La Via del Gusto - A Journey through the Village of Futani

A journey through the village of Futani

Futani is a small town in the province of Salerno, in the heart of the inland Cilento region, within the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park. For two days each year, its historic center changes its face: the village streets and Piazza Granci fill with stalls, aromas, and voices, turning the village into a sensory itinerary dedicated to the flavors and traditions of Southern Campania. This is the concept behind La Via del Gusto - A Journey through the Village of Futani, an event promoted by the Pro Loco FUTOS APS with the support of UNPLI and a wide institutional network.

More than just a food festival: a laboratory of ideas

La Via del Gusto is not limited to tastings. Each edition is built around thematic conferences addressing the future of inland areas: the relationship between wine and territory, youth entrepreneurship, emerging communities, and the tourism development of villages. Producers, administrators, professors, journalists, and young people who have chosen to stay or return to Cilento sit around the table. Food thus becomes a pretext for a broader discussion on depopulation and the opportunities of the Salerno hinterland, in a region—Campania—where the coast attracts tourist flows while the mountains often remain on the margins.

The fourth edition: May 23 and 24, 2026

After three editions held during the Christmas period, in 2026 the event moved to spring: the fourth edition took place on Saturday, May 23, and Sunday, May 24, 2026, in Piazza Granci. Each evening, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM, a thematic conference was held—the first dedicated to Italian cuisine as a UNESCO universal heritage, the second to the tourism development of inland areas—followed by the food and wine trail among the tasting stations and live music.

The flavors of Cilento

The menu at the tasting stations is a small catalog of Cilento cuisine, made of legumes, chestnuts, rustic flours, cheeses, and festive fried foods:

• Traditional dishes: bean and chestnut soup, minestra strinta, potato croquettes, fried pizza, and potato zeppole.
• Village specialties: savory and sweet pastorelle, scauratielli, ascuni with anchovies, and ascuni with honey.
• Hanging Caciocavallo: plain, with mushrooms, with sweet and sour Vatolla onion, or with chestnut honey.
• Sandwiches: broccoli, sausage, and provola; roasted mortadella, grilled eggplant, and provola; porchetta; sausage; pulled pork and vegetables.
• Desserts: babà (sliced, mignon, or with cream and Nutella), tiramisu, Cilento cannolo, deliziosa, zuppetta, thumbprint cookies, and struffoli.

Local wineries

Wine has played a central role since the first edition: the event was also created to bring together wineries from the Park area, small local food businesses, artisans, and village residents. In 2026, Cobellis, Rotolo, Casebianche, Pippo Greco, Tenuta Sellata, Donna Clara, Peduto, and Chiara Morra poured their wines at the stalls; in previous editions, the winery lineup was even larger, with over a dozen Cilento companies present.

Music and atmosphere in the village

The evening portion is entrusted to live music and entertainment spread throughout the streets: in 2026, Domenico Monaco, Silvano Santa Croce, and Angelo Trotta performed, from 7:00 PM until 1:00 AM on Saturday and until midnight on Sunday. To complete the experience, experiential workshops and demonstrations of artisan crafts were held, designed to make the village a place to live, not just to pass through.

A network of institutional support

Alongside the Pro Loco FUTOS APS, the event relies on the Municipality of Futani, the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park, UNPLI, GAL Casacastra, and local agricultural organizations such as Coldiretti and CIA. It is this blend of local associations, public bodies, and the agricultural world that gives La Via del Gusto a character distinct from many summer food festivals: an event that aims to be both a community celebration and an opportunity to promote inland Cilento.