Medievalia
Four nights in the Middle Ages of the Sannio: the eight districts of Faicchio compete for the Palio di San Giovanni
About Medievalia
A village rediscovering its medieval roots
Medievalia is the grand historical-medieval re-enactment of Faicchio, a town of just over three thousand inhabitants in the Province of Benevento, in the heart of the Sannio region of Campania. For four evenings at the end of August, the alleys of the historic center, the squares, and the courtyard of the Ducal Castle are cleared of cars, lit by torches and fire, and returned to a crowd in costume: ladies, men-at-arms, monks, commoners, artisans, and jesters. The organizers make no secret of the creative freedom taken in the reconstruction—the event is openly more of a village festival than a philological reconstruction—but the result is one of the most successful atmospheres in the Valle Telesina.
The eight districts and the Palio di San Giovanni
The competitive heart of the event is the Palio di San Giovanni: the eight districts into which the municipal territory is historically divided march in the evening pageant and then face off in various games to win the tapestry depicting Saint John the Baptist, the patron saint of Faicchio. The competing districts are:
- Casali, home to the Ave Gratia Plena church;
- Caudara, where a Roman-era cryptoporticus survives;
- Cortisano (or Castelluccio), at the foot of Mount Acero and its Samnite walls;
- Favicella, which coincides with the historic center and the Ducal Castle;
- Fontanavecchia, crossed by the remains of a Roman aqueduct;
- Macchia, with traces of medieval fortification;
- Marafi, with its old and new towers along the ancient road;
- Massa, the most populous, with the church of San Nicola and the Fabio Massimo bridge.
The trials are those of popular tradition reinterpreted in a medieval key: sack race, three-legged race, rooster race, musical chairs, Barrel Palio (with a junior version for children), throwing the "buatte" (tin cans), greasy pole, and the Archers' Palio. The proclamation of the winning district on the final evening is the most anticipated moment of the entire festival.
Shows, music, and taverns
Each evening opens with the historical pageant that starts from Piazza Palmieri and reaches Piazza Roma, where the ceremony and competitions take place. Surrounding the Palio is a program of shows entrusted to specialized groups: flag-wavers of the Florentine school, the Falconieri dell'Irno with their birds of prey, the Arcieri del Titerno, arquebusiers, fire-eaters, and stilt-walkers from the Compagnia de lo Grifone. After 9:00 PM, wandering musicians—in recent years Arkana Kulto and Eldriss, with folk and world fusion sounds—roam the village until midnight, when the Medieval Night begins.
The gastronomic side is no mere accompaniment: the taverns and stands set up by Faicchio's restaurants offer dishes from Sannio cuisine, from handmade pasta to grilled meats, accompanied by wines from the Valle Telesina, a land of Falanghina and Aglianico. Those who wish can sit at the medieval banquet, served in costume, while the alleys host artisan markets with demonstrations of ancient crafts.
A history of revivals
The first medieval festival in Faicchio dates back to 2002, initiated by a group of enthusiasts; the experience grew until 2008, then paused due to a generational change. In 2014, the Pro Loco "Prof. U. Fragola" refounded it under the current name of Medievalia and carried it forward until 2018, before another break due to a lack of resources and then the pandemic. The return in 2023 was a public success, and since then, the event has been repeated every year at the end of August with the support of the Municipality of Faicchio.
Why it's worth the trip
Medievalia is the ideal opportunity to discover a corner of Campania that escapes the major tourist circuits: the 13th-century Ducal Castle with the chapel of Santa Barbara, Mount Acero with its Samnite polygonal walls, and the Roman bridge over the Titerno river. All with free admission, in a town that puts its heart and soul into the event for four nights.
Medievalia — edition 2026
Medievalia 2026: the festival of the districts
The 2026 edition of Medievalia takes place from Thursday, August 20, to Sunday, August 23 in the historic center of Faicchio, in the shadow of the Ducal Castle. The common thread remains the Palio di San Giovanni: the eight districts—Casali, Caudara, Cortisano, Favicella, Fontanavecchia, Macchia, Marafi, and Massa—face off evening after evening in the preliminary rounds and semifinals of the games, leading up to the finals on Sunday and the proclamation of the winning district, which takes home the patron saint's tapestry.
For this edition, the Pro Loco has announced new elements in the narrative plot of the re-enactment and the arrival of new guest historical groups. The cornerstones remain: the costumed pageant that descends every evening from Piazza Palmieri toward Piazza Roma, the flag-wavers, falconry and archery exhibitions, arquebusiers, fire-eaters, and stilt-walkers.
