Maiori Festival
Chamber music and culture amidst the gardens of Palazzo Mezzacapo and the churches of the Amalfi Coast
About Maiori Festival
A widespread festival in the heart of the Amalfi Coast
The Maiori Festival is a musical and cultural event that defines the summer in the town of Maiori, in the province of Salerno, nestled in the heart of the Amalfi Coast. This is not a festival confined to a single square; events are spread across the entire municipal area, from the historic gardens in the town center to the churches, and even the small seaside hamlet of Erchie. It is precisely this widespread format that gives the festival its unique identity: every concert is tailored to its venue, and the landscape of the Campanian coast becomes an integral part of the listening experience.
From Maiori Music Festival to Maiori Festival
The Il Tempio di Apollo APS association was founded in 2016 by a group of young people under 35 from Maiori with the goal of promoting the artistic and musical heritage of the coast. The association's first creation was the Maiori Music Festival, dedicated specifically to chamber music and the classical repertoire. Since 2021, the event has been renamed Maiori Festival: the program has expanded to include guided tours, excursions, exhibitions, book presentations, and food and wine experiences, with the aim of fostering cohesion among local entities. Over the years, the association has hosted international artists and collaborated with musicians from prestigious institutions, in addition to winning the European Erasmus+ project « MUSIC IN » for youth inclusion in 2020.
The Venues
The scenic heart of the festival is Palazzo Mezzacapo, in the center of Maiori: its Italian-style gardens, with their manicured hedges and palm trees, host open-air concerts, while the Hall of Frescoes hosts more intimate evenings featuring duos and small ensembles. Other recurring venues include:
- the church of San Giacomo, with its intimate acoustics, ideal for baroque and sacred repertoire;
- Piazzetta San Pietro, where the opening night is traditionally held;
- the beach of Erchie, a hamlet of Maiori overlooking a protected bay, for late-summer concerts;
- other locations along the coast involved from year to year, such as the nearby town of Scala.
A program spanning classical, baroque, and beyond
The common thread is chamber music, but interpreted without rigidity: the repertoire ranges from baroque to tango, from saxophone ensembles to guitar duos, and from brass to classic Neapolitan songs. Alongside the concerts, there are literary presentations linked to the local history and, on some evenings, live painting, with an artist painting in real-time while the musicians perform. The artistic direction curates each program like a short story, giving it an evocative title — « Cantar d'amore », « Tra ance e mantici », « A cominciare dal Barocco » — rather than just a simple sequence of pieces.
What to expect
Evenings begin at 9:00 PM, when the coastal heat has softened. The audience is a mix of residents, Italian vacationers, and foreign travelers who discover the program almost by chance while strolling along the promenade. Admission is traditionally free, an explicit choice by the association: classical music should remain accessible to those who live in the town, not become a product reserved for high-end tourism. The result is an informal yet attentive atmosphere, far removed from the solemnity of certain concert seasons.
Maiori, the coast, and the rest of the summer
Maiori is the town with the longest beach on the Amalfi Coast and retains an urban fabric that is less "museum-like" than its neighbors. The Maiori Festival is part of a rich municipal summer calendar, which also includes the Maiori Jazz and Maiori Danza festivals, the patronal feast of Santa Maria a Mare in August, and the eggplant parmesan festival, a signature local dish. Visitors arriving for a concert can easily plan an entire evening, combining a walk on the promenade, local cuisine, and music under the palm trees of the Palazzo Mezzacapo gardens.
Maiori Festival — edition 2026
« Innamorati »: ten years of Maiori Festival
2026 marks the tenth anniversary of the Il Tempio di Apollo APS association, founded in Maiori in 2016, and for this reason, the edition bears a title of deep affection: Innamorati. The program opens on June 28 in Piazzetta San Pietro and closes on August 22 on the beach of Erchie, with eight events distributed between the historic center, churches, and hamlets.
A musical journey in crescendo
The program alternates between very different ensembles: the Mediterranean Youth Saxophone Orchestra in the gardens of Palazzo Mezzacapo, the Koinè guitar duo with a program entirely dedicated to Argentine tango, the Parthenope Cordes Ensemble accompanied by a live painting performance, the Ensemble Sonuus Antiquus, and the Duo Reed Bellow in the church of San Giacomo. In August, the festival moves to the sea with the Trio Titano for two evenings on the beach in Erchie.
