Madonna dell'Altomare Festival

A seaside festival among the dunes of the Taranto Salento

The Madonna dell'Altomare Festival is the most cherished devotional event on the coast of the Municipality of Maruggio, in the Province of Taranto, in the heart of the Salento region overlooking the Ionian Sea. It is celebrated in the seaside village of Campomarino di Maruggio and revolves around the figure of the "Madonnina," venerated as Stella Maris and protector of fishermen, sailors, and all those who face the open sea.

The spiritual heart of the festival is the small votive chapel standing on a high sandy dune in the Capoccia Scorcialupi area, just a few kilometers from the center of Maruggio. For centuries, this point on the coast has been a landmark for local fishermen and those from Gallipoli who frequent the most productive fishing grounds of the coastline.

The cult and its ancient origins

Devotion to the Madonna dell'Altomare has roots in a place steeped in history. The chapel is believed to have been built on a much older site of worship, and the stretch of sea in front of the sanctuary yielded, in the 1960s, the remains of a 4th-century BC Greek vessel, also documented in the American magazine Archaeology. This blend of the sacred and the archaeological makes the veneration of the "Star of the Sea" even more evocative.

Popular tradition originally set the festival for the last Sunday of September; over time, the celebration was moved to August 15th, coinciding with the liturgical solemnity of the Assumption, the patron saint of the Parish of Campomarino di Maruggio. Even today, the festival maintains its character as a maritime rite, filled with prayer, songs, illuminations, and a sense of community.

The two processions

The most iconic moment is the sea procession: the image of the Virgin is hoisted onto a fishing boat and carried along the coastline, greeted by festively decorated fishing vessels. Before returning to port, near the small chapel on the Madonnina dune, prayers are offered for all those who have died at sea, and a floral tribute is placed upon the waters.

The sea procession is accompanied by the traditional land procession along the coastal road, led by a marching band and folk groups. The two processions meet near the dune, where the festival culminates with a blessing and, in the evening, firework displays that illuminate the sea.

Atmosphere and territory

Campomarino di Maruggio is known for its dunes, pine forests, and sea with intense colors, earning it the nickname "the Caribbean of the Taranto area." During the peak of Ferragosto, the Madonnina festival attracts residents, vacationers, and pilgrims from neighboring towns, blending the seaside atmosphere of the Salento summer with the deep popular religiosity of seafaring people.

The dates for the 2026 edition have not yet been officially announced: the festival traditionally takes place around Ferragosto, but the detailed program is usually communicated by the parish and the Municipality of Maruggio in the preceding weeks.