From 8:00 PM onwards, taverns, food stands, and medieval markets open throughout the squares and alleys of the village, featuring traditional Faicchio dishes and Valle Telesina wines. Live music accompanies the evenings from 9:00 PM to midnight with folk and world fusion bands, while the Medieval Night on Saturday extends the festivities until the early hours.
Programme Medievalia 2026
Thursday, August 20, 2026
- 7:30 PM — Piazza Palmieri: Start of the Historical Pageant
- Piazza Roma: Opening ceremony, performance by Florentine flag-wavers, Junior Barrel Palio, preliminary and semifinal rounds of the sack race, performance by the Falconieri dell'Irno, Arcieri del Titerno tournament
- 9:00 PM - 12:00 AM — Wandering musicians in the village: Arkana Kulto
Friday, August 21, 2026
- 7:30 PM — Piazza Palmieri: Historical Pageant
- Piazza Roma: Ceremony, archer draw, flag-wavers, preliminary and semifinal rounds of the three-legged race, throwing the "buatte", falconry exhibition
- 9:00 PM - 12:00 AM — Wandering musicians: Eldriss and Arkana Kulto
- 11:30 PM — Performance by the Compagnia de lo Grifone
Saturday, August 22, 2026
- 7:30 PM — Piazza Palmieri: Historical Pageant
- Piazza Roma: Ceremony, flag-wavers, Barrel Palio, semifinal rounds of the rooster race, greasy pole, Archers' Palio
- 9:00 PM - 12:00 AM — Wandering musicians in the village
- 11:30 PM — Performance by the Compagnia de lo Grifone
- From midnight — Medieval Night at the De Blasi School square
Sunday, August 23, 2026
- 6:00 PM — Piazza Palmieri: Historical Pageant
- Piazza Roma: Ceremony, flag-wavers, Chair Palio, finals of all races, performance by the arquebusiers
- 10:00 PM — Proclamation of the winning district of the Palio di San Giovanni
- 11:30 PM — Final show by the Compagnia de lo Grifone
- 9:00 PM - 12:00 AM — Wandering musicians
Every evening
- From 8:00 PM — Opening of taverns, food stands, medieval markets, and games in the various squares of the village
Highlights Medievalia 2026
- Palio di San Giovanni: the eight districts of Faicchio competing for the patron saint's tapestry
- Historical pageant in costume every evening from Piazza Palmieri to Piazza Roma
- Florentine flag-wavers, arquebusiers, and Arcieri del Titerno
- Falconieri dell'Irno: falconry exhibitions with birds of prey
- Compagnia de lo Grifone: fire-eaters, stilt-walkers, and fire shows at 11:30 PM
- Wandering musicians Arkana Kulto and Eldriss, folk and world fusion in the alleys
- Medieval Night on Saturday at the De Blasi School square
- Taverns and medieval banquet with traditional Sannio dishes
- Popular games: Barrel Palio, greasy pole, sack race, rooster race, throwing the "buatte"
Prices Medievalia 2026
Practical information — Medievalia
How to get there
By car: Take the Caianello or Capua exit on the A1 motorway, then the SS372 Telesina (Faicchio/San Lorenzello exit)—about 60 km from Caserta, 70 km from Naples, 40 km from Benevento. By train: Telese-Cerreto station on the Caserta-Benevento line, then bus or taxi to Faicchio (about 10 km).
Parking and access
During the evenings, the historic center is closed to traffic: park in the designated areas along the access roads to the town and reach Piazza Roma on foot. The village streets are uphill and partially paved with cobblestones: comfortable shoes are recommended.
Admission and taverns
Free admission to the entire event. Food and drinks at the taverns and gastronomic stands are paid for à la carte, with affordable village-festival prices.
Where to stay
Farmhouses and B&Bs in Faicchio and neighboring towns (San Lorenzello, Cerreto Sannita, Puglianello); more hotel options are available in Telese Terme, about fifteen kilometers away.
Information
Pro Loco "Prof. U. Fragola" of Faicchio APS, Piazza Roma—[email protected], tel. +39 349 0721205. Updated program at faicchiomedievalia.it and on social channels @medievaliafaicchio.
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Where does it take place — Medievalia
Centro storico e Castello Ducale
Piazza Roma, 82030 Faicchio