Montestella Festival

Three August evenings at the foot of Monte Stella

The Montestella Festival is the most anticipated summer event in Omignano, a small town of about 1,600 residents in the province of Salerno, deep in the heart of the Cilento region and the Campania area. The festival takes place in Omignano Paese, the historic center that climbs the slopes of Monte Stella, the 1,131-meter peak that gives the festival its name and dominates this corner of the Cilento National Park. From its slopes, the view stretches far, reaching the Gulfs of Naples and Salerno: a reason in itself to make the trip up.

Organized by the Pro Loco of Omignano, the event transforms the village squares and alleys into a large open-air dining room in mid-August. There is nothing staged for tourists here; this is a genuine village feast where emigrants return home, families reunite, and everyone eats together until late at night. Visitors are warmly welcomed into this collective ritual.

The Omignano fusillo, the dish that tells the story of the village

The true star of the festival is the fusillo omignanese, fresh pasta meticulously hand-rolled by local women, a skill passed down through generations. Made from a simple dough of water and flour, it is wrapped around a thin metal rod, resulting in a rustic, textured pasta that perfectly holds the sauce. The classic version is served with braciola, a meat roll slow-cooked in tomato sauce according to southern tradition.

The entire festival menu revolves around this signature dish, featuring recipes from the humble Cilento peasant cuisine that made the Mediterranean diet famous along this stretch of coast.

What to eat

• Rustic appetizers with local products
• Fusilli omignanesi with braciola, the signature dish
• Cilento-style soffritto
• Grilled sausage
• Rustic zeppole with anchovies or zucchini flowers
• Traditional Cilento desserts
• Local wines

Orders are placed and paid for directly at the stalls; no reservations are needed, and there is no entrance fee.

Live folk music

Each evening concludes with a folk music concert, with bands performing traditional tarantellas, tammurriatas, and southern songs. The 2025 edition featured Sunarìa on August 15th, Daniele Botticchio on the 16th, and TeMèia on the 17th. This is when the dining tables clear and the square fills with people dancing, often until late at night.

Omignano and Monte Stella

Those arriving early can spend the afternoon exploring the village and the mountain. On the summit of Monte Stella stands the small church dedicated to the Madonna di Monte Stella, a site of ancient devotion for all the villages overlooking the massif: Omignano, Stella Cilento, Serramezzana, Sessa Cilento, San Mauro Cilento, Perdifumo, Lustra, and the other surrounding hamlets. The climb, whether by car or on foot along the trails, offers one of the most expansive panoramas in Cilento.

The municipal territory also includes the hamlets of Cerreta and Pirolepre and is located a short distance from the Cilento coast—Casal Velino, Ascea, and Agropoli—making the festival the perfect way to end a day at the beach with an evening in the hills.

Why it's worth the trip

The Montestella Festival is not a massive event, nor does it have such ambitions. It is exactly the kind of celebration you look for when you want to understand what the Cilento hinterland is really like: a plate of homemade pasta, a glass of local wine, folk music, and a view that gets lost towards the sea. With free admission and its three-day format around Ferragosto, it has become a staple of the summer in the Monte Stella area.