Pisciotta che legge Literary Festival

Four Fridays of books in the heart of Pisciotta

The Pisciotta che legge Literary Festival is the event that opens the summer cultural calendar of Pisciotta, a village in the province of Salerno overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea, in the heart of the Cilento and Campania regions. Four evenings, all on Fridays and all starting at 9:30 PM, bring authors, publishers, and readers to the most evocative spaces of the historic center: the Portone di Palazzo Ciaccio and the Piazzetta del Carmine.

The formula is simple and intentionally intimate: a book, its author, a moderator leading the discussion, and an audience seated outdoors among the stones of a village overlooking the sea. There are no imposing stages or elaborate setups: the scenery is the village itself, with its stairways, doorways, balconies, fountains, and alleys becoming natural theaters. This is a deliberate choice by the organizers, who speak of a true micro-journey capable of highlighting the most historically and artistically beautiful corners of the town.

Who organizes the festival

Behind "Pisciotta che legge" is the Nuova Pro Loco "Alessandro Pinto" APS, chaired by Giancarlo Agresta, working in collaboration with the Municipality of Pisciotta. The stated goal is twofold: to offer residents and tourists an opportunity for cultural exchange during the peak season and, at the same time, to bring reading back to the center of attention as a shared practice. It is no coincidence that the initiative is part of a broader cultural policy of the town, which over the years has also seen the creation of "little free libraries" scattered throughout the municipal area and the activities of the "Pasquale Di Stasi" municipal library.

The 2026 edition program

The 2026 edition was divided into four meetings, all at 9:30 PM:

• Friday, July 10 — Portone di Palazzo Ciaccio: Laura Cuozzo presents Noi siamo la montagna (Guida Editore), a novel-essay dedicated to the depopulation of the inland areas of Cilento and possible responses based on education and cultural tourism; she dialogues with Gianluca Veneroso.
• Friday, July 17 — Piazzetta del Carmine: Giuseppe Salzano with Il respiro di Pisciotta (Largo editore), in conversation with Milena Esposito, for an evening dedicated to the village and its memory.
• Friday, July 24 — Piazzetta del Carmine: Don Roberto Faccenda introduces A(r)marsi con cinque ciottoli (Edizioni San Paolo), accompanied by Daniele Gaudieri; the evening recorded a very large turnout of citizens and readers, with a final book signing.
• Friday, July 31 — Piazzetta del Carmine: Angela Veneroso closes the festival with Come vele al vento (Aletti Editore), again in dialogue with Gianluca Veneroso.

A story that starts from Cilento

The thread that connects the four appointments is not a theme imposed from above but a geography: that of Cilento and its contradictions. It speaks of mountains that are emptying and villages that resist, of spirituality and personal research, of the sea and departures. It is a literature that is not afraid of being local and precisely for this reason manages to speak to a wider audience, including vacationers who discover for the first time the history of the village where they have chosen to spend their summer.

Pisciotta, between ancient olive trees and Menaica anchovies

Pisciotta is one of the most characteristic villages on the Cilento coast: an amphitheater of light-colored houses arranged on the hill, a short distance from the sea, within the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park, a recognized UNESCO World Heritage site. The town is known for its Pisciottana variety olive groves, which descend almost to the shore, and for the Menaica anchovies, caught with an ancient technique and protected as a Slow Food Presidium. Participating in an evening of the festival almost always means combining the pleasure of a literary encounter with a walk in the historic center and a dinner based on local products.

Why it's worth going

• Free admission and a cozy atmosphere, very far from large, crowded festivals.
• Exceptional locations: a noble doorway and a historic small square, both outdoors.
• Local authors and books that truly tell the story of Cilento.
• Evening time, perfect after a day at the beach.
• A concrete opportunity to support the activities of the local Pro Loco.