Salento Book Festival

The Salento Book Festival

The Salento Book Festival is one of Southern Italy's most beloved literary events: a travelling festival that every summer transforms the squares, gardens, castles, and seaside spots of the Lecce province into stages for books. Its spirit is captured by the motto "The Festival of Books, the Buzz of Readers": free, open-air evening meetings where the public engages with writers, journalists, and personalities from the worlds of culture, music, sport, and entertainment. The event is organized by the National Book Festival Cultural Association and is conceived and directed by journalist and television author Gianpiero Pisanello, supported by co-directors Antonella Lattanzi and Massimo Bernardini.

The Galatone Stop

In the town of Galatone, in the province of Lecce, the festival's events take place in the charming Palazzo Marchesale courtyard, one of the most iconic landmarks of the Salento historic center. Galatone has become a fixed stop on the circuit: its presence on the program confirms the bond between the community and this major festival, which brings nationally acclaimed authors right to the local doorstep, with free events often included in the town's summer calendar.

A Widespread Festival in Salento, Puglia

The Salento Book Festival is not tied to a single city: it is a truly widespread festival that, throughout the summer, visits dozens of towns in the province of Lecce, the heart of the Salento region in Puglia. This travelling format allows it to reach even the smallest centers, highlighting their historic sites and turning reading into a collective, community experience. Guests present their latest editorial works in direct dialogue with the public, covering novels, non-fiction, investigative journalism, and current affairs.

Why Attend

• Free admission to all events;
• Open-air evening meetings during the summer season;
• Nationally acclaimed authors in the heart of Salento;
• The historic setting of the Palazzo Marchesale courtyard in Galatone;
• A convivial atmosphere that blends culture and social life.

For the local public and visitors alike, the Galatone stop is an opportunity to experience the buzz of readers in an authentic setting, discovering new books and meeting their authors in person.