Roccagloriosa Literary Week
A week of books, theatre, and music in the squares of a Cilento village
About Literary Week
A week of books in the squares of Cilento
The Roccagloriosa Literary Week is the annual summer event that turns this small village in the Province of Salerno, Campania, into a meeting place for writers, actors, musicians, and readers. For eight days, the squares of the historic centre—Piazza Europa, Piazza del Popolo, Piazzetta Santo Spirito, and the hamlet of Acquavena—host book presentations, public readings, theatrical monologues, and musical evenings. There is no single stage: the festival moves from one square to another, with the audience following on foot through the alleys, a format that is itself a wonderful way to rediscover the village.
The «Roccagloriosa» Literary Prize, the heart of the event
The Week was born around the «Roccagloriosa» Literary Prize, a national competition that reached its thirteenth edition in 2026. The call for entries includes six sections:
- Section A — Free-theme poetry;
- Section B — Poetry on the theme of «Woman»;
- Section C — Short stories (maximum ten pages) on a free theme;
- Section D — Short stories on the theme of «Woman»;
- Section E — Free-theme poetry reserved for young people up to 18 years old;
- Section F — Free-theme short stories reserved for young people up to 18 years old.
Participation is completely free, and each author may submit two works per section; entries must be sent by April 30th. A popular jury selects the finalists, while a qualified jury determines the top three winners in each section. The names of the winners remain confidential until the final evening, when they are announced in the square before the community, accompanied by public readings of the winning texts.
The «Marilena Caruso» Prize and theatre in the square
Alongside the literary competition, the festival hosts the «Marilena Caruso» Prize, dedicated to playwriting. The competition collects original theatrical monologues and offers authors the opportunity to see their work performed by actors in a real square, with the audience's vote complementing that of the jury. The winning monologues are brought to the stage by the Compagnia degli Artisti Cilentani: it is the most spectacular evening of the programme and the one that draws the largest crowds from neighbouring towns.
Reading for the young: «Nati per Leggere»
One day is reserved for children. In Piazza Europa, public readings for early childhood are held as part of the national «Nati per Leggere» (Born to Read) project, followed by the AlphaBeta Festival and the awards ceremony for the classes that participated in the Literary Prize. This segment connects the event to local schools: the prize announcement is distributed every year by regional school offices, and the under-18 sections receive entries from all over Italy.
Roccagloriosa, a village overlooking the Gulf of Policastro
Roccagloriosa has about 1,500 inhabitants and is situated at an altitude of 430 metres in southern Cilento, within the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park. The town is known to archaeologists for the important pre-Roman Lucanian settlement that occupied the hill above the village, now enhanced by a museum trail. In summer, the village comes alive mainly in the evening: the Literary Week takes advantage of this rhythm, concentrating events after dinner, starting around 9:00 PM.
Who organizes it
The organization is entrusted to the Effetto Donna Non-profit Cultural Association, chaired by Carmela Puglia, while the direction of the Literary Prize is managed by lawyer Anna Nardo. The event is sponsored by the Municipality of Roccagloriosa, Nati per Leggere Campania, and the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park Authority. The goal declared by the organizers is to «spread the passion for reading, stimulate the talent of emerging writers, and promote the cultural heritage of the territory».
Why it is worth coming here
In the calendar of the Cilento summer, largely made up of food festivals, the Literary Week is an exception: people do not come here to eat, but to listen. It is a small-scale festival that connects debut authors, local theatre companies, musicians, and a village audience. For those spending their holidays between Palinuro, Scario, and the Gulf of Policastro, it is a short detour inland and an opportunity to see a Cilento village in its most authentic version: that of summer evenings in the square.
Literary Week — edition 2026
Eight days of books, theatre, and music
The 13th Literary Week of Roccagloriosa, in the Province of Salerno, took place from Sunday, July 5 to Sunday, July 12, 2026, confirming the itinerant format across the squares of the historic centre and the hamlet of Acquavena. The organization was handled, as per tradition, by the Effetto Donna Non-profit Cultural Association.
