The Bivouac of the 300

An August night suspended in the Risorgimento

The Bivouac of the 300 is one of the most anticipated events of the summer in Sapri, a town in the Province of Salerno overlooking the Gulf of Policastro, at the southern tip of the Cilento region in Campania. The event, promoted by the Pro Loco Sapri, takes place in Località 300 and transforms a local space for one evening into a Risorgimento-era encampment: costumed performers, fires, outdoor banquet tables, and an atmosphere that prepares the public for the famous re-enactment of Carlo Pisacane's landing, scheduled for the days immediately following.

Why «the 300»

The number is no coincidence. On June 28, 1857, Carlo Pisacane landed in Sapri with his companions, aiming to incite the southern populations against Bourbon rule. The expedition ended tragically but entered the Italian collective imagination thanks to the verses of Luigi Mercantini and the figure of the Spigolatrice di Sapri (The Gleaner of Sapri): «They were three hundred, they were young and strong». From that verse comes the name of the location and the bivouac, which every year restores the memory of that night to the Sapri community.

What to experience at the Bivouac

The Bivouac of the 300 is a costumed festival: not just a simple gastronomic evening, but a moment of immersive theater where the public walks among groups of performers, sits at long tables, and tastes local products while the town enters the spirit of the re-enactment. It is the scenic prelude to a broader program that, in the following days, brings the historical pageant to the streets of Sapri and the theatrical reconstruction of the landing to the Lungomare Italia, featuring hundreds of participants including historical groups, folk associations, and actors.

• Setting: Risorgimento-era camp in Località 300, with performers in period costumes
• Gastronomy: traditional Cilento flavors, in a convivial outdoor setting
• Role in the calendar: opening of the days dedicated to Pisacane
• Audience: families, residents, and tourists vacationing on the Gulf of Policastro

Sapri and its memory

Few Italian cities have built their identity around a historical episode as Sapri has. The statue of the Gleaner on the seafront, the Carlo Pisacane International Prize, and the entire summer calendar of the Municipality of Sapri revolve around the memory of 1857. The Bivouac of the 300 is the most informal and popular moment of this narrative: where history is not viewed from afar, but shared at the table, in the open air, among neighbors and visitors.

A Cilento summer

The event is part of the summer program curated by the Pro Loco Sapri, which also offers The Night of the Gleaner on the Lungomare Italia and various cultural and literary appointments throughout the season. For those visiting lower Cilento in August, the Bivouac is the perfect opportunity to combine sea, tradition, and Risorgimento history in a single evening, just a short walk from the beaches and the historic center.