Category Archives: Festivals

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Marcialonga 2022

Marcialonga: the awaited event is back

Category:Events,Excursions,Featured,Festivals,Places Tags : 

On December 26, 2022, the 42nd edition of the Marcialonga will be held in Massa Lubrense.

The Marcialonga is an amateur free paced race through the streets of Massa Lubrense, discovering the most evocative corners of the area. It is an event organized by the parish community on the occasion of Christmas, which attracts hundreds of participants every year.

More then a competition, it is actually a pleasant walk through the hamlets and natural beauties of the place. For the residents, taking part in it is a way to spend cheerful time in company, in the spirit of the holidays.

The first edition was held on December 26, 1978, involving the entire town. From then on the Marcialonga became a real recurrence. In 2019, 2508 people of all ages took part in it, breaking all records. In 2020 and last year, due to the covid-19 pandemic, the event could not take place.

How to participate

Like every year, the event begins on St. Stephen day at 2 p.m. You can register on the same day from 9 a.m. until 10 minutes before the start at the stands in Piazza Vescovado (Vescovado Square), where the start is also scheduled. The rules of participation will be specified at the time of registration by handing over the regulations.

The route

Three refreshment points are included, two along the way and one at the end. It is possible to taste typical Christmas sweets, such as roccocò, panettone or fried zeppole prepared by the organizers, as well as the inevitable sausage sandwich.

From the square, the walk continues towards Via Roma, Via Rivo a Casa, via IV Novembre and via Nastro d’Oro, before reaching the crossroads for Santa Maria, the first refreshment point. The walk resumes along via Caselle, via Annunziata, arriving at the square of Santa Maria, where a second stop is planned. The longest part of the route then begins from via Padre Rocco, following the rotabile Massa Turro, deviating for via Mortella, crossing via Rachione, G. Marconi square and viale Filangieri. The event ends in Piazza Vescovado, where there will be one last refreshment, usually based on brioche and hot chocolate, served by the staff.

The first 100 drawn numbers will receive prizes offered by the local commercial activities. At the end of the walk, celebrations for young and old will continue.

As in the last edition, the event will be completely plastic free: respecting the environment only biodegradable disposable material will be used.

  • Marcialonga 2019
  • Marcialonga, i dolci natalizi, 2019
  • Marcialonga 2019
  • Marcialonga 2011
  • Marcialonga 2014, partenza
  • Marcialonga 2019
  • Marcialonga 2018

Every year many people work behind the scenes, with passion and dedication, to provide moments of joy and lightheartedness. Among the organizers there are those who make the desserts or other gastronomic delights, those who take care of setting up the stands or taking the registrations, but many more are the activities that make the event a success, which would be impossible without everyone’s cooperation!

Marcialonga on social media:


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Non-tourist activities in Massa Lubrense

Category:Culture,Events,Festivals,Places Tags : 

di Rosario Sisto

Siete per caso stanchi delle solite attività turistiche?

Quante volte è possibile ripetere le stesse attività in luoghi diversi prima che diventino monotone? Visitare musei, centri archeologici, chiese, andare a mangiare nei ristoranti della zona per provare la cucina locale e così via.

Ovviamente non c’è nulla di male con nessuna di queste attività, ma è naturale che si voglia provare qualcosa di diverso di tanto in tanto. Magari molti di voi saranno interessati a fare cose che solitamente non rientrano nel tipico itinerario turistico, ed è precisamente a voi che offriamo una serie di attività non turistiche che potrete godere qui a Massa Lubrense!

Da vari tipi di attività sportive a esperienze agricole ravvicinate, scoprirete che qui da noi c’è sempre qualcosa capace di catturare il vostro interesse!

Attività non turistiche per il corpo e la mente

Qui a Massa Lubrense potrete trovare numerose occasioni per cimentarvi in vari tipi di sport, di cui alcuni sono mirati a giovare al corpo, altri allo spirito.

