The Landing of Pisacane (Historical Pageant and Re-enactment)

The landing of the Three Hundred, every year in Sapri

On June 28, 1857, Carlo Pisacane landed in Sapri with his Three Hundred, convinced he could ignite a revolt against the Bourbons in the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. The mission ended in tragedy just days later, but it was immortalized in the Italian collective memory thanks to the verses of the Spigolatrice di Sapri (The Gleaner of Sapri) by Luigi Mercantini. Since the mid-nineties, the Municipality of Sapri, in the province of Salerno, has transformed this historical chapter into a major historical re-enactment. Held traditionally in the last week of August, it is now one of the most popular identity-defining events in southern Campania.

The historical pageant through the city

The heart of the event is the historical pageant, which marches through the main streets of the center in the late afternoon, eventually reaching the seafront. Hundreds of participants in 19th-century costumes parade alongside groups arriving from all over the Cilento and Salerno areas. Recent editions have featured, among others:

• the Historical Pageant of the Three Hundred of the City of Sapri, re-enacting the patriots who landed with Pisacane;
• the flag-wavers, trombonieri (musket-men), and musicians from the Cava de' Tirreni tradition;
• the Associazione Tamburi di Montecerviero and the band from San Giovanni a Piro;
• equestrian groups, who also perform a jousting tournament on the seafront;
• cultural and dance associations such as the Società di Danza Salerno and the Città della Spigolatrice group.

The result is a procession of nearly 400 participants, folk groups, and professional actors that recreates the atmosphere of pre-unification Italy, street by street.

The theatrical re-enactment on the beach

As evening falls, the narrative shifts to the shore: the bay of Sapri becomes a natural amphitheater where professional theater companies stage the landing and the events that followed. The patriot arrives, seeks support from the local population in vain while the Bourbon army advances, and the story moves toward its tragic epilogue. Costumes, sets, lighting, and live music accompany a performance that changes its title and dramaturgical focus each year: in 2025, for instance, L'ultimo dubbio di Pisacane (Pisacane's Last Doubt), written and directed by Paolo Capozzo, was performed. It is the most anticipated moment, drawing thousands of people to the coastline.

More than just one night: conferences, awards, and memory

A multi-day program has developed around the re-enactment, curated by the Municipality in collaboration with the Carlo Pisacane Study and Documentation Center and the Pro Loco. The calendar features historical conferences, book presentations, guided walks through the landing sites, and musical evenings. One of the most prestigious appointments is the Carlo Pisacane International Award, presented to figures from the worlds of culture, academia, economics, and journalism, with a ceremony held on the Viale della Spigolatrice.

The Bivouac of the 300

Serving as a prelude to the re-enactment is Il Bivacco dei 300, a costumed festival held in the '300' locality, the symbolic site linked to the expedition. Food, music, and costumed characters anticipate the atmosphere of the big landing night, blending the convivial spirit of a Cilento festival with the memory of the Risorgimento.

Sapri and the Cilento around the event

Overlooking the Gulf of Policastro, at the extreme south of the province of Salerno and bordering Basilicata, Sapri is a seaside town that has built its identity around this very event: the statue of the Gleaner watches over the landing point, the obelisk in Largo dei Trecento commemorates the centenary, and the monument to Pisacane stands in the gardens of the Villa Comunale. Visitors arriving for the re-enactment find a city that is a living path of memory, nestled between the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park and some of the most beautiful beaches on the Campania coast.

Why it's worth the trip

Because it is a popular, living re-enactment rather than a museum piece: the participation of the local people is massive, the audience watches from the street and the sand, and the history is told with an emotional engagement that few events manage to achieve. Those visiting Cilento at the end of August will find theater, music, folklore, and an open-air Italian history lesson all in one night.