The Romantic Night in the Most Beautiful Villages of Italy in Summonte
The summer solstice in the Irpinian village of the Lombard tower, featuring live music, theatre, and the flavours of the Partenio
About Romantic Night Summonte
Three nights of love at the foot of the tower
Summonte, a small town in the province of Avellino overlooking the Irpinian basin, is one of the Campanian villages certified by the Most Beautiful Villages of Italy association. Every year, around the summer solstice, it takes part in the Romantic Night, a national event that simultaneously lights up around two hundred certified villages from North to South with over a thousand scattered initiatives. In Summonte, however, the event is not limited to a single evening: for several editions, the town has chosen a three-day format of music, culture, and gastronomy.
The result is a festival that fills the entire ancient core: the cobbled alleys, arches, stairways, and small squares become a single, sprawling stage, with soft lighting, decorations, and themed displays curated by residents and local businesses.
The Castle Complex, the heart of the event
The symbol of Summonte is the Castle Complex, with its famous medieval tower visible from the entire valley and considered one of the most beautiful in Irpinia. During the Romantic Night, the complex remains open in the evening—usually from late afternoon until late at night—with themed tours and panoramic views over the Partenio and the Avellino plain. It is the place where the event reaches its most characteristic atmosphere: climbing the tower while the notes of concerts drift up from the squares below is one of the most photographed experiences of the festival.
Music, theatre, and community
The programme alternates genres and styles, with a clear underlying choice: to prioritise local performers and popular shows. The evenings feature live concerts, folk and world music performances, DJ sets, classical violin moments, and theatrical performances in both dialect and Italian by Irpinian companies. These are joined by book presentations and cultural meetings, usually hosted in Piazza Alessio De Vito, the town's main square.
The most defining moment, however, is the community banquet: a collective outdoor lunch in the heart of the village, where each participant brings and shares a homemade dish. A simple ritual that perfectly captures the spirit of the initiative: not an event built for an audience, but a community opening its table to those arriving from outside.
The flavours of Irpinia
Food and wine accompany every evening. The food stalls set up along the route usually open in the early evening, offering products from the Irpinian mountains and the Partenio, one of the most renowned areas of inland Campania: a land of chestnuts and hazelnuts, mountain cheeses, cured meats, homemade pasta, and above all, great appellation wines—from Fiano di Avellino to Greco di Tufo and Taurasi. Tastings wind through the alleys, so that the path of taste coincides with a stroll through the historic centre.
Why it's worth the trip
- A compact, vertical village where you can explore on foot without excessive crowds;
- the medieval tower open at night, with views over the Avellino basin;
- three evenings instead of one, with different programmes each day;
- free admission to all areas and shows;
- the location, just minutes from the Sanctuary of Montevergine and the Partenio Regional Park, allowing you to combine the festival with a day of hiking.
A national event, an Irpinian soul
The Romantic Night was born as an initiative of the national Most Beautiful Villages of Italy association, dedicated to lovers and the beauty of smaller historic centres: on the same night, across the peninsula, certified villages organise candlelight dinners, concerts, collective toasts, and evening strolls. Summonte is one of the most successful interpretations in Campania: the organisation is entrusted to the Pro Loco Submontis with the support of the Municipality of Summonte, involving local associations, merchants, and volunteers.
Romantic Night Summonte — edition 2026
Three days in the heart of Irpinia
The 2026 edition of The Romantic Night in Summonte took place from Friday, June 19 to Sunday, June 21, 2026, confirming the long format chosen by the village: not just one night, but three evenings of music, culture, and gastronomy spread across the squares and alleys of the historic centre. The organisation was handled by the Pro Loco Submontis with the support of the Municipality of Summonte, as part of the national initiative promoted by the Most Beautiful Villages of Italy association.
Every evening, food stalls opened around 7:30 PM along the festival route, while the Castle Complex remained accessible from 5:30 PM to 11:00 PM with themed tours and panoramic views over the Partenio: the illuminated tower was, as always, the iconic image of the event.