Ecco a voi alcune attività che vi consigliamo in particolar modo:

  • Yoga: Lo Yoga ha origini antichissime risalenti a migliaia di anni fa in India e si trova a metà strada tra una pura attività fisica e una vera e propria filosofia. Si tratta di un insieme di attività che non solo giovano alla salute fisica ma che mirano anche al raggiungimento di un miglior stato spirituale. Sin dall’antichità molti individui ritengono che sia possibile raggiungere un livello di illuminazione e salvezza spirituale tramite queste pratiche. Esistono vari tipi di Yoga, ognuno con le proprie caratteristiche, come ad esempio lo Sri Sri Yoga.
  • Pilates: Un metodo di allenamento fisico, ideato da Joseph Pilates agli inizi del 900, che prende vari spunti dallo Yoga. Pilates mira ad allenare i muscoli in maniera precisa, così da migliorare la propria postura, nonché la fluidità e precisione dei movimenti, senza aumentare la massa muscolare in modo eccessivo.
  • Canoa: Qui a Massa Lubrense vi sarà possibile partecipare a delle visite guidate in canoa lungo le acque che bagnano il territorio. Se siete interessati ad esercitare il vostro fisico e ammirare le bellezze delle nostre coste allo stesso tempo vi invitiamo a non lasciarvi sfuggire l’occasione!

Ci sono ancora altri tipi di attività sportive che potrete praticare qui da noi. Spesso organizziamo eventi che vi permetteranno di praticarle guidati da esperti, per questo vi consigliamo di tener sempre d’occhio il nostro calendario.

Esperienze religiose uniche

attività non turistiche

Se siete interessati a conoscere la vita religiosa qui a Massa Lubrense allora vi invitiamo ad assistere alle processioni del Venerdì Santo che avvengono ogni anno.

Si tratta di due processioni eseguite da due organizzazioni:

  • La processione del Cristo morto, eseguita dall’Arciconfraternita della Morte, volta a rappresentare la passione e morte di Cristo. L’Arciconfraternita nacque nel 1613 con il fine di voler garantire una degna sepoltura a tutti coloro che non potessero permettersela a causa della loro povertà.
  • Una processione organizzata dalla Confraternita di San Filippo Neri, anch’essa rappresentante la morte di Cristo. La Confraternita fu ufficialmente fondata nel 1575 da Filippo Neri ed è dedita all’utilizzo dell’istruzione e della predicazione per la santificazione delle anime.

Intrattenimento per bambini a Massa Lubrense

Se avete con voi dei bambini e volete che anche loro trovino attività divertenti tutte per loro a cui partecipare allora non temete! Qui a Massa Lubrense troverete vari parchi giochi dove i vostri bambini potranno divertirsi immersi nella natura!

A Sant’Agata sui Due Golfi, una delle nostre frazioni, troverete un parco di recente apertura situato lungo via Reola, aperto dal Lunedì al Venerdì, dalle 9:00 alle 13:00 e dalle 15:00 alle 18:00, e il Sabato e la Domenica dalle 9:00 alle 18:00, sia agli adulti che ai bambini, dove i primi potranno rilassarsi a contatto con la natura mentre gli ultimi si divertono.

Di recente riapertura è il Parco delle Sirene, che adesso presenta una nuova area giochi per i bambini con tanto di nuove misure di sicurezza. Inoltre è stata migliorata l’accessibilità ai disabili per tutte le aree del parco. Il parco è situato a Massa Centro, lungo via Rotabile Massa Turro.

Immergersi nella produzione agricola

attività non turistiche

Se avete mai desiderato osservare con i vostri occhi come avviene la produzione agricola e la raccolta delle olive, qui a Massa Lubrense potrete averne l’occasione!

Abbiamo molte aziende agricole nel territorio che si occupano della produzione di una miriade di prodotti diversi. Molte di esse tendono a produrre olio tramite la coltivazione di olive.

Generalmente la raccolta delle olive avviene tra i mesi di Ottobre e Dicembre, ed è proprio intorno a questo periodo che ogni anno viene organizzata una “camminata tra gli olivi” da parte dell’Associazione Nazionale Città dell’Olio, che comprende centinaia di città in tutta Italia. Tra queste città è spesso inclusa Massa Lubrense, pertanto vi invitiamo a prenderne parte nell’occasione se desiderate vivere un’esperienza unica a stretto contatto con la realtà agricola locale!

Attività non turistiche per un’esperienza diversa

Ci sono ovviamente molte altre attività non turistiche che potrete provare qui a Massa Lubrense, in quest’articolo vi abbiamo indicato solo alcuni di quelle che, secondo noi, potreste apprezzare di più.

Se quindi desiderate passare un’esperienza turistica un po’ diversa dal solito vi invitiamo calorosamente a visitarci il prima possibile. Vi assicuriamo che la vostra permanenza qui da noi sarà indimenticabile!


