The Fairytale Village

A medieval village turned into a fairytale kingdom

Every summer in Colliano, in the province of Salerno, the Borgo dei Normanni in the Collianello hamlet stops being just a small stone settlement in the upper Sele Valley for a few days and becomes a kingdom inhabited by fairytale characters. The Fairytale Village is an immersive, roving theatrical event: you don't just watch a show from the audience; you step inside the story, wandering through alleys and staircases to meet princesses, knights, royals, witches, and wizards who interact directly with the children.

The format is created by the association «Ma dove vivono i cartoni!?», led by Aurora Manuele, which has been bringing proximity theater experiences to the Campania region for years—experiences where, as the organizers emphasize, there is no distance between the characters and the audience. In Colliano, the result is an entire village transformed into a natural set, with the Norman castle at the summit serving as the final destination of the journey.

The 2026 edition: a fairytale about love

The 2026 edition takes place from August 8th to 14th, every evening from 5:30 PM to 11:00 PM. The central theme chosen this year is love, interpreted in a broad sense: friendship, affection, kindness, and the emotions that run through classic fairytales. Upon entry, families receive a map of the kingdom and follow a path filled with encounters and theatrical scenes, leading up to the final show at the top of the village, where it is possible to leave a padlock as a memento of the evening.

What to do during the evening

• Live encounters with fairytale characters along the village alleys;
• Roving theatrical performances and entertainment for the whole family;
• A guided path using the map of the kingdom provided at the entrance;
• The final show at the top of the village, near the Norman castle;
• The opportunity to dine in the village with local specialties;
• A souvenir gadget for the little ones.

An event that speaks to adults too

The Fairytale Village is not just entertainment. In its sixth edition, held in August 2025 and dedicated to The Sword in the Stone and King Arthur, the festival paired its fantastical storytelling with an awareness-raising path on children's rights, featuring an area dedicated to emotional education and a red shoes installation against gender-based violence. It is a choice the organizers stand by: fairytales also serve to give voice to difficult topics, involving parents in the process.

A stable team works behind the scenes: artistic direction is by Francesco Chiaiese, direction by Ivan Improta, choreography by Gianluca Guadagno, while conception and production are led by Aurora Manuele.

Colliano and the upper Sele Valley

Colliano is located in the hinterland of the province of Salerno, in Campania, in an area of hills and woods over 700 meters above sea level. The Collianello hamlet preserves the layout of a medieval village, with stone houses, arches, and terraces overlooking the valley, and has been restored as an albergo diffuso (scattered hotel): visitors can stay overnight in the village itself instead of leaving at the end of the evening.

The town is also known for its black truffle, the star of a national market exhibition in autumn, and for a peasant gastronomic tradition that perfectly complements summer evenings. The Fairytale Village was born from the meeting of this heritage and a tourism promotion project supported by the Municipality of Colliano, the Tourism Group of Confindustria Salerno, and the Rete Destinazione Sud: to showcase an inland village using the most direct language that exists—that of fairytales.

Tickets and reservations

Admission is paid and reservations are required: fill out the online form on the organizers' website or contact the staff via WhatsApp. Family packages are available at a discount on the online shop until August 5th; for those who cannot book in advance, it is still possible to pay on-site. Upon request, it is also possible to reserve barbecues and tables for six or twelve people to combine the show with dinner in the village.