Poesia è... Rinascenza
International Poetry and Arts Festival at the foot of Mount Vesuvius
About Poesia è... Rinascenza
An international poetry festival at the foot of Mount Vesuvius
Poesia è... Rinascenza was founded in April 2022 by Melania Mollo—a theatre actress, cultural organizer, and literary salon host—in collaboration with the Circolo Letterario Anastasiano, led by poet Giuseppe Vetromile. In just a few years, the festival has become one of the most recognizable literary initiatives in the Vesuvius area: not merely a series of book presentations, but what the organizers themselves defined, on the occasion of its third anniversary, as "a true International Poetry and Arts Festival." All this takes place in the town of Pollena Trocchia, with just over thirteen thousand inhabitants in the metropolitan city of Naples, Campania, on the north-western slopes of the Vesuvius National Park.
The Congrega del SS. Sacramento, home of the festival
The heart of the festival is the historic Congrega del SS. Sacramento, located at Piazza Capece Minutolo 1, in the Trocchia district: an intimate confraternity hall with the perfect dim lighting and acoustics for listening to the poetic word. Meetings usually begin at 7:15 PM and often continue with a second outdoor stage—in recent cycles, at the nearby Agriturismo La Vigna—where the reading continues among the vines and, for those who wish, concludes with a convivial dinner. Some special evenings have also taken place at the Institute of the Poor Daughters of the Visitation of Mary on Via Caracciolo.
Voices from around the world
The festival's hallmark is its international openness: the organizers regularly invite prominent foreign authors, with translation and commentary in Italian, to foster a dialogue between Vesuvius culture and other poetic traditions. Recent guests include:
- Japanese poet Mari Kashiwagi, who inaugurated the autumn cycle;
- Serbian poet Iskra Peneva, in her Italian debut;
- Croatian poet Suzana Glavas;
- Italian-Swiss poet Lucilla Trapazzo, an internationally renowned translator and performer;
- Albanian poet Griselda Doka, a translator and university researcher;
- Sabrina De Canio, head of the international department of the Piccolo Museo della Poesia in Cadeo, Piacenza.
Alongside them are Italian poets such as Carlo Di Legge and Margherita Parrelli, as well as guests of honour from the world of entertainment: the third anniversary featured actor and director Agostino Chiummariello, known to the general public for the television series "Mare fuori".
More than just verses: visual arts, music, and theatre
Every evening weaves together different languages, which justifies the definition of an "Arts" festival. Readings are accompanied by painting and photography exhibitions, installations, crafts, fashion, and even vintage vehicles in larger editions. The musical component is entrusted to local groups like the Banda del Torchio and young musicians from the Accademia Domus Form in Volla, while theatrical performances—from the Hypnagogia duo with "Cariatidi" to interventions by actors such as Emanuele Cilindro—transform the reading into a true live show.
A festival that has become itinerant
With the fourth edition, the formula expanded further: after consolidating in Pollena Trocchia, Poesia è... Rinascenza took on an itinerant character, bringing its meetings outside the Vesuvius area—for example to Avellino, at the Circolo della Stampa, where the festival met the Mail Poetry Project, an international exhibition of postcards dedicated to the theme of violence against women. A way to make poetry travel beyond the borders of the town where it was born.
Why it is worth an evening
In a landscape where poetry struggles to find space, this festival stands out for two reasons: the international quality of the guests, rarely found in a small provincial town, and the total organizational autonomy, claimed by the promoters themselves, who work with only the moral patronage of the Pollena Trocchia municipal administration. The result is a loyal audience, free admission, and a participatory atmosphere where, in the end, spectators-poets often take the microphone for a final round of shared readings.
Poesia è... Rinascenza — edition 2026
The 4th edition of Poesia è... Rinascenza
The 2026 cycle of the festival created by Melania Mollo with Giuseppe Vetromile and the Circolo Letterario Anastasiano confirmed the dual soul of the project: roots in Pollena Trocchia, in the metropolitan city of Naples, and an itinerant vocation towards other territories of Campania.
The opening, Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at 7:15 PM in the historic Congrega del SS. Sacramento, was dedicated to Stanze dentro, the poetry collection by Giuseppe Vetromile published by Macabor with a preface by Lucilla Trapazzo: a dialogue with journalist Carmine De Cicco, hosted by Melania Mollo, followed by readings from the poets present in the audience.
