Sapori d'Autunno in Felitto

The Fusillo Felittese: star of the Cilento autumn

Sapori d'Autunno is the autumn version of the grand festival that Felitto, a small town in the province of Salerno, Campania, dedicates to its most celebrated product: the Fusillo Felittese. This long, twisted fresh pasta is hand-rolled around a thin iron rod, a technique requiring patience and skills passed down through generations. While the historic Fusillo Festival in August draws thousands of visitors, the Pro Loco of Felitto offers a more intimate special edition in autumn, designed to showcase the village during the season of mushrooms, chestnuts, and new wine.

A culinary journey through the historic center

Food stalls are set up along via Roma and the narrow streets of the historic center. Visitors can enjoy a stroll while eating, moving from one station to another amidst stone houses and ancient portals. The signature dish is served in two variations: the timeless classic and the seasonal special.

• Fusillo Felittese with ragù: the original recipe of Cilento peasant cuisine, featuring a slow-cooked meat sauce.
• Autumn-style Fusillo: seasoned with porcini mushrooms and local sausage, this is the festival's hallmark dish.
• Chestnut flour cavatelli: occasionally offered as a second seasonal pasta dish.
• Traditional main courses such as Cilento sausage, sfrionzolo (pork and peppers), and various porcini-based dishes.
• Local desserts, cheeses, cured meats, Cilento wines, and draft beers.

Folk music, exhibitions, and crafts

Sapori d'Autunno is more than just a food festival. Past editions have always integrated cultural elements: Cilento folk music and tarantellas in the alleys, painting and photography exhibitions held in village spaces, displays of local products and handicrafts, and workshops where local women demonstrate the traditional iron-rolling technique for making fusilli. Some editions have also hosted notable concerts dedicated to Southern Italian folk music.

The village and the Gole del Calore

Felitto is located within the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park, just a short distance from the famous Gole del Calore. This river canyon, carved by the Calore Lucano river, is popular for canoeing in summer and becomes a stunning hiking destination in autumn when the forest changes color. During the festival, guided walks to the gorges and tours of the medieval historic center—with its churches and castle ruins—are often organized, offering a perfect way to combine fine dining with the discovery of an inland corner of Cilento rarely touched by mass tourism.

A community celebration

Like many festivals in the small towns of inland Campania, Sapori d'Autunno is, above all, a community event. Pro Loco volunteers cook, serve, and welcome visitors, with proceeds supporting the association's activities and the promotion of the town. For visitors, it is a unique opportunity to taste a product not easily found elsewhere, prepared exactly where it was born, and to experience a village returning to its most authentic rhythm in autumn.

When it takes place

The event traditionally falls between late October and early November, spanning a long weekend from Friday to Sunday. The 2023 edition was held from October 27 to 29, the 17th edition from November 8 to 10, 2024, and the 18th from October 24 to 26, 2025. The dates for the next edition have not yet been announced; it is advisable to follow the Pro Loco Felitto channels, which usually announce the program a few weeks in advance.