Limoni in Festa (Lemon Festival)
The Massa oval lemon festival, featuring a tasting trail, local crafts, and folk music
About Limoni in Festa
Fifty Years of Limoni in Festa
Created to celebrate the citrus fruit that symbolizes the Sorrento Peninsula, Limoni in Festa is now one of the longest-running and most beloved festivals in the municipality of Massa Lubrense, in the province of Naples, in the heart of Campania. In July 2026, the event reached the milestone of its fiftieth edition, confirming its status as the summer highlight that kicks off the local festival season. The event is organized by Pro Loco Massa Lubrense, with the patronage of the Municipality and the involvement of the Tourism and Agriculture departments.
The Massa oval lemon, the absolute star
The true king of the festival is the Massa oval lemon, a variety also known as «femminiello», grown for generations on the terraces overlooking the sea between Massa Lubrense, Sorrento, and the coast. Its thick, highly fragrant peel, rich in essential oils, makes it an ideal product for both cooking and liqueur making: from limoncello to lemon desserts, as well as jams, sorbets, and savory dishes. During the festival, the fruit is celebrated not just as an ingredient, but as a defining element of the local agricultural landscape.
The tasting trail
The gastronomic heart of the event is the tasting trail that winds through the bars, restaurants, and businesses of the historic center: each venue offers a different preparation inspired by the scent and flavor of the oval lemon, from appetizers to desserts, and even artisanal liqueurs. You can walk from stop to stop along the streets of Massa Centro, sampling dishes, desserts, and local specialties in a format that combines a pleasant stroll with a culinary experience.
Stalls, crafts, and Palazzo Vespoli
On festival evenings, the historic center hosts stalls featuring typical products and local crafts, open from 6:30 PM to 11:00 PM. Palazzo Vespoli serves as the cultural hub of the event: it houses an exhibition of handcrafted items curated by the teachers of the UniTre of Massa Lubrense, featuring crochet work, embroidery, and other traditional artisan techniques, alongside workshops dedicated to children.
- Stalls with typical products and crafts in the historic center
- Tasting trail through bars and restaurants in Massa Centro
- UniTre handicraft exhibition at Palazzo Vespoli
- Creative workshops and activities for children
- Evening performances in Piazza Vescovado
Music and shows in Piazza Vescovado
Piazza Vescovado, the open-air living room of Massa Lubrense, hosts the main show every evening. The 50th-anniversary edition featured a concert by Selma Ezzine, with a repertoire of Mediterranean sounds, and the participatory format Folk-e-Abballa Experience – Vivi la Piazza, dedicated to folk dances of Southern Italy with live music and direct audience involvement. Over the years, the festival has also hosted cabaret, folk singing, and guided tours of the village's characteristic spots.
A festival for families
Limoni in Festa has a strong family focus: creative workshops, participatory storytelling for children, and the playful archaeology activities offered by the Archeoclub make the event suitable for all ages. Admission to the event and the stalls is free: you only pay for what you choose to taste along the tasting trail.
Massa Lubrense, between the Gulf of Naples and the Coast
Overlooking the Gulf of Naples and just a few kilometers from Sorrento, the municipality of Massa Lubrense is one of the greenest areas in Campania, with its numerous hamlets, scenic trails, and the Punta Campanella Marine Protected Area. Participating in Limoni in Festa also means discovering a village that thrives on agriculture and the sea, at a time of year when the scent of lemon groves accompanies every walk.
Limoni in Festa — edition 2026
The fiftieth edition of Limoni in Festa took place on Saturday, July 11, and Sunday, July 12, 2026, in the historic center of Massa Lubrense, organized by Pro Loco Massa Lubrense with the patronage of the Municipality and the Tourism and Agriculture departments.
Both evenings followed the same structure: opening of the typical product and local craft stalls from 6:30 PM to 11:00 PM along the streets of Massa Centro, and a tasting trail from 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM entirely dedicated to the Massa oval lemon, with dishes, desserts, liqueurs, and local specialties offered by the town's bars and restaurants.
Palazzo Vespoli hosted the cultural and family-friendly section: the handicraft exhibition curated by the UniTre teachers of Massa Lubrense and workshops for children. In Piazza Vescovado, at 9:00 PM, the evening shows took place: the live concert by Selma Ezzine with her repertoire of Mediterranean sounds and, the following evening, Folk-e-Abballa Experience – Vivi la Piazza, a participatory format with live music and folk dances from Southern Italy.
Programme Limoni in Festa 2026
Saturday, July 11, 2026
- From 6:00 PM — «The Garden of Dreams», creative workshop for children at Palazzo Vespoli
- 6:30 PM - 11:00 PM — Opening of typical product and local craft stalls in the historic center
- 7:00 PM - 11:00 PM — Lemon tasting trail through bars and restaurants in Massa Centro
- 8:00 PM — «Rossy Rossins Storyteller», participatory storytelling for children and families featuring the lemon
- 9:00 PM — Live concert by Selma Ezzine in Piazza Vescovado, featuring Mediterranean sounds
Sunday, July 12, 2026
- 6:30 PM - 11:00 PM — Typical product and local craft stalls in the historic center
- From 7:00 PM — «Pottery Hunt», archaeology workshop for children at Palazzo Vespoli by the Archeoclub
- 7:00 PM - 11:00 PM — Tasting trail with lemon-based dishes, desserts, and liqueurs
- 9:00 PM — «Folk-e-Abballa Experience – Vivi la Piazza» in Piazza Vescovado: live music, Southern Italian folk dances, and direct audience participation
Throughout the festival
At Palazzo Vespoli, an exhibition of handcrafted items — crochet, embroidery, and other traditional techniques — curated by the UniTre teachers of Massa Lubrense.
Highlights Limoni in Festa 2026
- 50th edition of the festival, a historic milestone for Massa Lubrense
- Tasting trail entirely dedicated to the Massa oval lemon, the «femminiello»
- Live concert by Selma Ezzine in Piazza Vescovado
- «Folk-e-Abballa Experience», Southern Italian folk dances with audience participation
- Children's workshops and UniTre handicraft exhibition at Palazzo Vespoli
- Free admission to the event and stalls
Prices Limoni in Festa 2026
Practical information — Limoni in Festa
How to get there
By car: take the Castellammare di Stabia motorway exit, then the Sorrentina state road to Sorrento and the road to Massa Lubrense. By train: Circumvesuviana Naples-Sorrento line to the Sorrento terminus, then EAV bus to Massa Lubrense. On festival evenings, the center fills with visitors: it is best to arrive early and leave your car in parking areas outside the center, reaching Piazza Vescovado on foot.
Hours and admission
Stalls with typical products and crafts are open from 6:30 PM to 11:00 PM; the tasting trail runs from 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM; evening performances start at 9:00 PM in Piazza Vescovado. Admission to the event is free; tastings are paid for at the individual participating venues.
Information
Pro Loco Massa Lubrense, Viale Filangieri 11, 80061 Massa Lubrense (NA). Phone +39 081 5339021, email [email protected]. The tourist information office is open from May to September every day, 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM.
Tips
July is high season on the Sorrento Peninsula: it is best to book accommodation well in advance. Wear comfortable shoes for the uphill alleys and bring some cash for the tastings along the trail.
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Where does it take place — Limoni in Festa
Centro storico di Massa Lubrense
Piazza Vescovado, 80061 Massa Lubrense