Villaricca Bean Festival

The 'tondino' bean returns to the square

The Villaricca Bean Festival is the event that the Municipality of Villaricca, in the metropolitan city of Naples, dedicates to its signature legume: the 'tondino' bean. Small, white, and round, it has been grown for generations in the gardens of the Giugliano area. This is no ordinary festival; it is a successful effort to bring a product that risks disappearing back to the heart of city life, telling the story of this corner of Campania's agricultural identity.

Panicocoli, the land of bread and beans

Until 1871, Villaricca was known as Panicocoli, a name derived from medieval Latin referring to the art of baking bread; the town was famous for its ovens and its celebrated Panicocoli bread. From the mid-19th century, its fame extended to the beans grown in the small plots of land surrounding the town. This created the still-vibrant bond between the community and its 'tondino' bean, which for decades was the secret ingredient in Neapolitan pasta e fagioli.

What is the Villaricca 'tondino' bean?

• Appearance: Small, round, white seed.
• Nickname: 'Quarantino', due to its very short growth cycle of about forty days.
• Traditional cultivation: Climbing plants supported by canes stuck in the ground, with pods harvested while still unripe and left to mature in the sun before threshing.
• In the kitchen: It holds up well during cooking and remains firm, making it perfect for soups, stews, and pasta e fagioli.
• Recognition: Included among the Traditional Agri-food Products (PAT) of the Campania Region.

Today, cultivation has almost disappeared from the fields of Villaricca, and the 'tondino' is considered an endangered horticultural variety. This is why the festival has a value that goes beyond mere celebration, as it keeps the memory and demand for this now-rare product alive.

Show cooking and tastings in Piazza Majone

The heart of the event is the monumental area of the town center: Piazza Majone and the Palazzo Baronale host the stands, show cooking stations, and tastings. Chefs and volunteers offer the bean in traditional rural recipes—soups, stews, and pasta e fagioli—accompanied by other local products, from local bread to the Annurca apple. The evenings take place outdoors and generally start around 8:00 PM.

Part of the Festa dei Gigli celebrations

The Bean Festival is not an isolated event: it is part of the Festa dei Gigli calendar in Villaricca, which brings the historic center to life in September with the 'ballata del giglio' (dance of the lilies), processions, concerts, and shows. In 2025, the festivities took place from September 7th to 22nd with the support of the Metropolitan City of Naples, and the gastronomic evenings were interspersed with theater, music, and cultural appointments. For visitors, it is a double opportunity: to taste a rare product and witness one of the most heartfelt devotional traditions in the area north of Naples.

A festival with a battle to win

The 'tondino' has also moved the institutional needle: a bill has been proposed in the Campania Regional Council to protect the traditional products of the Giugliano area, including the Villaricca bean. Mayor Francesco Gaudieri has repeatedly emphasized how the festival serves to promote the town's historical and cultural traditions and to showcase the area's excellence. Over the years, the Municipality has also promoted demonstration plantings in the square to pass on the agricultural techniques that are the foundation of the dish to new generations.

Tips for your visit

• Villaricca is about 15 km from Naples and is easily reached by car via the Circumvallazione Esterna.
• The evenings are held outdoors in the town center: it is best to arrive early to find parking near Piazza Majone.
• The festival is family-friendly and pairs well with a walk through the historic center, between the Palazzo Baronale and the church of Santa Maria dell'Arco.
• Dates change from year to year as they depend on the Festa dei Gigli calendar: it is best to check the official Villaricca Municipality channels before traveling.