Premio Amarena
In Piano di Sorrento, the June festival dedicated to the Colli di San Pietro black cherry, blending cinema, theater, literature, and local flavors.
About Premio Amarena
A prize born from a fruit
The Premio Amarena is a cultural event that animates the town of Piano di Sorrento, in the province of Naples, in the heart of the Sorrento Peninsula in Campania, every June. Its starting point is a small, precious fruit: the Colli di San Pietro black cherry, an early-season delicacy grown on the hills separating the Gulf of Naples from the Gulf of Salerno, protected by a Slow Food Community established specifically to save its historic trees and traditional processing techniques.
Around this symbol, the Archimede Cultural Association, under the artistic direction of journalist Biagio Verdicchio, has built a festival since 2022 that is not a typical food fair but a cultural prize: awards are presented to actors, directors, authors, and emerging talents in cinema, theater, and television, while the territory tells its own story through its agricultural crafts. The event is promoted by the City of Piano di Sorrento and held under the patronage of the Metropolitan City of Naples.
Four evenings, four languages
The format has solidified into four events spread throughout the month, each with its own identity and location. It begins in the fields with the harvesting and processing of the black cherries: a day with strong social value, involving social cooperatives, Senior Centers, and the Slow Food Community, reclaiming the agricultural act as a collective heritage.
It continues with the dessert challenge: pastry chefs and enthusiasts present creations based on the black cherry, judged by representatives of the Sorrento Peninsula Chefs Association and Slow Food. This is the most delicious moment of the festival, where the Colli delicacy becomes cream, cake, gelato, or liqueur.
The third evening moves to the Colli di San Pietro, on the belvedere overlooking the two gulfs: popular theater, music, and literature at sunset, with local companies and authors invited to engage with the public. The grand finale returns to the terrace of Villa Fondi De Sangro, the 18th-century residence overlooking the sea that houses the Georges Vallet Archaeological Museum: screenings, talks, and the presentation of awards to entertainment personalities.
Why it is worth attending
- A rare fruit: the Colli di San Pietro black cherry is a niche product, difficult to find outside the Sorrento Peninsula.
- Exceptional location: the terrace of Villa Fondi at sunset is one of the most beautiful viewpoints on the coast.
- Real guests: every year, the festival brings well-known faces from Italian cinema and series to Piano di Sorrento, alongside young performers making their mark.
- Social dimension: local cooperatives, Senior Centers, schools, and associations are active participants in the program, not just a backdrop.
- Slow pace: four evenings spread over the month, without the crowds of the major summer events on the coast.
The context: Piano di Sorrento and the Colli di San Pietro
Piano di Sorrento is one of the six municipalities of the Sorrento Peninsula, overlooking the Gulf of Naples between Meta and Sant'Agnello. Its marina, Marina di Cassano, and the Villa Fondi park make it a quieter stop compared to nearby Sorrento, while remaining just minutes from major tourist attractions. The Colli di San Pietro, on the ridge leading toward Positano, represent the agricultural and scenic part of the territory: here, among dry-stone walls and terraces, the cherry trees that give the prize its name survive.
Participating in the Premio Amarena means seeing the Sorrento Peninsula from a different angle than the postcard view: that of a community trying to hold together mountain agriculture, dialectal memory, and contemporary cultural industry.
Premio Amarena — edition 2026
Premio Amarena 2026: the fifth edition
For 2026, the Premio Amarena expanded its scope: no longer just Villa Fondi, but four different locations in the municipality of Piano di Sorrento, chosen to tell the story of the Colli di San Pietro black cherry through four adjectives that the organizers placed at the center of the edition: fragile, strong, slow, and convivial.
The festival was organized by the Archimede Cultural Association under the artistic direction of journalist Biagio Verdicchio, promoted by the City of Piano di Sorrento, and held under the patronage of the Metropolitan City of Naples. The program was presented at the end of May 2026 and concluded on June 28th on the terrace of Villa Fondi De Sangro before a large audience.