More than just concerts
Alongside the music, the festival dedicates an evening to the memory of the territory with the presentation of the book « Erchie richiamo ancestrale » by Luigi Di Bianco, on July 25 in the hamlet of Erchie. This is a choice consistent with the association's mission, which for years has combined concerts with guided tours, excursions, and initiatives to promote the heritage of the Amalfi Coast. In 2026, the anniversary is also celebrated with the production of a perfume, « Formichelle », dedicated to the women who worked the lemon terraces of the coast.
Inside the summer of Maiori
The Maiori Festival is one of the souls of the municipal summer calendar, which in 2026 includes over sixty events including the Maiori Jazz and Maiori Danza festivals, the patronal feast of Santa Maria a Mare, the eggplant parmesan festival, and major concerts at the Tourist Port. Maiori Festival events remain free of charge.
Programme Maiori Festival 2026
2026 Program — all events at 9:00 PM
- Sunday, June 28 — Piazzetta San Pietro: « Vola con me », concert by the Bagarja Band, in collaboration with the Festival Committee.
- Sunday, July 5 — Palazzo Mezzacapo Gardens: « Connessioni parallele », Mediterranean Youth Saxophone Orchestra conducted by Silvio Rossomando.
- Friday, July 10 — Palazzo Mezzacapo Hall of Frescoes: « Estilos de Tango », Koinè Guitar Duo.
- Thursday, July 16 — Palazzo Mezzacapo Hall of Frescoes: « Cantar d'amore », Parthenope Cordes Ensemble with live painting.
- Sunday, July 19 — Church of San Giacomo: « A cominciare dal Barocco », Ensemble Sonuus Antiquus.
- Friday, July 24 — Church of San Giacomo: « Tra ance e mantici », Duo Reed Bellow.
- Saturday, July 25 — Erchie: presentation of the book « Erchie richiamo ancestrale » by Luigi Di Bianco.
- Wednesday, August 5 and Saturday, August 22 — Erchie beach: « Erchie: onde che parlano, musica che cura », Trio Titano, in collaboration with the Uniti per Erchie association.
The program is subject to change: check the official website maiorifestival.it before traveling.
Highlights Maiori Festival 2026
- « Innamorati » 10th Anniversary: ten years of the Il Tempio di Apollo association, celebrated with the « Formichelle » perfume, a tribute to the women of the lemon terraces.
- « Connessioni parallele » (July 5): a youth orchestra of only saxophones in the Italian-style gardens of Palazzo Mezzacapo.
- « Cantar d'amore » (July 16): music and live painting performance in the Hall of Frescoes.
- Baroque evenings in San Giacomo (July 19 and 24): intimate acoustics and ancient repertoire.
- Erchie by the sea (August 5 and 22): the Trio Titano in one of the most secluded bays of the Amalfi Coast.
Prices Maiori Festival 2026
Practical information — Maiori Festival
Getting there
By car: Take the Vietri sul Mare exit (A3) from the motorway, then follow the SS163 Amalfitana road west for about 20 km. Note: the road is narrow and traffic is heavy in high season; it is advisable to arrive well in advance and use the paid parking lots along the promenade.
By train + bus: Take a train to Salerno station, then a SITA Sud bus towards the Amalfi Coast (get off at Maiori center), or alternatively, arrive at Vietri sul Mare station.
By ferry: In summer, Maiori is connected by sea to Salerno, Amalfi, Positano, and Sorrento — this is the most convenient and scenic option.
By plane: Naples-Capodichino airport (approx. 75 km) or Salerno-Costa d'Amalfi airport.
Admission and reservations
Maiori Festival events are traditionally free of charge. For some evenings in the summer calendar of Maiori, free online booking is required. It is advisable to check the official website maiorifestival.it or the association's social media channels before traveling.
Tips
- Concerts start at 9:00 PM: arrive 20-30 minutes early to find a seat, especially in the gardens of Palazzo Mezzacapo.
- For evenings in Erchie, the path down to the bay is steep: wear comfortable shoes and bring a flashlight for the return trip.
- Modest attire is recommended inside churches.
- In high season, accommodation on the coast fills up quickly: book well in advance, or consider using Salerno as a base.
Contacts
Associazione Il Tempio di Apollo APS — Via Casale Belvedere 4 bis, Maiori (SA). Email: [email protected] — Tel. +39 339 2829691.
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Where does it take place — Maiori Festival
Giardini e Sala degli Affreschi di Palazzo Mezzacapo
Corso Reginna, 84010 Maiori