Fish Festival
Two evenings of fresh seafood and folk music in Porto Miggiano
Edition 2026 not confirmed to date
This edition has not been confirmed by the organiser to date. We recommend checking before going.
About Fish Festival
The Porto Miggiano Fish Festival
The Fish Festival is one of the most anticipated culinary events of the summer in Santa Cesarea Terme, a town in the province of Lecce overlooking the Adriatic Sea, in the heart of lower Salento. The festival takes place in the picturesque cove of Porto Miggiano, one of the most photogenic coastal spots in the region, where limestone cliffs frame a small bay with crystal-clear waters.
Seafood flavors and Salento tradition
At the heart of the festival are the fresh seafood tastings and traditional Salento maritime specialties, prepared according to local recipes. The food stalls offer classics such as cuttlefish with potatoes, scapace (a typical Salento marinated fish), and granu stumpatu with seafood, all paired with craft beer from local producers. Traditionally, the evening concludes with the free distribution of fried fish to all attendees.
Folk music under the stars
Alongside the gastronomy, the Fish Festival offers a rich musical program that enlivens the two evenings: pizzica and Salento folk music on the first night, featuring traditional groups, and a repertoire of 80s, 90s, and 2000s hits on the second. The atmosphere, often illuminated by the full moon of August, turns the small bay into an open-air dance floor.
A Pro Loco event
The event is organized by the Pro Loco of Santa Cesarea Terme with the patronage of the Municipality, and it is one of the highlights of the summer season in this spa town. Now in its sixteenth edition in 2025, the festival has become a staple for residents and tourists who flock to the Salento coast during the peak weeks of summer, between beach days, thermal baths, and village celebrations.
Santa Cesarea Terme and the Adriatic coast
Known for its sulfurous thermal waters and sea caves, Santa Cesarea Terme is one of the pearls of the Adriatic coast of Salento, located between Otranto and Santa Maria di Leuca. The Fish Festival is the perfect opportunity to discover this stretch of coastline while enjoying great food, folk music, and the wild beauty of Porto Miggiano.
Fish Festival — edition 2026
The dates for the 2026 edition of the Fish Festival in Porto Miggiano have not yet been announced by the Pro Loco of Santa Cesarea Terme. Based on previous editions, the festival is usually held in the first few days of August, featuring two evenings of fresh seafood tastings, craft beer, and folk music in the picturesque Porto Miggiano cove. The detailed program will be published by the organizers in the weeks leading up to the event.
Practical information — Fish Festival
Location
The festival is held in Porto Miggiano, a coastal area of Santa Cesarea Terme (LE), in the lower Adriatic Salento.
How to get there
By car from Lecce, take the state road towards Maglie–Otranto and then follow the Adriatic coastal road to Santa Cesarea Terme (about one hour). The nearest train station is in Lecce, from where you can continue by car or by the Ferrovie del Sud Est bus connections.
Admission and tastings
Admission to the event is free; food and drinks at the stalls can be purchased on-site. As per tradition, free fried fish is distributed at the end of the evening.
Tips
As this is a very popular summer festival, it is advisable to arrive early to find parking near the bay and enjoy the sunset over the sea before the tastings begin.
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Where does it take place — Fish Festival
Porto Miggiano