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Ready for the Lemon Festival 2022

Category:Blog,Events,Excursions,Festivals,Food Tags : 

Walkings, tastings and shows to celebrate one of the symbols of local gastronomy.

In Massa Lubrense we are preparing to host the lemon festival “Limoni in festa”, two days of good cuisine and traditions promoted by the association Pro Loco Massa Lubrense with the patronage and the city’s contribution: the appointment is for Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th of July, in Largo Vescovado. Now in its 46th edition, the event returns after two years of stop imposed by the pandemic.

Limoni in Festa 2022

The traditional “agropasseggiata” will open the program, on July 9 at 9 am. It is a walk on paths and alleys of the old town, among olive and lemon groves. In the evening, at 6:30 pm, the town center will come alive with the opening of the stands of crafts and typical products and the lemon tasting itinerary.

There will be shows: on Saturday at 9 pm the actor Gino Rivieccio will propose to the public his show ‘Da cosa nasce cosa’, while on Sunday at 9 pm the musical group ‘La Maschera’ will perform in the concert  ‘Sotto chi tene core’. “We couldn’t wait to organize our festival again – observes Anna Teresa Pappalardo, president of Pro Loco Massa Lubrense – I thank all those working for its realization with renewed enthusiasm, waiting to be all together in the square”. 

“The festival returns after two years of stop – emphasizes Antonino Esposito, managing director Agriculture of Massa Lubrense – with the aim of enhancing an extraordinary product such as the lemon of Massa Lubrense, the ‘femminiello’: oval, with a juicy straw-yellow pulp, a concentrate of vitamin C and mineral salts, with a skin rich in essential oils.”

The lemon festival is part of the frame of ‘Omaggio alla bellezza’, the cycle of summer events promoted by the city administration of Massa Lubrense: “With this review – concludes Giovanna Staiano, Councillor for Tourism Massa Lubrense – we have given rise to several initiatives for tourists and residents, which lead to the discovery and enhancement of our extraordinary land.”

For more information: Limoni in Festa 2022 – Massa Lubrense (massalubrenseturismo.it)


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Sagra del Limone Massa Lubrense - 2018 limoncello

Festivals: an opportunity to get to know the area

Category:Blog,Featured,Festivals Tags : 

written by Claudia Fontana

Festivals are popular local celebrations that generally arise from a religious festivity, often to commemorate a saint. They are generally animated by music, fun activities and excellent cuisine. In Massa Lubrense there are several festivals throughout the year: here you can taste the best products of our land.

Zucchini Festival

It takes place on the second Sunday of July in the village of Acquara to celebrate the patron saint St. Vito. The day of St. Vito is actually celebrated on June 15th, but it is customary to carry out the festival in July. The most important moment is certainly the procession that passes through the whole village. Among the delicious foods that you can eat, there are many zucchini-based dishes such as the famous parmigiana and spaghetti alla Nerano.

Lemon Festival

Among the most famous festivals in the area there is certainly the lemon festival. It is held in July and is dedicated to one of the typical products of our land: lemon. You can taste various dishes and lemon-based specialties such as sorbet and risotto and you can also try the famous limoncello.

Snail Festival

Also very famous is the snail festival held on June 29th in Monticchio. The festival takes place on the occasion of the feast of St. Peter. There is, at first, a long procession followed by the Massa Lubrense music band. Then during the festival, in addition to pleasant musical performances and various activities for the youngest, you can taste the delicious snails.

Potato Festival

It takes place in the village of Termini to celebrate San Costanzo. It is held in July and usually lasts for a weekend. The main product is the potato, which is the basis of all dishes, from the starter to the dessert. Among the specialties are croquette, potato ravioli and Neapolitan staples.

Tomato festival

It takes place on the first Sunday of August in the village of Torca to celebrate the patron saint, St. Anna. As for the zucchini festival, also in this case the feast of the saint is actually on a different day, that is, July 26th. The tomato can be tasted in many traditional and non-traditional recipes, all accompanied by music and fun.

Fiordilatte Festival

On the occasion of the patronal feast of St. Salvatore, on August 6th, the Fiordilatte Festival is held in the village of Schiazzano. Fiordilatte is one of the typical cheeses of Massa Lubrense but you can also taste the famous provolone del monaco and a great variety of local dairy products.

