Grika Salad and Sausage Festival

A festival in the heart of Grecìa Salentina

The Grika Salad and Sausage Festival is one of the most distinctive summer events in Martignano, a small municipality in the province of Lecce and one of the nine villages of Grecìa Salentina, the area of Salento where griko, the ancient neo-Greek language, is still preserved. Every year, in July, the old town and in particular Largo Calvario are transformed into the stage for three evenings that weave together traditional cuisine, folk music and local culture, drawing visitors from all over Salento and Puglia.

The grika salad, absolute star

At the heart of the festival is the grika salad, recognised as a Traditional Agri-Food Product (PAT) and a symbol of Salento's country cooking and the Mediterranean diet. It is made with tomatoes, meloncelle, horn peppers, white onion, wild rocket, black olives, capers, oregano, primo sale cheese and a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Alongside the signature dish, the food stalls offer grilled sausage, horse meat, musakà (the Salento moussaka), pittule, homemade pasta, friselle, meatballs in sauce and seasonal vegetables.

Music, culture and tradition

The evenings are accompanied by live music, with pizzica and Salento folk music groups, cover bands and dj sets that animate the square until late at night. The festival is not only food and music, however: the programme includes guided tours of the Palmieri Cultural Tourist Park, with its palace, frescoed chapel, underground oil mill and the Library of Happiness, as well as exhibitions, book presentations and moments exploring the traditions of Grecìa Salentina.

Who organises it

The event is organised by the Pro Loco "Antonio Martano" with the patronage of the Municipality of Martignano and the support of UNPLI Puglia and local associations, including the Lecce Fan Club of Martignano, the Gruppo Amici te lu Paulinu and the Open cooperative of the Palmieri Park. A collective effort that every summer renews an event able to tell, through food and celebration, the identity of a unique corner of Puglia.

Why take part

• Taste the grika salad PAT, the signature dish of Greek Salento
• Discover the country cuisine of Grecìa Salentina with sausage, horse meat and musakà
• Enjoy evenings of pizzica and folk music with free entry
• Visit the Palmieri Park and get to know Griko culture