Le Notti Azzurre (Summer Edition + Winter Edition)
The seaside village of Cetara becomes an open-air stage, both in summer and winter
About Le Notti Azzurre
A festival that accompanies the entire year
Le Notti Azzurre is not a festival concentrated into a single weekend, but a widespread calendar that covers most of the year in the town of Cetara, in the province of Salerno, in the heart of the Amalfi Coast. The festival is divided into two parts: the Summer Edition, from early July to the first days of September, and the Winter Edition, which accompanies the village from November through the Christmas season until February. In both cases, the formula remains the same: free shows, held outdoors whenever the weather permits, distributed across the town's squares and piers.
A deliberately multidisciplinary program
The program alternates between very different genres, as the stated goal is to appeal to everyone: residents, families on vacation, and day-trippers. Within the same week, you might find anything from a symphonic concert to dialect comedy, from a literary festival to a children's musical, or from cabaret to morning fitness sessions by the sea.
- Theater and comedy with local Campanian companies and the In/Mpari contemporary theater circuit
- Live music: orchestras, jazz, tribute bands, and sunrise concerts on the pier
- Literature with meetings from the «...incostieraamalfitana.it» festival
- Children's shows, family musicals, and entertainment
- Wellness: fitness and yoga sessions on Molo Madonnina
- Gastronomy: tastings, show cooking, and food and wine evenings
Summer: from July 3rd to the sunrise concert in September
The Summer Edition kicks off in early July in Piazza San Francesco and continues non-stop until early September. August is the most intense month: following the «Cetara Incantata» program, featuring contemporary circus and street performers, come the evenings of the Borgo Illuminato (Illuminated Village), when light installations, concerts, comedy, and fireworks redefine the silhouette of the town overlooking the gulf. The season concludes with a sunrise concert by the sea—the most authentic Cetara way to bid farewell to summer.
Winter: living nativity, Immaculate Conception, and New Year's Eve
The Winter Edition is the lesser-known and perhaps most authentic part of the festival. Starting in November, film screenings for young people and the lighting of the Christmas decorations begin; December brings the procession of the Immaculate Conception at dawn on the 8th, wine tastings in the Viceregal Tower, the Christmas concert in the Church of San Pietro Apostolo, Christmas markets in the village, and the living nativity scene in the S. Giacomo district. New Year's Eve is celebrated in the square with live music, and the events continue with literary awards and film screenings until February.
Cetara, the village of anchovies
To understand Le Notti Azzurre is to understand Cetara. With just over two thousand inhabitants squeezed between the sea and the Lattari Mountains, the town is one of the few places on the Amalfi Coast that has preserved its true identity as a fishing village: the lampare fishing fleet, red tuna fishing, and above all, the colatura di alici (anchovy sauce), the heir to the Roman garum that has made Cetara's name familiar to gourmets across Europe. It is no coincidence that the summer calendar intertwines with events dedicated to the sea and fishing, and that many evenings take place right on the pier, with the boats serving as the backdrop.
Organizers
The festival is promoted by the Municipality of Cetara with the support of the Salerno Chamber of Commerce, and realized in collaboration with the Pro Loco Cetara Costa d'Amalfi, the Amici del Forum Association, the Youth Forum, the L'Innesto Association, the Parish of San Pietro Apostolo, and Visit Cetara. It is a collective effort that represents a model in the Campania Region of how a small town can build a continuous and completely free cultural program.
Le Notti Azzurre — edition 2026
A two-month-long summer
The 2026 program of Le Notti Azzurre is among the richest ever proposed by the Municipality of Cetara: it starts on July 3rd and runs until September 1st, with almost daily events distributed between Piazza San Francesco, Largo Marina, Molo Madonnina, and Piazza Santa Maria di Costantinopoli.
July is the month of theater and music: from the opening musical comedy to the Pro Loco symphonic concert, from the Philadelphia Jazz Orchestra to the «...incostieraamalfitana.it» literary festival, and the comedy of the Arteteca duo and the In/Mpari circuit shows on the pier.
August changes the pace: after the sunrise concerts and evenings dedicated to gastronomy, the village hosts «Cetara Incantata» with the Circo Bipolar and the historic Compagnia dei Folli, the floating concert by Colorplay, and finally Il Borgo Illuminato, featuring light installations, street performers, and fireworks. Throughout the season, free outdoor fitness and yoga sessions are held on Molo Madonnina.