Eggplant Festival

The festival is held on August 15th in the village of Marina della Lobra to celebrate the feast of the Madonna dell’Assunta. For the religious anniversary, a procession takes place by sea to the rock of Vervece. Afterwards, in the evening, you can enjoy various eggplant-based dishes, including the famous chocolate eggplants.


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Typical Easter dishes in Massa Lubrense

Category:Blog,Festivals Tags : 

written by Eleonora Aiello

Massa Lubrense is known not only for its cultural, historical and landscape resources, but also for its gastronomy. In particular, given the imminent arrival of Easter, we will go and see which are the main dishes of the Easter tradition in this area.

Salty “casatiello”

Casatiello, a name that derives from the Latin caseus (= cheese), is one of the savory dishes par excellence of the Easter holidays. Inside we can find a mix of cheeses, lard, cracklings and various cold cuts. All then garnished with unshelled hard-boiled eggs that are woven into the dough as a decoration.

Casatiello guarnito con cubetti di salame, prosciutto, mozzarella e uova sode.

Sweet “casatiello”

It is a recipe that is handed down from family to family, each with its own secrets and procedures.
Compared to the salty casatiello it has a much longer and more elaborate preparation. It has a leavening process that can last for days, thanks to the use of “criscito” which in the Neapolitan dialect is nothing more than the mother yeast, which allows it to be stored for many days without losing its soft consistency.

Pastiera

It is one of the oldest Easter desserts on the peninsula. Its origins date back to pagan cults, prepared to celebrate the arrival of spring. It is a shortcrust pastry pie with a filling made of ricotta, boiled wheat, eggs, spices and candied fruit. The pastry of the pastiera is crunchy, in contrast to its soft gold-colored filling which has a flavor and scent that vary according to the aromas used. The classic version involves the use of cinnamon and orange blossom water, but this does not prevent you from trying different aromas.

Roasted artichokes

They have always been considered the classic side dish of the Easter lunch. To prepare roasted artichokes, you need large, hairless, thornless artichokes with a long, straight stem. They are flavored with oil, garlic and parsley, and then cooked directly on the coals.

Carciofi arrostiti Piatti Pasqua

The handmade Easter egg

The choice of the Easter egg as a symbol of this holiday is linked to the fact that the egg is seen as a symbol of life. All the children are anxiously awaiting the arrival of this day in order to finally be able to break the chocolate eggs and unwrap the surprise. The eggs have been made to celebrate Easter since 1850 and are used only in Italy or in countries where there are large Italian communities.

Today, the Massa Lubrense pastry shops prepare artisan chocolate eggs of all sizes and for all tastes. A gift appreciated not only by children!

Handmade Easter dove cake

It was Dino Villani, advertising director of the Milanese company Motta, who, in the 1930s, invented a dessert similar to panettone, but intended for the Easter holidays. Since then, the Easter dove cake has spread to the tables of all Italians, and even far beyond the borders of Italy. The original dough, based on flour, butter, eggs, sugar and candied orange peel, with a rich almond glaze, has subsequently taken on different shapes and variations.

Piatti del menù di Pasqua

Easter menu with traditional dishes

For those who have no idea what to cook for Easter Sunday lunch, here is a menu to take inspiration from.

  • Appetizer: casatiello, various cold cuts, cheeses and vegetables;
  • First courses: lasagna or baked pasta;
  • Second courses: lamb in the oven or mixed grilled meats with potatoes or vegetables;
  • Desserts: pastiera and chocolate eggs.

These are the typical dishes of an Easter lunch in Massa Lubrense, but nothing prevents you from being able to create a personalized menu based on your preferences.

Buon appetito!


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Products of Massa Lubrense

The typical products of Massa Lubrense

Category:Blog,Featured,Festivals,Food Tags : 

by Claudia Fontana

The mild climate and the fertility of the lands of Massa Lubrense make this place rich and unique for the products that are produced. Since ancient times, in the area, very tasty fruits, cereals but above all oil and wine have been cultivated. The latter, according to the historian Cesare Capaccio, who lived between the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries in the Kingdom of Naples, as well as being of excellent quality, it was “light and useful to the sick”. Nowadays the salad tomatoes, oil, cheeses, apples and lemons of Massa are very popular among citizens and visitors.

