The Sundays of Oil

November in Cerreto Sannita smells of new oil

When the oil mills of the Titerno Valley begin their work, the historic center of Cerreto Sannita, in the province of Benevento, transforms into a sprawling showcase for extra virgin olive oil. The Sundays of Oil fill the Sundays of November with a program that weaves together agriculture, craftsmanship, and cultural tours. It is the event through which the Municipality of Cerreto Sannita, together with the Pro Loco Cominium and the Società Operaia di Mutuo Soccorso, celebrates the iconic product of its hills. Not a massive spectacle, but a local gathering made of tastings, meetings, and strolls, which over the years has become a key autumn reference point for the inland Campania region.

Live pressing in the square, the heart of the event

The hub is Piazza San Martino, the elegant urban space overlooked by the mother church. This is where the live pressing demonstration is set up: visitors can watch the transformation from olives to oil in real-time and taste the extra virgin oil fresh from the press, in the simplest and most effective way—on a slice of bread. Around the square, stalls offer tastings, food, and displays of oil and typical Sannio products: cheeses, cured meats, preserves, bread, and traditional peasant sweets. Recent editions have also featured thematic experiences led by industry experts, designed to teach visitors how to recognize the qualities and flaws of high-quality oil.

Open mills and guided tours

The event's format extends beyond the square: on opening days, guided tours of local oil mills are scheduled, sometimes reached by a free shuttle from the town center, to see the processing lines in full swing during the peak harvest season. These production tours are complemented by itineraries through the historic center, featuring extraordinary openings of churches and sites usually closed to the public, as well as walks to discover the majolica-decorated votive shrines that mark the town's corners. Reservations are typically collected at the information point set up in Piazza San Martino.

Oil and ceramics: the dual identity of Cerreto

Cerreto Sannita is not just a town of olive trees. Rebuilt from scratch after the devastating 1688 earthquake according to a regular urban plan, the village is famous throughout Italy for Cerreto ceramics, a craft tradition still alive in the workshops along the main street. During The Sundays of Oil, the civic museum dedicated to ceramics and the masters' workshops become an integral part of the visitor experience: oil thus becomes the key to discovering a heritage that unites agriculture, applied art, and local history. It is this combination—tasting plus cultural tour—that makes the event different from a simple gastronomic festival.

Cerreto Sannita, City of Oil

The town is a member of the National Association of Oil Cities, the network of Italian municipalities with an olive-growing vocation, and falls within the production area of the Campania PGI Olive Oil. In the last weekend of October, Cerreto Sannita also participates in the Walk Among the Olive Trees, the national initiative that opens olive groves to excursions and tastings: a natural appetizer for the Sundays of November, with which the event shares both its audience and its spirit.

What to expect during your visit

• Live pressing in the square and tasting of new oil straight from the mill.
• Food and wine stalls with tastings, dining options, and sales of extra virgin oil and typical local products.
• Guided tours of local oil mills, often free upon reservation.
• Itineraries in the historic center: churches, crypts, votive shrines, and ceramic workshops.
• Musical entertainment and street performers on the busiest days.
• Activities for families and children, workshops, and educational meetings about olive oil.

Why it's worth the trip

The Sundays of Oil are the perfect occasion for an autumn trip in the Sannio: the landscape of olive groves above the Titerno Valley, the compact and walkable historic center, affordable prices, and hospitality managed directly by local associations. Those arriving in the morning can combine the pressing demonstration, a lunch at the stalls, and an afternoon visit among ceramics and churches, returning in the evening towards Benevento, Caserta, or Naples. For oil enthusiasts, it is also a direct way to purchase the year's extra virgin oil while speaking with those who produce it.