Saint Anthony of Padua Festival in Marina del Cantone

A patronal festival suspended between land and sea

In Marina del Cantone, the tiny fishing village that closes off the bay of Nerano in the municipality of Massa Lubrense (Metropolitan City of Naples, Campania), the patron saint's festival is no ordinary event. Here, devotion to Saint Anthony of Padua is typical of communities that live by the sea: the Saint is the protector of travelers and sailors, and his day—June 13th—becomes the occasion when the village, the pebble beach, and the boats pulled ashore transform into a single festive space.

The celebrations go beyond the liturgy: they weave together faith, maritime tradition, gastronomy, and entertainment in a formula that has remained largely unchanged over time, attracting many visitors from the Sorrento Peninsula and the Amalfi Coast in recent years.

The Church of Saint Anthony, on the beach since 1646

The religious heart of the festival is the Church of Saint Anthony of Padua, built in 1646 at the eastern end of the beach of Marina del Cantone, almost hanging over the water. The building preserves a fine artistic floor and a Baroque altar, and its position—so close to the shoreline—explains the bond between the cult of the Saint and the life of the bay's fishermen.

The celebrations open with the novena: for nine days, the faithful attend masses and decorate the church with flowers and candles, preparing for the feast day. It is the most intimate and communal part of the entire calendar, involving primarily the residents of the hamlet.

The sunset sea procession

The most anticipated moment arrives on the day of the festival, as the light begins to fade. The statue of Saint Anthony is loaded onto a decorated gozzo boat and taken in a sea procession along the coast, followed by a parade of boats. Upon returning, the Saint is welcomed on the beach by the marching band, and the celebrations continue with an open-air Eucharistic celebration on the shore, in front of the entire community.

For those watching from the shore or a boat, the sunset sea procession is the iconic image of the entire festival: one of the most evocative in the entire Sorrento Peninsula.

The gozzo race and water challenges

On the afternoon of the festival, the traditional gozzo race takes place, featuring the typical boats of the Sorrento coast in a rowing challenge that stirs the pride of local fishing families. In recent years, the sports program has expanded to include canoe and pedal boat races, which are very popular and open to a younger audience.

• Gozzo race along the bay of Marina del Cantone
• Canoe and pedal boat races
• Sunset sea procession with a boat parade
• Eucharistic celebration on the beach with a marching band

Seafood festival, music, and fireworks over the sea

Once the liturgical celebrations conclude, the festival moves definitively to the beach. Stalls and stands bring the village to life, while the seafood festival offers the dishes that have made this corner of the coast famous: above all, spaghetti alla Nerano, born right here, with fried zucchini and Provolone del Monaco cheese. The evening continues with live music and closes with fireworks launched over the sea, reflecting in the waters of the bay.

Marina del Cantone and the Massa Lubrense area

Marina del Cantone belongs to the hamlet of Nerano, in the territory of Massa Lubrense, a municipality in the Province of Naples overlooking the side facing Capri and the Punta Campanella Marine Protected Area. It is the largest beach in the municipality, nestled between the mountains and some of the clearest water in Campania, accessible from Sant'Agata sui Due Golfi.

The Saint Anthony festival is part of a dense calendar of patronal feasts and food festivals that, from hamlet to hamlet, accompanies the summer in Massa Lubrense: from San Vito in Acquara to San Costanzo in Termini, from Saint Anne in Torca to the Assumption of the Virgin in Marina della Lobra. However, the one in Cantone remains the only one where the sea is the absolute protagonist.

When it takes place

The date is fixed for June 13th, the liturgical day of Saint Anthony of Padua, preceded by the novena and accompanied—depending on the year—by one or two days of secular festivities. In 2026, the calendar ran from June 12th to 14th. The organization is led by the parish community and the festival committee, with the support of the Pro Loco Massa Lubrense.