Lungomare Vivo

Three Sundays in May at Punta dell'Inferno

As the Cilento region begins to fill with light and the sea takes center stage again, Santa Maria di Castellabate opens its season with Lungomare Vivo. For three consecutive Sundays in May, the stretch of the Punta dell'Inferno seafront is closed to traffic and returned to pedestrians: cars are replaced by artisan stalls, workshop tables, inflatables, painters' easels, and live music. In just a few years, the initiative has become one of the most anticipated spring events in the Municipality of Castellabate, in the Province of Salerno.

A pedestrian island overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea

The formula is simple and effective: it starts in the afternoon, around 4:30 PM, and continues until evening, when the low light over the gulf provides the perfect setting. The completely pedestrianized seafront becomes, for a few hours, a long plaza overlooking the water, where you can stroll at a leisurely pace, stop in front of a ceramics stall or an open-air exhibition, enjoy a drink, and listen to music. It is a different way to experience the Cilento sea—slower and more communal than during the peak summer season.

Markets, crafts, and art exhibitions

Each Sunday, the route hosts craft markets and open-air art exhibitions, featuring local artisans, hobbyists, and artists. The seafront businesses remain the stars: bars, ice cream parlors, and restaurants take advantage of the pedestrian area to expand toward the sea, and local Cilento gastronomic specialties accompany the afternoon until evening.

Workshops and entertainment for children

The heart of the event is the programming dedicated to children and families, developed in collaboration with local associations. In the 2026 edition, the calendar included:

• the Mother's Day workshop organized by Oltremare Castellabate;
• entertainment, mascots, and street performers with the Associazione Viviani;
• the Bricklab Lego workshop and the fresh pasta lesson hosted by the Centro Anziani;
• a creative workshop dedicated to the sea, also by Oltremare Castellabate;
• inflatables and a treasure hunt by Incanto Spazio Eventi;
• the Sunset Art painting workshop led by Salvatore Migallo, with limited spots.

These are free or open-participation activities, designed so that children can move around safely in a car-free space while adults stroll along the shore.

Sea sports and folk music

The final Sunday is traditionally the most intense. In 2026, the grand finale coincided with the inauguration of the second Castellabate Beach Soccer tournament on the Scario beach, followed in the evening by a concert from the group Taramurria: drums, pizzica, and Southern folk music to close the cycle of events. In previous editions, beach sports and traditional music have also marked the final day, confirming a well-established formula.

Castellabate, the Cilento, and Campania

Castellabate is one of the most famous villages on the Cilento coast: the historic center perched on the hill overlooks the seaside hamlets of Santa Maria and San Marco, featuring one of the most popular seaside promenades in the Province of Salerno. Lungomare Vivo was born from this very idea: to return the seafront to residents and visitors before the height of summer, and to kick off a calendar of events in the municipality that extends until December. For those visiting Campania in the off-season, it is the ideal opportunity to discover the Cilento in its most authentic moment, when the sea is already beautiful but the pace remains that of a small town.

Why it's worth the trip

• Free entry to all event activities.
• Entirely pedestrian seafront: ideal for strollers and small children.
• Crafts, art, workshops, sports, and live music all in one afternoon.
• One of the most beautiful views of the Cilento gulf, especially at sunset.