Leggere Manfredonia - Literary Festival

Leggere Manfredonia, literature in the heart of the Sipontine city

Leggere Manfredonia is the summer literary festival that brings the historic center of Manfredonia to life every year. The city overlooks the gulf of the same name in the Province of Foggia, in the heart of the Capitanata region of Puglia. Born as a space dedicated to promoting reading, the event brings together writers, journalists, and authors who present their works and engage directly with the public in an informal and participatory atmosphere.

The Cloister of Palazzo San Domenico

The heart of the festival is the Cloister of Palazzo San Domenico, which houses the Manfredonia Town Hall. This ancient convent dates back to the late 13th century, to the time of Charles of Anjou. The cloister, with its 18th-century well adorned with masks, and the adjacent Chapel of the Magdalene with its ancient frescoes, offer an intimate and evocative setting, perfect for book presentations on summer evenings. As one of the city's most beloved spots, it perfectly blends the festival's cultural mission with the charm of the local historical heritage.

A Manfredonia Festival event

Leggere Manfredonia is an integral part of the Manfredonia Festival, the major summer program of the Municipality of Manfredonia that brings music, theater, dance, cinema, art, folk traditions, and food and wine to the city from June to August. Within this program, the promotion of reading finds ample space thanks to the festival, which is complemented by other literary initiatives in the city. The event confirms Manfredonia's role as a cultural reference point in the Capitanata region during the summer season.

Guests, debates, and book culture

Each edition offers a series of meetings with authors from the Puglia region and the national scene, with presentations ranging from fiction to non-fiction, current affairs to civic engagement, and poetry to spiritual reflection. The events take place over several evenings in July and are open to everyone, fostering a continuous dialogue between writers and readers. The festival is an opportunity to discover new voices, explore contemporary themes, and experience the historic center of Manfredonia in a cultural light.

Manfredonia, between history and the sea

Founded at the end of the 13th century by the will of Manfred of Sicily, Manfredonia preserves a rich heritage, from the Swabian-Angevin Castle to the archaeological area of Siponto with its famous basilica. Attending an evening of Leggere Manfredonia means immersing yourself in the cultural life of a city that knows how to combine historical memory with the vibrancy of summer events on the Gulf of Manfredonia.