Sagra te li Ciceri e Tria Festival

The festival of the most beloved humble dish of Salento

Every summer, in the heart of Ugento, in the province of Lecce, the Sagra te li Ciceri e Tria brings one of the most iconic dishes of Salento cuisine back to the square: ciceri e tria, handmade pasta served with chickpeas. The event, organized by the Pro Loco Ugento e Marine with the patronage of the Municipality, has been held since 1992 in the evocative setting of Piazza San Vincenzo, in the Ugento historic center, and now represents a staple in the calendar of summer festivals in lower Salento.

What is tria with chickpeas

The dish that gives the festival its name is a masterpiece of peasant ingenuity. Tria is a fresh pasta similar to tagliatelle, kneaded by hand with water and durum wheat semolina. One part is boiled and seasoned with a creamy chickpea sauce, while another part is fried in olive oil until it becomes crispy and golden: these are the famous frizzuli, which give the dish its characteristic contrast between soft and crunchy. A simple dish, born from peasant culture, that tells centuries of tradition and the wisdom of local women, who are still the guardians of these ancient recipes today.

Flavor, music, and tradition

The festival is not just an opportunity to taste tria with chickpeas. Along the streets and in the square of the historic center, you can enjoy many other local gastronomic specialties, accompanied by fine Salento wine. The evening is enlivened by folk music and the overwhelming rhythms of the pizzica, the traditional dance that is part of the soul of Salento and that involves both adults and children in an authentic festive atmosphere, late into the summer night.

Ugento, between history and the sea

Hosting this festival in Ugento is no coincidence: the town, nestled in lower Salento between Gallipoli and Santa Maria di Leuca, boasts ancient origins and a historic center rich in Messapian and medieval heritage. Its marinas — from Torre San Giovanni to Torre Mozza and Lido Marini — make it one of the most popular seaside destinations on the Ionian Puglia coast. The Sagra te li Ciceri e Tria thus combines the typical hospitality of the Salento people with the allure of a vacation spent between beaches and tradition.

An event to experience

With over thirty years of history behind it, the festival has become a symbol of Ugento's gastronomic identity and one more reason to visit this corner of Salento in the height of summer. Visitors will find a convivial atmosphere, the warmth of the locals, and the unmistakable aromas of a dish that continues to tell the story of the South's humble cuisine.