Lemon Festival
Three evenings in Dragonea featuring sfusato amalfitano lemons, folk music, and the flavors of the Amalfi Coast
About Lemon Festival
The Amalfi Coast lemon takes center stage in Dragonea
Every year, in the heart of summer, the village of Dragonea in Vietri sul Mare (Province of Salerno, Campania) transforms into the kingdom of the Amalfi Coast's yellow gold. The Lemon Festival is currently the only event on the coast entirely dedicated to the sfusato amalfitano, the thick-skinned, highly fragrant lemon that grows on terraces overlooking the sea. For three consecutive nights, the alleys, squares, and open spaces of this hillside hamlet fill with food stalls, the scent of citrus, and live music.
A village festival turned coastal highlight
Born as a community celebration organized by local associations, the event reached its nineteenth edition in 2026, confirming its status as one of the most anticipated summer events in the Salerno area. The organization is managed by the Transboneia Association, under the patronage of the Municipality of Vietri sul Mare and in collaboration with local groups. It is an authentically popular festival: cooking happens in the square, people eat at outdoor tables, and dancing continues late into the night, with no tickets or fences.
The menu: a tribute to the lemon
The true heart of the festival is the food. The menu is built entirely around the lemon, featured from appetizers to desserts with a creativity that surprises even the most skeptical visitors. Signature dishes returning every year include:
- Lemon ravioli tossed in lemon pesto;
- Lemon scialatielli with arugula and parmesan;
- Lemon chicken and lemon meatloaf;
- Seafood and traditional dishes such as 'u pere e 'u muss (pork offal) and the famous Saracen octopus tower;
- Lemon fritters, lemon delight, zeppole, sorbet, and lemon granita;
- The essential artisanal limoncello to finish the meal.
For the 2026 edition, organizers introduced a novelty that has already become a local sensation: Amalfi Provolone with lemon zest, served alongside local cheeses.
Music, dance, and folk tradition
Each evening features its own show, always with free admission and starting around 8:30 PM. The program alternates between entertainment, Campanian folk music, and live concerts: group dances and Latin-Caribbean rhythms, traditional tammurriate and tarantelle, and bands that close the night with a live set under the stars. This formula makes the Lemon Festival suitable for both families and young people, filling the village well past midnight every year.
Dragonea, the green balcony of Vietri sul Mare
Dragonea is the most populous hamlet of Vietri sul Mare, stretching across the hills that separate the Gulf of Salerno from the Bonea Valley. From here, the view sweeps over the sea and the Lattari Mountains, in a landscape of terraced lemon groves that is part of the Amalfi Coast's heritage. Vietri sul Mare, the first pearl of the coast, is world-famous for its artistic ceramics: an evening at the festival can easily be combined with a daytime tour of the workshops in the center and the Villa Guariglia Ceramics Museum in Raito.
Why you shouldn't miss it
- Free admission: you only pay for what you eat and drink;
- Free shuttle from the San Vincenzo parking lot to the village, a recommended solution given the limited parking space on the hill;
- A monographic menu you won't find anywhere else on the coast;
- Authentic village atmosphere, far from the crowds of the more touristy centers;
- Three consecutive nights, always in the heart of July, with perfect temperatures for being outdoors.
Lemon Festival — edition 2026
The 19th edition, July 10-12, 2026
In 2026, the Lemon Festival of Dragonea reached its nineteenth edition, taking place over the weekend from Friday, July 10 to Sunday, July 12. Every evening, starting at 8:30 PM, the hillside village of Vietri sul Mare came alive with food stalls, local product stands, and performances in the square, all with completely free admission.
New additions to the menu
Alongside the festival classics — lemon pesto ravioli, lemon scialatielli with arugula and parmesan, lemon chicken and meatloaf, fritters, and sorbet — the 2026 edition featured two proposals that made headlines: Amalfi Provolone with lemon zest, served with local cheeses, and the Saracen octopus tower, elected dish of the year and accompanied by the traditional 'u pere e 'u muss.
Three nights, three shows
The musical lineup followed the proven formula: Latin-Caribbean opening on Friday, a dive into Campanian folk tradition on Saturday, and a closing concert on Sunday. As every year, the organizers provided a free shuttle departing from the San Vincenzo parking lot, allowing visitors to reach Dragonea without having to drive up the hill.
Programme Lemon Festival 2026
Time: food stalls open and shows begin every evening at 8:30 PM. Free admission.
- Friday, July 10 — Opening night dedicated to group dancing, Caribbean rhythms, and Latin entertainment with Dance Fitness New Age Salerno.
- Saturday, July 11 — Campanian folk music with I Giovani della Tammorra di Bagni: tammurriate, tarantelle, and traditional energy.
- Sunday, July 12 — Grand finale with a live performance by the Caffeina Band, closing the event with music and fun.
For all three evenings: food stalls with a menu entirely based on lemons (appetizers, snacks, first courses, main courses, and desserts), local product stands, artisanal liqueurs, and a free shuttle service from the San Vincenzo parking lot to the village of Dragonea.
Highlights Lemon Festival 2026
- 19th edition: the only event on the Amalfi Coast entirely dedicated to the sfusato lemon.
- 2026 novelty: Amalfi Provolone with lemon zest.
- Signature dish of the edition: the Saracen octopus tower.
- Lemon pesto ravioli and lemon scialatielli with arugula and parmesan.
- Sweet and fresh: lemon delight, fritters, zeppole, sorbet, granita, and artisanal limoncello.
- Three nights of live music: Latin entertainment, tammurriate, and final concert.
- Free shuttle from the San Vincenzo parking lot and free admission for everyone.
Prices Lemon Festival 2026
Practical information — Lemon Festival
How to get there
By car: take the Vietri sul Mare exit on the A3 Naples-Salerno motorway, then drive up toward the hamlet of Dragonea. During the festival nights, parking in the village is very limited: it is best not to drive up.
Shuttle: a free shuttle service operates from the San Vincenzo parking lot to the event area. This is the most convenient solution and the one suggested by the organizers themselves.
By train: take the train to Vietri sul Mare-Amalfi station or Salerno station, both on the Tyrrhenian line, then take a bus or taxi to Dragonea.
Hours and prices
Food stalls open and entertainment begins around 8:30 PM every night. Free admission: you only pay for your food and drinks, with dishes at affordable prices purchased via tickets at the stalls.
Tips
- Arrive early: the first few hours are less crowded and the lines at the stalls are shorter;
- Bring a light sweater, as Dragonea is in the hills and it gets cool in the evening even in July;
- Combine your evening with a daytime visit to Vietri sul Mare and its ceramic workshops;
- For those staying overnight, the area offers B&Bs and vacation homes between Vietri, Raito, and Salerno, just a few minutes' drive away.
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