The musical thread was entrusted to local groups and a recurring guest of the three evenings, the violinist Maestro Nunzio Tartaglia, accompanied by the group Terra Brasilis, the duo «A Bassa Voce», and the DJ set by Attilio. Alongside the music, the cultural component included a book presentation in Piazza Alessio De Vito and the theatrical closing on Sunday. Free admission to all initiatives.
Programme Romantic Night Summonte 2026
Friday, June 19, 2026
- 6:30 PM — Piazza Alessio De Vito: presentation of the book «Il mio calcio» by N. Spano;
- 7:30 PM — opening of food stalls in the village and start of live music with Terra Brasilis, the duo «A Bassa Voce», and violinist Maestro Nunzio Tartaglia.
Saturday, June 20, 2026
- 7:30 PM — opening of food stalls;
- musical evening with Terra Brasilis, DJ set by Attilio, and the violin of Maestro Nunzio Tartaglia, throughout the squares and alleys of the historic centre;
- tastings and romantic strolls in the illuminated village.
Sunday, June 21, 2026
- 12:00 PM — «C'è posto per te! Comunità in… tavolata»: grand social lunch in the heart of the village, with participants invited to bring and share their favourite dish;
- 7:30 PM — reopening of food stalls;
- 8:30 PM — theatrical performance «Il morto è vivo» by the Compagnia Teatrale Mela.
Every day
- From 5:30 PM to 11:00 PM — Castle Complex open to the public with themed tours and panoramic viewpoints;
- themed decorations, walking routes, and exhibition spaces scattered throughout the historic centre.
Programme reconstructed from communications by Pro Loco Submontis, the Sistema Irpinia portal of the Province of Avellino, and the local Irpinian press. Some times may have been subject to changes during the event.
Highlights Romantic Night Summonte 2026
- The community banquet «C'è posto per te!» on Sunday the 21st at noon, with dishes brought and shared by participants;
- the Castle Complex open every evening from 5:30 PM to 11:00 PM, with themed tours and views over the Partenio;
- the violin of Maestro Nunzio Tartaglia, a recurring presence over the three evenings;
- concerts by Terra Brasilis and the DJ set by Attilio on the busiest evening of Saturday;
- the play «Il morto è vivo» by the Compagnia Teatrale Mela;
- the presentation of the book «Il mio calcio» in Piazza Alessio De Vito;
- stalls with typical Irpinian products along the entire festival route.
Prices Romantic Night Summonte 2026
Practical information — Romantic Night Summonte
How to get there
Summonte is located in Irpinia, a few kilometres from Avellino, on the slopes of the Partenio Regional Park. By car, it can be reached via the A16 Naples-Canosa motorway, taking the Avellino Ovest exit and continuing towards Mercogliano, then uphill towards the village. There is no train station in the town: the reference point is Avellino station, connected by local bus lines. The nearest airport is Naples-Capodichino, about an hour's drive away.
Parking and access
The historic centre is on a slope and largely pedestrianised during the event: it is best to leave your car in the parking areas on the outskirts of the town and walk up. Comfortable shoes are recommended for the cobbled alleys and stairs leading to the Castle Complex, and a light jacket is advised because in the evening, at this altitude, the air cools down even in June.
Prices
Admission to the event and shows is free of charge. Only food and drinks at the stalls are paid. Evening tours of the Castle Complex are included in the event programme.
Where to stay
Summonte has a few small accommodation facilities (bed and breakfasts, farmhouses, and guest houses). For a wider choice, you can stay in Mercogliano, Ospedaletto d'Alpinolo, Monteforte Irpino, or Avellino, all a short drive away.
Contacts
Municipality of Summonte, Via Borgonuovo 45, 83010 Summonte (AV) — official website comune.summonte.av.it. Information on the event: Pro Loco Submontis, tel. +39 345 7949816. The detailed programme is released every year in the weeks leading up to the solstice on the channels of the Municipality, the Pro Loco, and the Sistema Irpinia portal of the Province of Avellino.
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Where does it take place — Romantic Night Summonte
Centro storico e Complesso Castellare
Via Borgonuovo 45, 83010 Summonte