Main events
The festival opened on July 5 in Acquavena with a meeting dedicated to Annamaria Pipolo, accompanied by musical interludes by Maestro Vincenzo Bilo on violin and Maestro Domenico Saturno on accordion. On July 6, Piazza Europa hosted public readings for early childhood as part of the «Nati per Leggere» project, the AlphaBeta Festival, and the awards ceremony for the classes participating in the Literary Prize, with saxophone by Giampiero Veneroso. On July 8, the «Marilena Caruso» Prize, dedicated to theatrical monologues, returned: the Compagnia degli Artisti Cilentani, with Bruno Cariello and Simona La Porta, performed the winning texts directed by Maestro Mauro Navarra.
Theatre and the final evening
On July 9, in Piazza San Nicola, the Teatro Dobemolle of Torre del Greco presented «Mille volte mia!»; on July 10, in Piazza del Popolo, «Le ali della Libertà» was performed, a work written, directed, and performed by Alessandra De Martino with the participation of Paolo Puglia. On July 11, Piazzetta Santo Spirito hosted a meeting with Erica Cassano, with interludes by the «Trio Bilo».
The awards ceremony on July 12
The final evening, on July 12, was dedicated to the ceremony of the «Roccagloriosa» Literary Prize, directed by lawyer Anna Nardo and lasting from 8:15 PM until about 11:00 PM. The winning poems were recited by Valeria De Venezia and Bruno Cariello, with musical interludes by Beatrice D'Alessandro on vocals and Niccolò Rocco on guitar. The special «Specchio dell'Anima e dell'Essenziale» Prize went to Tiziana Curcio for «La mia essenza».
Programme Literary Week 2026
Highlights Literary Week 2026
- Thirteenth edition, July 5 to 12, 2026, in the squares of Roccagloriosa and Acquavena
- Meetings with authors Annamaria Pipolo (July 5) and Erica Cassano (July 11)
- Public readings for early childhood with «Nati per Leggere» and AlphaBeta Festival (July 6)
- «Marilena Caruso» Prize for theatrical monologues with the Compagnia degli Artisti Cilentani (July 8, Piazza Europa)
- «Mille volte mia!» by Teatro Dobemolle of Torre del Greco (July 9, Piazza San Nicola)
- «Le ali della Libertà» by and with Alessandra De Martino (July 10, Piazza del Popolo)
- Final evening on July 12 with the «Roccagloriosa» Literary Prize awards and reading of winning texts
- Live music every evening: violin, accordion, saxophone, guitar, and vocals
- Free admission to all events
Prices Literary Week 2026
Practical information — Literary Week
How to get there
By car: from the Cilentana fast-flowing road, take the exit for Poderia or Policastro Bussentino, then continue along the provincial roads that climb towards Roccagloriosa (about 10 km of mountain road). From Salerno, the journey takes just under two hours. The nearest train station is Policastro Bussentino, on the Naples-Reggio Calabria line; from there, a car is essential, as evening bus connections are very limited. The reference airports are Naples-Capodichino and Salerno-Costa d'Amalfi.
Parking
The historic centre consists of narrow alleys: it is best to leave your car in the parking areas at the entrance to the village and walk to the squares, all of which are just a few minutes from each other. The hamlet of Acquavena, which hosts the opening evening, is located a few kilometres from the main town.
Costs
Events take place in the village's public squares and admission is free: there are no tickets or pre-sales. Registration for both the «Roccagloriosa» Literary Prize and the «Marilena Caruso» Prize is also free for all sections.
Where to stay
In Roccagloriosa, accommodation is limited to B&Bs and farmhouses (agriturismi). Those looking for more choice can stay on the coast of the Gulf of Policastro (Scario, Policastro Bussentino, Sapri) or in the neighbouring towns of Torre Orsaia, Celle di Bulgheria, and Alfano, all within a twenty-minute drive.
Tips
The evenings begin around 9:00 PM and end around 11:00 PM: at an altitude of 430 metres, July nights can be cool, so it is best to bring a light sweater. Seating in the square is limited, so it is advisable to arrive about twenty minutes early. For the updated programme, the most reliable channel is the Facebook page of the Effetto Donna Association.
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Where does it take place — Literary Week
Piazze del centro storico (Piazza Europa, Piazza del Popolo, Piazzetta Santo Spirito) e frazione Acquavena
Piazza Europa, 84060 Roccagloriosa