From the orchard to the grand gala
The journey started in the fields, with the harvesting and processing of black cherries alongside social cooperatives, Senior Centers, and the Slow Food Community, and continued with the dessert competition judged by the Sorrento Peninsula Chefs Association. The third stage, at the Colli di San Pietro, brought together dialect theater and literature; the final evening showcased cinema, with the screening of the short film Lacerazioni by Massimiliano Pacifico and awards for established and emerging performers from the Campanian and national scenes.
Programme Premio Amarena 2026
Tuesday, June 9, 2026 — 3:30 PM
«L'Arte d'Amare…na — Harvesting and processing black cherries»
CRE — Madonna di Roselle Equestrian Rehabilitation Center, Piano di Sorrento.
A day dedicated to agricultural tradition and the promotion of the Colli di San Pietro black cherry, with the participation of social cooperatives, Senior Centers, and the Slow Food Community. Agri Osteria da Nonna Luisa also participated.
Friday, June 19, 2026 — 8:30 PM
«Dolci d'Amare…na»
Villa Fondi De Sangro.
Gastronomic competition between pastry chefs and enthusiasts, tasked with creating desserts based on the Colli di San Pietro black cherry. Jury composed of representatives from the Sorrento Peninsula Chefs Association and Slow Food. Hosted by Giuseppe Gargiulo and Biagio Verdicchio.
Friday, June 26, 2026 — from 8:50 PM
«Tramonto d'Amare…na» — theater and literature
Colli di San Pietro.
Opening by the group 'A Chiorm, with the theatrical performance «Pacienz' 'e cucchiarell'… fa' 'a rrobba bell'». Followed by a meeting with author Alessandra D'Antonio and a dialogue with actor Gino Rivieccio, with the presentation of awards.
Sunday, June 28, 2026 — from 8:45 PM
«Stelle d'Amare…na» — final grand gala
Villa Fondi De Sangro Terrace.
Screening and awards ceremony for the short film Lacerazioni by Massimiliano Pacifico, starring Sergio Rubini and Ivana Lotito. Followed by talks with cinema and television stars: awardees included Flavia Gatti, Adriano Pantaleo, Biagio Musella, Cartisia Somma (Mare Fuori), and Noemi Sales (Gomorra — Le origini). Hosted by Rose Chiacchierini and Biagio Verdicchio.
Highlights Premio Amarena 2026
- Screening of the short film Lacerazioni by Massimiliano Pacifico, starring Sergio Rubini and Ivana Lotito, during the final evening at Villa Fondi.
- Award for actor Gino Rivieccio and meeting with author Alessandra D'Antonio at the Colli di San Pietro.
- The dialect performance by the group 'A Chiorm, «Pacienz' 'e cucchiarell'… fa' 'a rrobba bell'».
- The «Dolci d'Amare…na» competition with a jury from the Sorrento Peninsula Chefs Association and Slow Food.
- The black cherry harvest day at the Madonna di Roselle Equestrian Rehabilitation Center, with social cooperatives and Senior Centers.
- Awards for the young stars of Mare Fuori and Gomorra — Le origini.
Prices Premio Amarena 2026
Practical information — Premio Amarena
How to get there
By car: A3 motorway exit Castellammare di Stabia, then SS145 Sorrentina to Piano di Sorrento (about 20 km). By train: Circumvesuviana Naples–Sorrento line, Piano di Sorrento stop, a few minutes' walk from Villa Fondi. In summer, sea connections to Sorrento are also available from the Molo Beverello in Naples.
Where it takes place
The main evenings are held in the park and on the terrace of Villa Fondi De Sangro (home to the Georges Vallet Archaeological Museum), while other events move to the Colli di San Pietro and local farms. Arriving early is recommended: seating on the terrace is limited.
Tips
- Evenings start after sunset: bring a light sweater, as the terrace can be breezy.
- Parking in the Villa Fondi area is limited; the Circumvesuviana or town center parking lots are better options.
- Take advantage of the harvest day to buy black cherry jams and syrups directly from the producers of the Colli.
Information
The program, schedule, and participation details are released by the Archimede Cultural Association and the City of Piano di Sorrento in the weeks leading up to the festival.
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Where does it take place — Premio Amarena
Villa Fondi De Sangro