Grilled Octopus Festival

The Grilled Octopus Festival in Uggiano la Chiesa

In the heart of the Salento summer, the small village of Uggiano la Chiesa, in the province of Lecce, celebrates one of the most iconic flavors of its sea with the Grilled Octopus Festival. For one night, the entire village in the Lecce hinterland transforms into a large open-air restaurant, where the aroma of octopus cooked over charcoal drifts through the streets, and Piazzale SS. Medici becomes the stage for an authentic folk festival filled with flavor, music, and conviviality.

Grilled octopus, the absolute star

The dish that gives the event its name is grilled octopus prepared according to Salento tradition: slow-cooked over charcoal, tender on the inside and lightly smoked on the surface, served with the simplicity that has always characterized the seafood cuisine of this land. Alongside the octopus, the food stalls also offer vegetarian dishes and local wines, perfect for accompanying the evening with the genuine flavors of southern Puglia.

Music and village atmosphere

The festival is more than just food: the evening is enlivened by live folk music, featuring Mediterranean sounds and traditional rhythms that accompany dinners and strolls among the stalls. It is the perfect opportunity to experience the hospitality of a small Salento town, just a few kilometers from the Adriatic coast, in an informal setting that brings together residents and visitors alike.

An event by the SS. Medici Committee

The event is promoted by the SS. Medici Citizens' Committee of Uggiano la Chiesa, with the patronage of the Municipality, and is one of the summer appointments that bring life to the town and the entire Salento area of Lecce. Admission is free and no reservation is required: simply head to Piazzale SS. Medici on the evening of the festival to taste the grilled octopus and traditional dishes.

Uggiano la Chiesa, together with the nearby Otranto coast and the villages of lower Salento, offers visitors an ideal setting to combine a culinary discovery with a holiday of sea, nature, and Apulian folk traditions.