Velia Festival

An international festival at the foot of ancient Elea

The Velia Festival is an international classical music event held every summer in Casal Velino, in the province of Salerno, in the heart of the Cilento region. The name pays homage to Velia, the ancient Elea of the philosophers Parmenides and Zeno, whose archaeological site is just a few kilometers away. This connection is no coincidence, as the festival was created to link the cultural heritage of this coastline with European art music.

Promoted by the Italian Chamber Music Society with the collaboration of the Campania Region, the Municipality of Casal Velino, the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park, and the Alario Foundation for Elea-Velia, the festival has grown over twenty-five years to host over 500 concerts and attract more than 75,000 spectators.

Artistic direction by Maestro Marco Schiavo

For years, the programming has been curated by Maestro Marco Schiavo, who has built a repertoire that balances rigor with accessibility. Alongside classical symphonic and chamber music, the festival features jazz, Italian singer-songwriters, and the Neapolitan tradition, creating a journey designed for a wide audience, not just regular concert-goers.

Every year, the festival invites orchestras and chamber ensembles from across Italy and abroad. Past editions have featured international conductors, soloists, and ensembles, with a special focus on young instrumentalists from youth orchestras in Southern Italy.

Concert venues

The Velia Festival has no single hall; it uses the town and the sea as its stage. In Casal Velino, concerts are primarily held in two outdoor spaces:

• Piazza Morinelli, in the historic hilltop center, an intimate setting for quartets and chamber music evenings;
• The Tourist Port of Casal Velino Marina, which hosts large symphonic ensembles overlooking the gulf.

Over the seasons, the festival has also expanded to Ascea Marina, at the Alario Foundation, and other Cilento municipalities, creating a musical circuit spread along the coast.

A free program open to all

One of the most distinctive features of the Velia Festival is its free admission policy: no tickets, no mandatory reservations, and seating available on a first-come, first-served basis. This formula introduces classical music to those who do not usually attend concert halls, making the evenings a true community event for residents and vacationers alike.

Concerts generally begin at 9:00 PM, when the temperature cools and the squares fill up. It is not uncommon for the audience to watch the performance standing at the edges of the square or from the terraces overlooking the stage.

Casal Velino and Cilento in summer

Casal Velino is a town divided between the ancient village, perched on the hills a short distance from the sea, and the Marina district, one of the most popular on the Cilento coast, with its sandy beach and tourist port. The festival is part of the Estate Casalvelinese (Casal Velino Summer) program, which features food festivals, local traditions, theater, and gastronomy between June and September.

An evening at the Velia Festival is easily combined with a visit to the Velia Archaeological Park, the villages of Pioppi and Pollica—the home of the Mediterranean Diet—and the beaches of the Cilento National Park. Local cuisine, including alici di menaica (anchovies), white figs, and cacioricotta cheese, completes the experience.

Why it's worth attending

• International-level programming in a setting of great scenic beauty;
• Completely free admission to all concerts;
• Varied repertoire: symphonic, chamber, jazz, Neapolitan, and singer-songwriter;
• Outdoor evenings between the sea and the historic center;
• Perfectly integrated with a vacation in Cilento.