Mayor Fortunato Della Monica summarized the spirit of the festival: Le Notti Azzurre is more than a calendar of events; it is the story of the Cetara community and its hospitality.
Programme Le Notti Azzurre 2026
July 2026
- July 3, 9:00 PM – Piazza San Francesco: «Incantanapoli», musical comedy by the Pipariello Theater Association
- July 4, 9:00 PM – Piazza San Francesco: «L'Ottava in Musica», symphonic concert by the Pro Loco of Cetara
- July 6: «L'Ottava di San Pietro», traditional community celebration
- July 11, 9:00 PM – Largo Marina: Pro Loco Festival concert
- July 12, 9:00 PM – Largo Marina: Philadelphia Jazz Orchestra concert
- July 13, 16, and 17, 8:00 PM – Piazza San Francesco: «...incostieraamalfitana.it» literary festival, with authors and publishing figures
- July 18, 9:00 PM – Largo Marina: «Tre pecore viziose», comedy by the Cetara Theater Company
- July 23, 9:00 PM – Piazza Santa Maria di Costantinopoli: «Stia con Noi», family musical by the Citrea Company
- July 25: «Comicità in Musica» and show by the Arteteca duo
- July 30 – Molo Madonnina: «Napolidì» by and with Giacomo Casaula, In/Mpari contemporary theater festival
- July 31: musical evening with Latin American rhythms
August 2026
- August 2: «Sunrise Concert» by Roccuzzo
- Ferragosto (August 15): traditional village festivities
- August 21, 22, and 23: «Cetara Incantata» program, with Circo Bipolar and the historic Compagnia dei Folli
- August 24: floating concert by Colorplay – Italian Coldplay Tribute
- End of August: «Il Borgo Illuminato», with light installations, concerts, street performers, comedy, and fireworks
September 2026
- September 1: sunrise concert by the Mac Fest Association, the closing event of the festival
Throughout the season
- Fitness and yoga sessions on Molo Madonnina
- Cetara Summer Fest, Forum Summer Village, and «Cetara Gusto e Musica» with Ami Cetara
- Classical music concerts in the village and children's shows
Note: during the same days, from August 5th to 8th, the village also hosts Cetara Experience with «A Tutto Tonno» and «La Notte delle Lampare», the evening dedicated to anchovies with fishing demonstrations from Molo Madonnina, a gastronomic route, and videomapping.
Highlights Le Notti Azzurre 2026
- Il Borgo Illuminato at the end of August: light installations, street performers, and fireworks over the sea
- Cetara Incantata (August 21-23) with Circo Bipolar and Compagnia dei Folli
- The floating concert by Colorplay on August 24
- The sunrise concerts on the pier, including the final one on September 1st
- The Philadelphia Jazz Orchestra in Largo Marina on July 12
- The «...incostieraamalfitana.it» literary festival in Piazza San Francesco
- Free yoga and fitness at sunrise on Molo Madonnina
Prices Le Notti Azzurre 2026
Practical information — Le Notti Azzurre
How to get there
By car: SS163 Amalfitana state road, A3 motorway exit at Vietri sul Mare. Parking in town is very limited during high season: it is best to leave your car in the paid parking lots at the entrance to the village.
By train: Salerno or Vietri sul Mare station, then SITA Sud bus along the coast.
By ferry: Travelmar connections from Salerno and other ports on the Amalfi Coast, the most convenient solution during peak days.
By plane: Naples Capodichino airport, or Salerno Costa d'Amalfi.
Admission and times
All festival events are free of charge, unless otherwise indicated by the organizers. Evening events generally start between 8:00 PM and 9:00 PM; sunrise concerts require arriving at the pier before dawn.
Tips
The squares do not have numbered seating: arriving half an hour early is the most prudent choice. The village is entirely pedestrian, but it is made of stairs and steep alleys, so comfortable shoes are recommended. The updated calendar is published on the channels of the Municipality of Cetara, the Pro Loco, and Visit Cetara.
Festival-goer photos
No photos yet. Share yours!
Share your photos
5 photos max, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)
Noticed an error or missing information?
Help us keep this listing up to date. Every proposal is verified by our team before publication.
Festival-goer reviews
No rating yet — be the first!
No comments yet. Be the first!
Were you there?
Share your experience with the community.
Where does it take place — Le Notti Azzurre
Largo Marina, Molo Madonnina, Piazza San Francesco e Piazza Santa Maria di Costantinopoli
Centro storico, porto e Molo Madonnina, 84010 Cetara