Gusto Italia in Tour

A showcase of Italian excellence by the sea

Gusto Italia in Tour is a travelling festival dedicated to fine food, regional specialties, artistic and traditional crafts, wellness, and handmade creations. Each year, the caravan of exhibitors stops in dozens of locations across Central and Southern Italy, and one of the most anticipated stops is in Marina di Camerota, a seaside hamlet in the municipality of Camerota, in the province of Salerno, Campania.

For about ten days, the port and the seafront become a long open-air market: the stands open in the late afternoon, as the sun begins to set over the gulf, and remain lit until midnight. It is a simple formula that has worked for years because it combines shopping for authentic products with the classic holiday evening stroll.

What you will find at the stalls

The festival's selection criteria are strict: every stall tells the story of a territory and a craft. Walking among the exhibitors, you will encounter specialties from all over Italy and, naturally, many culinary excellences from Campania and the Cilento region.

• Artisanal cured meats and cheeses, including spreads and gourmet appetizer snacks
• Giffoni PGI Hazelnuts, dried fruits, and dehydrated fruit with no added sugar
• Organic honey, pollen, and royal jelly from the Apennine mountains
• Traditional Campania sweets, chocolate crêpes, and Apulian taralli
• Artisanal liqueurs: saffron digestifs, hemp liqueurs, and Calabrian liquorice
• Leather goods from the Solofra district, handmade bags, and customizable costume jewellery
• Artistic ceramics and hand-painted magnets dedicated to Camerota
• Aloe-based wellness products and natural cosmetics

Shows, puppets, and folk music

The gastronomic aspect is only half the program. Every evening, the organizers set up a performance area that entertains the public from opening time until late at night. The most beloved moment for families is the puppet theatre: traditional Neapolitan masks, led by Pulcinella, return to the stage in a small theatre set up along the route, with continuous performances in the early part of the evening.

Starting at 9:00 PM, the space is dedicated to folk music concerts: pizzica, tammurriata, tarantella, and southern Italian repertoires, with groups that often involve the public in improvised dances on the seafront. Street performers also roam between the stalls throughout the evening.

Marina di Camerota, the setting

The Cilento stop has an added value found in the landscape itself. Marina di Camerota is located in the heart of the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, in one of the most pristine stretches of the Campania coast. The nearby Infreschi and Masseta area is a protected marine reserve, featuring coves accessible only by sea and prehistoric caves among the most important in the Mediterranean.

Those who arrive for the festival find much more than just a market: in the morning, you can head to the beach or take a boat to Cala Bianca and the natural port of Infreschi; in the afternoon, you can visit the ancient village of Camerota; and in the evening, you head down to the port for the festival. It is the model of experiential tourism that the organizers openly promote.

Who organizes it

The event is promoted by the Associazione Italia Eventi, which since 2020 has brought this format to dozens of squares across Central and Southern Italy. The Marina di Camerota stop is supported by the Municipality of Camerota, the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park Authority, the Salerno Chamber of Commerce, CNA Salerno, and the UNOE, in collaboration with local tourism entities. This institutional framework helps ensure the quality of the exhibitors and supports small local artisan businesses.

An event for the whole family

Admission is always free, there are no tickets required, and no reservations are needed: you only spend what you decide to buy or taste. The evening hours, the flat path along the seafront, and the presence of children's entertainment make the festival suitable for all ages, including those with strollers. For those spending their holidays in Cilento, it is one of the most convenient opportunities to stock up on local products to take home.