Mandia Ancient Flavors Festival

Three evenings of celebration in the village of Mandia

From August 18th to 20th, the Ancient Flavors Festival transforms Mandia, a mountain hamlet in the municipality of Ascea, Salerno, into one of the most popular spots in the Cilento summer. The village, home to only a few hundred residents, is nestled within the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park, just a short distance from the beaches of Ascea Marina and the archaeological site of Velia—a location that allows visitors to easily switch between the coast and the mountain chestnut forests.

Food stalls typically open at 8:00 PM, and the streets of the historic center fill with long tables, music, and visitors from across Campania. This is no mass-produced fair; the local women prepare the dishes according to authentic family recipes, while the younger generation manages the organization, service, and guided tours.

The Tabbaccuogno bean, the absolute star

The heart of the event is the Tabbaccuogno bean of Mandia, a local variety cultivated for centuries on the village lands. It features large, elongated, oval-shaped seeds with a muted grey hue. Sown by hand between late May and early June—often intercropped with corn for support—the beans are sun-dried, threshed with wooden sticks, and stored in cloth sacks. It is a legume grown without chemical treatments, following an agricultural method that the festival helps keep alive every year.

Dishes of the peasant tradition

The festival menu celebrates the rustic Cilento cuisine, served at stalls set up throughout the village:

• Pasta e fagioli of Mandia, the signature dish made with Tabbaccuogno beans
• Handmade fusilli with tomato sauce
• Chestnuts and beans, the traditional mountain soup
• Freselle with tomatoes and Cilento extra virgin olive oil
• Grilled pork sausage with fries
• Appetizers of local cured meats and cheeses, wood-fired bread, traditional desserts, and wine from local cellars

Folk music, exhibitions, and excursions

Beyond the food, every evening features folk and traditional music concerts with bands from the Cilento and Campania regions, alongside theater performances, poetry readings, and street artists. The historic center hosts exhibitions of local crafts, peasant life, vintage photography, and painting, illustrating the village's daily life before the era of depopulation.

In the afternoon, the Comitato Pro Mandia organizes free guided hikes (by reservation) along mountain trails through vast chestnut groves, leading to the Madonna del Principio Chapel and panoramic viewpoints overlooking the Velia territory.

Since 1993, a festival with a charitable purpose

The event was born in the summer of 1993 through the initiative of a group of young people from Mandia, aiming to bring people back to the village and promote the territory. It is organized by the Comitato Pro Mandia Cultural Association with the patronage of the Municipality of Ascea, the Pro Loco of Ascea, and the Misericordia of Ascea. It remains a non-profit event: part of the net proceeds is donated annually to organizations involved in research, healthcare, and culture. Thanks to the festival, projects such as the restoration of the Madonna del Principio Chapel and the installation of public benches and street furniture have been funded. In 2023, the event received the Primula d'Oro award.

Why it's worth the trip

In a Campania summer crowded with food festivals, the Ancient Flavors Festival remains one of the most authentic events in the Cilento hinterland. There is no spectacle for the sake of it—just an entire village cooking, sharing stories, and guiding visitors through alleys, chestnut groves, and country chapels. For those vacationing on the Cilento coast, it is the perfect opportunity to discover the inland province of Salerno and understand the origins of the flavors that have made this part of Campania famous.