On Friday, June 12, 2026, the festival stopped in Avellino at the Circolo della Stampa, meeting the Mail Poetry Project, an international exhibition of postcards dedicated to violence against women, with interventions by Rita Imbimbo and Claudia Izzo and music by the GAL Trio.
Finally, on Saturday, July 11, 2026, the event "Beyond the borders of the word": from 7:15 PM, an open dialogue with Griselda Doka, Sabrina De Canio, and Lucilla Trapazzo, accompanied by a performance by actor Emanuele Cilindro; from 9:00 PM, the reading moved to Agriturismo La Vigna, with an optional dinner. All meetings were free to attend, with the moral patronage of the Municipality of Pollena Trocchia.
Programme Poesia è... Rinascenza 2026
Wednesday, May 20, 2026 - Congrega del SS. Sacramento, 7:15 PM
- Presentation of Stanze dentro by Giuseppe Vetromile (Macabor), with a preface by Lucilla Trapazzo
- Dialogue between the author and journalist Carmine De Cicco, hosted by Melania Mollo
- Concluding readings by the poets present in the room - free admission
Friday, June 12, 2026 - Circolo della Stampa, Avellino, 5:00 PM (itinerant stop)
- Mail Poetry Project meets Poesia è... Rinascenza: international exhibition of postcards dedicated to violence against women
- Greetings from Rita Imbimbo (University of Free Time of Avellino), conclusions by Claudia Izzo
- Presentation of the poets by Melania Mollo and Giuseppe Vetromile
- Musical interludes by Grazyella & Sons with the GAL Trio (Annarita Vecchione violin, Gabriele Vecchione guitar, Lycio Vecchione piano) - free admission
Saturday, July 11, 2026 - "Beyond the borders of the word", Pollena Trocchia
- 7:15 PM, Congrega del SS. Sacramento (Piazza Capece Minutolo 1): open dialogue with three protagonists of international poetry - Griselda Doka, translator and university researcher of Albanian origin; Sabrina De Canio, head of the international department of the Piccolo Museo della Poesia of Cadeo (Piacenza); Lucilla Trapazzo, Italian-Swiss translator and performer
- Visual and sensory performance by actor Emanuele Cilindro
- 9:00 PM, Agriturismo La Vigna: reading by invited poets in a natural setting, with optional paid dinner
- Free admission, reservations recommended; moral patronage of the Municipality of Pollena Trocchia
Highlights Poesia è... Rinascenza 2026
- "Beyond the borders of the word": three international voices - Griselda Doka, Sabrina De Canio, and Lucilla Trapazzo - in open dialogue at the Congrega del SS. Sacramento.
- The reading under the stars at Agriturismo La Vigna, the second stage of the July 11 evening.
- The visual and sensory performance by Emanuele Cilindro.
- The opening on May 20 with Stanze dentro by Giuseppe Vetromile (Macabor).
- The itinerant stop in Avellino with the Mail Poetry Project, an international exhibition of postcards against violence against women.
Prices Poesia è... Rinascenza 2026
Practical information — Poesia è... Rinascenza
Where it takes place
The main meetings are held at the Congrega del SS. Sacramento, Piazza Capece Minutolo 1, in the Trocchia district of Pollena Trocchia (80040), metropolitan city of Naples. Some evenings continue at the Agriturismo La Vigna, in the immediate vicinity; others have been held at the Institute of the Poor Daughters of the Visitation of Mary, on Via Caracciolo.
How to get there
By train: Pollena Trocchia has its own station on the Circumvesuviana (EAV) network; from Naples Porta Garibaldi, the connection is direct and takes approximately 18 minutes, with regular service throughout the day. By car: the town can be reached from Naples in about twenty minutes via the SS268 del Vesuvio; parking is available on the streets adjacent to the square. By plane: Naples-Capodichino Airport is about 12 km away.
Admission and reservations
Admission to the meetings is free. For evenings that continue with outdoor readings and an optional dinner at the agriturismo, reservations are recommended as space is limited; the dinner, when provided, is paid and must be booked separately.
Useful tips
Evenings almost always start at 7:15 PM and end late; for the second outdoor part, it is advisable to bring a light layer. The Congrega hall has limited capacity, so it is best to arrive a few minutes early. A visit to the Vesuvius National Park or the historic centre of Naples can easily be combined with the evening, given the short travel distances.
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Where does it take place — Poesia è... Rinascenza
Congrega del SS. Sacramento (Trocchia)
Piazza Capece Minutolo 1, 80040 Pollena Trocchia