Eruzioni del Gusto

A festival born from lands of fire

Eruzioni del Gusto is an event that showcases the food, wine, viticulture, and wine tourism of the volcanic territories of Campania and other Italian volcanic regions. Promoted by the cultural association ORONERO — dalle scritture del fuoco, chaired by Carmine Maione, the festival is held in Portici, in the province of Naples, at the foot of Mount Vesuvius: a setting that explains the event's core theme—the extraordinary fertility of soils generated by eruptions—better than any presentation could.

After its first six editions hosted at the National Railway Museum of Pietrarsa, the event moved to the Reggia di Portici, home to the Department of Agricultural Sciences of the University of Naples Federico II and the MUSA Museum Center. This change of venue is more than just logistical: bringing the festival into a university hub means complementing the exhibition area with a scientific framework focused on soil research, biodiversity, and oenological techniques.

The BIE, the professional heart of the event

The most distinctive segment of Eruzioni del Gusto is the BIE — International Wine Tourism Exchange, a space dedicated to connecting territories with tourism demand. Here, agritourism operators, rural hospitality providers, protection consortia, and wineries that open their doors to visitors come together, alongside conferences, round tables, workshops, and B2B meetings. The stated goal is to lead travelers beyond the coast and into the inland areas of Campania, exploring the villages and productive landscapes that often remain off the traditional tourist circuits.

Tastings, showcooking, and masterclasses

The public portion of the event revolves around tasting counters: the 2025 edition featured over four hundred selected wines, representing approximately one hundred and fifty wineries from Campania. Alongside the glasses, there is a packed program of showcooking, masterclasses, and guided tastings, often organized in collaboration with students from local hospitality schools who cook alongside established chefs.

The protagonists are the volcanic wine consortia of Vesuvius, Campi Flegrei, and Ischia, but also Irpinia, Sannio, Cilento, and the Amalfi Coast, along with guests from other volcanic lands, starting with Mount Etna. Neapolitan pizza is also a key feature, presented by the Associazione Pizzaiuoli Napoletani, bridging tradition with research into premium ingredients.

The sea meets the volcano

The common thread the event has chosen in recent years links wine to the sea. Recipes based on the Gulf's catch—mussels, bluefish, sea bass, sea bream—are paired with vegetables grown in volcanic soil, while conferences and talks address concrete issues such as sustainable aquaculture, food safety, PDO and PGI certifications for the seafood and agri-food sectors, and supply chain traceability.

The Reggia di Portici, a Bourbon setting

Commissioned by Charles of Bourbon in the mid-18th century, the Reggia di Portici was the first of the Bourbon royal residences and sparked the era of the great Vesuvian villas of the Golden Mile. Today it houses the Botanical Garden and the MUSA museum complex, and its historic rooms—from the Chinese Room to the gardens—become the stage for four days of conferences, tasting counters, and workshops. Visiting Eruzioni del Gusto also means exploring one of the most beautiful sites in the province of Naples.

Why it's worth the trip

• An up-to-date snapshot of Campania's volcanic wine production, with hundreds of labels available for tasting.
• A program of conferences and masterclasses that combines university research, businesses, and wine communication.
• The BIE, a concrete opportunity to build wine tourism itineraries in the inland areas of Campania.
• Admission to the event is free, subject to online registration.
• The chance to discover the Reggia di Portici and the Vesuvian Golden Mile in a single day.