic Cilento Gin, and the D'Annata olive amaro by Anna D'Elia.
Programme Cilento Tastes 2026
Friday, May 1, 2026 (6:00 PM - 12:00 AM)
- 6:00 PM — Official inauguration with ribbon cutting
- 7:30 PM — Masterclass «Aglianico, scents of Cilento», by FISAR, led by Renato Pelella
- 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM — Cilento Arena
- 9:00 PM — Concert by Margy Balillo
- 10:30 PM — Concert by Quantico
Saturday, May 2, 2026 (12:00 PM - 12:00 AM)
- 12:00 PM — Food Lab for Kids with schools
- 12:30 PM — Book presentation «La Cuciniera cilentana» by Delia Morinelli
- 2:30 PM - 8:30 PM — Show cooking at the Cilento Arena with Chefhouse Academy
- 3:30 PM — Masterclass «White Wines of Cilento», by FISAR, led by Gerardo Perillo
- 5:30 PM — Food Lab «Chefs for a day»
- 7:30 PM — Concert by Kill Drama
- 9:30 PM — Concert by Poterico
Sunday, May 3, 2026 (12:00 PM - 12:00 AM)
- 12:00 PM — Workshop «The art of weaving», dedicated to traditional crafts
- 12:30 PM — Conference on Italian bees and local excellence
- 2:30 PM - 8:30 PM — Show cooking at the Cilento Arena
- 3:00 PM — Seminar on wine and food lab activities
- 5:30 PM — Masterclass on Cilento cheeses and the Mediterranean diet
- 7:30 PM — Concert by I Discepoli
- 10:00 PM — Concert by Lone Instrumental
Throughout the event, the Cilento Winery areas, with tastings curated alongside the Consorzio Vini Salerno, the Cilento Culture Space, and the stands of about one hundred exhibitors remained active. Sunday was also dedicated to B2B meetings between producers and European buyers.
Highlights Cilento Tastes 2026
- About 100 food artisans from Cilento gathered under the vaults of the former NEXT tobacco factory.
- Six masterclasses on wine, olive oil, cured meats, and gastronomic traditions, with FISAR sommeliers.
- Cilento Arena: show cooking every afternoon from 2:30 PM to 8:30 PM with the Chefhouse Academy.
- Cilento Culture Space: seven municipalities present with their tourism and cultural offerings.
- Free Kids Lab: children as chefs for a day, together with Cardan Pastificio and Pufflandia.
- Concerts every evening: Margy Balillo, Quantico, Kill Drama, Poterico, I Discepoli, Lone Instrumental.
- International B2B: twelve European buyers hosted on Sunday thanks to the collaboration with ICE.
Prices Cilento Tastes 2026
Practical information — Cilento Tastes
Location
NEXT - Nuova Esposizione Ex Tabacchificio, Borgo Cafasso, Capaccio Paestum (SA), just minutes from the Paestum archaeological site.
How to get there
- By car: Salerno-Reggio Calabria motorway, Battipaglia exit, then SS 18 towards Paestum. Parking is available near the facility.
- By train: Capaccio station, on the Tyrrhenian line towards Reggio Calabria.
- By bus: the area is served by long-distance connections such as Itabus and Flixbus.
Admission
The system uses an entry ticket whose cost is converted into tokens to be spent within the event for purchases and tastings. Children's workshops and cultural initiatives are free. It is advisable to check the updated procedures on the organization's channels before leaving.
Tips
Masterclasses have limited seating: it is recommended to arrive a little early. Those arriving from afar can combine the visit with the Paestum archaeological park and the National Archaeological Museum, which are open on the same day, and find accommodation between Capaccio Scalo, Paestum, and the Agropoli coast.
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