Fiuggi Guitar Festival

A festival entirely dedicated to the guitar

The Fiuggi Guitar Festival is one of Italy's longest-running events built entirely around a single instrument: the guitar. Every year in mid-July, the town of Fiuggi, in the province of Frosinone, in the heart of the Ciociaria region of Lazio, welcomes established concert performers, young talents, and enthusiasts from all over Europe and the Americas for four days. The event is conceived and artistically directed by Maestro Roberto Fabbri, an internationally renowned Roman guitarist and composer who has made it a recognized benchmark in the guitar circuit.

Over twenty free-entry concerts

The lineup is intentionally packed: more than twenty concerts spread over four days, all with free admission. Afternoons are primarily dedicated to classical and chamber repertoire in the intimate Sala Renella at Fonte Bonifacio VIII, while in the evening the festival moves outdoors to Piazza Spada, where a mix of residents, spa guests, and tourists gather to listen to more diverse ensembles. The Gran Caffè Michelangelo hosts award ceremonies and various side events.

The programming is not limited to classical guitar: over the years, it has featured flute and piano duos, vocal quartets, pop-rock trios, gypsy jazz ensembles, mandolin orchestras, and flamenco groups. It is precisely this stylistic openness that gives the festival its identity, far from the idea of a specialized event reserved only for industry insiders.

Not just concerts: masterclasses, competitions, and expo

Alongside the evening program, the Fiuggi Guitar Festival functions as a true international hub for the guitar. Activities include:

• Masterclasses in classical and professional pop-rock guitar held by guest artists;
• Classical guitar competitions divided into categories for concert performers, young guitarists, and amateurs;
• the Young Guitarists Campus, designed to introduce children to the instrument;
• the Fiuggi Guitar Expo, featuring luthiers, accessories, and music publishers;
• the Fiuggi Guitar Awards, honors presented during the event;
• book presentations and meetings dedicated to the history and pedagogy of the instrument.

Competition winners are often awarded a performance in the official lineup: a stepping stone that has launched several young performers over the years.

Fiuggi, the setting

A spa town known throughout Italy for its waters, Fiuggi is divided between the medieval hilltop village, Fiuggi Città, and the 20th-century lower area, Fiuggi Fonte, where the thermal baths, historic hotels, and parks hosting the festival are concentrated. Just over an hour from Rome, the town is surrounded by the Ernici Mountains and serves as a convenient base for exploring the Ciociaria region, from the abbeys of Casamari and Trisulti to the towns of Anagni and Alatri.

Why go

The Fiuggi Guitar Festival is a chance to hear a vast array of repertoires that rarely coexist on the same stage, all within a few days and for free. The atmosphere is informal and accessible to everyone: you can move from a Renaissance guitar recital to a flamenco set by walking just a few meters among the fountains and tree-lined avenues of the spa town. For musicians, it is also a rare opportunity to study with international teachers without traveling abroad.