Olive Oil Festival

A festival dedicated to the green gold of Cilento

In Albanella, a town in the province of Salerno overlooking the Sele Plain and the rolling hills of Cilento, extra virgin olive oil is more than just an agricultural product: it is the very identity of the town. The Olive Oil Festival was born from this deep-rooted vocation and, every year in early December, draws thousands of visitors to the historic center, all lured by the aroma of freshly pressed oil. It stands as one of the longest-running and most renowned food and wine events in southern Campania.

A culinary journey through the taverns

The heart of the festival is a walking route that winds through the village: Piazza Aida, the Church of San Matteo, the famous "Via dei Fritti" (Fried Food Street), Piazza Cavalieri di Vittorio Veneto, and Piazza Garibaldi. Along the way, you will find around twenty taverns managed by local associations and families, each offering its own specialty. The cuisine is the authentic Cilento style—simple and generous—with the new oil as the absolute star:

• Lagane e ceci, the iconic dish of Cilento tradition
• Paccheri with salt cod and pasta with potatoes and mussels
• Cortecce with pumpkin and pancetta, cavatelli, and Cilento-style pizza
• Olive fritters and fried calzones from the "Via dei Fritti"
• Desserts such as zeppole, cannoli, and olive oil tart
• Signature drinks based on extra virgin olive oil, from cocktails to the Negroil

In recent editions, the taverns have adopted a common theme each year: the names of the taverns have been dedicated to the songs of great Italian singer-songwriters, from Lucio Dalla to Rino Gaetano, turning the gastronomic trail into a small journey through iconic music.

Music, shows, and art in the village

The Olive Oil Festival is about more than just food. The squares and alleys feature fixed and roving music points with over a dozen bands, major evening concerts, author talks hosted in the Church of San Matteo, and visual art exhibitions. The well-tested formula combines small neighborhood stages with grand folk music evenings, ensuring the village remains lively from the afternoon until late into the night.

Thirty years of history and the "Sagra d'Eccellenza" mark

The first edition dates back to 1996; in December 2025, the festival reached the milestone of thirty editions. The collective effort of local organizations—ATS U'Vitt, Nuova Pro Loco Albanella APS, APS Mimì and Sophia, ASD Albanella, and the Youth Forum—was rewarded with the "Sagra d'Eccellenza" mark assigned by EPLI Italia, with an official ceremony at the Chamber of Deputies on March 18, 2026. The award recognizes the strong community involvement and the collective commitment to preserving the olive-growing tradition.

Albanella, City of Oil

This recognition followed the title of "City of Olive Oil" awarded to the Municipality of Albanella, which has made the culture of extra virgin oil a key driver for regional promotion. Visitors to the festival find more than just a food fair; they discover a story of the Cilento olive landscape: the mills, local cultivars, and the bond between the Mediterranean diet and these hills overlooking the Gulf of Salerno.

When it takes place

The event is traditionally held on the first weekend of December, spanning three days from Friday to Sunday, with taverns opening in the late afternoon and Sunday lunch. The dates for the new edition are announced by the Municipality of Albanella and the organizing associations in the preceding weeks, typically between October and November.