MARetica

A festival born from the sea, on the island of Procida

MARetica is one of the most recognizable cultural events in the Municipality of Procida, in the Metropolitan City of Naples, Campania. It was born in 2018 from an idea by writer Alessandro Baricco and historian Claudio Fogu, with an ambition declared right from the title of its core theme: «reimagining humanity starting from the sea». It is not just a literary prize, but a laboratory of thought that chooses the island as a privileged vantage point over the Mediterranean.

The formula, which has remained faithful to itself while evolving over time, alternates moments of reflection with physical activity: talks, screenings, concerts, photo exhibitions, and conferences are paired with rowing and sailing competitions, in a continuous dialogue between the narrative and nautical vocations of Procida.

Terra Murata, the natural stage

The festival's headquarters is Largo delle Papere, in the historic village of Terra Murata, the highest fortified core of the island, dominated by the bulk of the former Palazzo d'Avalos prison and overlooking the gulf. From here, the gaze embraces the open sea, the islet of Vivara, and the Phlegraean coast: a backdrop that the festival uses as an integral part of its narrative. Other events move towards the Marina di Chiaiolella and the island's other marinas, where sporting events are concentrated.

The MARetica Prize

The award that gives the event its name has accompanied the first seven seasons, rewarding the best «sea narrative» in any format: novel, essay, film, documentary, play, or podcast. Over the years, the jury—which has seen names like Valeria Parrella, Concita De Gregorio, Elisabetta Montaldo, Luca Marinelli, and editor Giogiò Franchini work alongside Baricco and Fogu—has chosen very diverse works, from travel books to auteur films.

Since 2025, the prize has broadened its scope: it is awarded to a person, collective, institution, or association that has distinguished itself in highlighting the ethical and political significance of cultural, economic, and social activities linked to the marine element. A change in perspective that has shifted the focus from narration to action, without, however, abandoning literature, which remains the primary language of the evenings.

Sport: regattas, rowing, and crossings

The sporting component has been part of MARetica's DNA from the beginning, partly because the event is promoted by the Associazione Canottieri Isola di Procida, together with the Trofeo del Mare — Procida Quinta Repubblica Marinara. Rowing and sailing races frame the cultural evenings; in recent years, the festival has concluded with a collective SUP crossing from Miseno to Vivara, a route that retraces an ancient path between the Phlegraean coast and the islet's nature reserve, in collaboration with the Vivara Nature Reserve, the Regno di Nettuno Marine Protected Area, and the Italian Naval League.

A festival that involves schools

One of the most interesting aspects of MARetica is its work with the island's youth. The «Maretica Ragazzǝ» competition asks students of the Caracciolo–Giovanni da Procida–Capraro institute to read and review a sea-related work, in text or video format: over the years, they have covered Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea, Calvino's Cosmicomics, and, for the 2026 edition, Alessandro Baricco's Novecento. The best reviews are awarded during the festival, and it is not rare for Baricco himself to meet the students on the island: it happened on June 3, 2026, in a meeting of over an hour dedicated to creativity, insularity, and the relationship with social media.

Why it's worth the trip

• A national-level cultural festival in an intimate and authentic island setting.
• Literary evenings curated by Alessandro Baricco in one of the most scenic villages in Campania.
• A multidisciplinary program: books, cinema, music, photography, nautical sports.
• An opportunity to discover Procida in September, when the island regains its own rhythm after the high season.

Supported by the Campania Region and included in the metropolitan events calendar, MARetica is now a stable fixture of the Campanian cultural autumn: three days in which the island stops being just a postcard and returns to being what it has always been, a meeting point between land and sea.