Sea Festival

A festival born from the bond between Castellabate and its sea

The Sea Festival is the event through which the Municipality of Castellabate, in the province of Salerno, celebrates the Blue Flag recognition every summer. The stage is Santa Maria di Castellabate, the seaside village stretching between the harbor and the coast overlooking the Island of Licosa, one of the most photographed stretches of the Cilento coastline. This is not just a celebratory evening: the Blue Flag, earned by the territory for twenty-eight consecutive years, is showcased through food, music, crafts, and water activities—the very things that define life in a seaside town.

Piazzale Punta dell'Inferno and blue fish

The first day kicks off at Piazzale Punta dell'Inferno, overlooking the water, with an evening dedicated to traditional maritime flavors. At the heart of it is blue fish, a humble yet iconic product of small-scale Cilento fishing, offered for tasting by the Punta dell'Inferno Association. Creative markets curated by the Officina Creativa Association line the tables, while the evening continues with a live concert: a direct and informal way to gather by the sea, without massive stages or formalities.

The Blue Night between Corso Matarazzo and Lungomare Perrotti

The second day is dedicated to the Blue Night. Corso Matarazzo and Lungomare Perrotti are dressed in blue, becoming a long pedestrian path animated by street performers, live music, open shops, and entertainment for children and families, thanks to the collaboration of the Castellabate Merchants Association. This is the most popular part of the festival, filling the center until late at night and capturing the typical atmosphere of Cilento summer nights, with seaside strolls, illuminated shops, and the scent of fried seafood.

The Blue Flag ceremony in Piazza Lucia

The official ceremony takes place in Piazza Lucia, in the heart of Santa Maria, where the Blue Flag banner is officially presented in the presence of the municipal administration, tourism operators, and local associations. The ceremony is never an end in itself: it ideally concludes a journey of work on water quality, bathing services, and environmental protection, and is followed by a concert open to everyone that transforms the square into an open-air arena.

The sea as a laboratory

Alongside the performances, the festival offers initiatives that bring the public into direct contact with the water. With local associations, including Cilento Sub, a baptism of the sea and guided underwater activities are organized, while previous editions have also featured stand-up paddle open days and artistic workshops on the promenade. This is the most educational part of the event, designed especially for younger generations to understand, through experience, why the Cilento coast deserves its flag.

Within the summer of Castellabate

The Sea Festival is part of a particularly busy summer calendar, which makes Castellabate one of the most vibrant destinations in the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park in Campania. The ancient village on the hill, recognized as one of the most beautiful villages in Italy and made famous by cinema, and the marina of Santa Maria form a combination that the festival showcases: on one hand, history and landscape; on the other, the daily life of the fishermen, merchants, and associations that enliven the coast. Visitors during these days will find a community in celebration, without the crowds of a major event, and with the possibility of combining the festival with a day at the beach or an excursion towards Punta Licosa.