The tomato of Massa Lubrense has an intense red color and perfectly matches with the fiordilatte. Seasoned with extra virgin olive oil and a fresh basil leaf, it forms the famous Caprese, a delight for the most refined palates. Its cultivation dates back to the early twentieth century when, bringing the lemons to America, the sailors of the area imported the seeds.

The extra virgin olive oil, another one among the native products, comes from the olives of the wonderful olive groves sloping down to the sea. Its cultivation dates back to ancient times, and pilgrims, who brought the oil as a gift to the goddess Minerva in a sanctuary in Massa dedicated to her, believed that she was the inventor of olives and oil. Its color is yellow, tending to green, fluid, balanced and sweet, not very acidic.

The fiordilatte and the provolone del monaco are the specialties of the many dairies in the area. The latter has been produced since 1700 and is obtained with a more cooked curd than caciocavallo. Maturation is slow and does not require the addition of preservatives or enzymes. From Vico Equense to Massa Lubrense, many factories that produce provolone del monaco have formed a protection consortium bringing this product to national and international attention.

Another one among the products of this land is the famous limoncella apple. Of ancient origin, this type of apple is mainly linked to the village of Sant’Agata sui due golfi. The apple is named in this way because of its tart aroma, which is reminiscent of citrus fruits. It is also often used in the preparation of jams and pies.

But it is the prince of citrus fruits, the lemon, that is the most famous product of Massa Lubrense: it has a yellow pulp and is rich in essential oils and vitamin C. In the famous Lemon festival, held every year in the summer months in the center of Massa, the lemon is used in a thousand ways, from appetizers to desserts, on pizza and with cheeses. The abundant juice and the thin perfumed peel make it an ideal product for granita and the famous limoncello.


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Pasqua

Easter traditions in Massa Lubrense

Category:Blog,Culture,Festivals Tags : 

written by Eleonora Aiello

Among the various religious traditions rooted in the culture of Massa Lubrense, there are certainly some very peculiar ones that make it unique. And it is precisely the case of the traditions of the Easter period. In this article, we will analyze the habits and rituals that most represent this area during Holy Week.

Lent

Lent (in Italian “Quaresima”) represents for Catholics a period of penance and fasting in preparation for Easter. This phase of abstinence, in the Roman rite, runs from Ash Wednesday until sunset on Holy Thursday.

Quarantana bambola di Quaresima
“Quarantana”, the doll of Lent

In the Sorrento peninsula there is an ancient custom of preparing “la vecchia” (= “the old woman”), a small doll in black clothes that, in the popular imagination, personifies “Quarantana”, a thin and skimpy old woman. Dressed in a long skirt, black handkerchief on the head, distaff, and spindle in hand, the doll is hung outside the houses. Under her skirt, she has an onion, or a potato, skewered with seven chicken feathers that act as a ritual calendar: one feather is removed every Sunday, while the last one is removed at noon on Holy Saturday.

The palm Sunday

As a first appointment, we must mention that of Palm Sunday, the day in which we remember the triumphal entry into Jerusalem of Jesus, riding a donkey and acclaimed by the crowd who greeted him As a first appointment we must mention that of Palm Sunday, the day in which we remember the triumphal entry into Jerusalem of Jesus, riding a donkey and acclaimed by the crowd who greeted him waving palm branches.

In the territory of Massa Lubrense, the palms are often replaced by olive branches, blessed in a ceremony that takes place in the church, which each faithful will decorate and embellish. Traditionally, these olive branches are adorned with the addition of small caciocavalli, locally produced cheeses, small salamis, and colored sugared almonds.

Palm branches with intertwined leaves are also used. The weaving work must be done a few days before the blessing because the palm leaves dry quickly, thin, and spoil easily. Before proceeding with the weaving, each leaf must be clean or freed from the woody part that covers it, and the leaves that are too pungent must be removed.

Domenica delle palme
Palm with olive branch

The foot-washing ceremony

But the religious rites that most distinguish this area are, without any doubt, those of Holy Thursday and Good Friday. The first recalls the institution of the Eucharist during the Last Supper where Jesus washed the feet of the Twelve Apostles. To commemorate this event, the ceremony of the foot-washing is celebrated during the Mass in Coena Domini, where the priest washes the feet of twelve people representing the twelve apostles. Furthermore, from Thursday evening the church bells will remain “tied”, that is, mute.

The processions

During Holy Week, processions of hooded people walk the streets of the town symbolically representing the passion and death of Jesus. They are distinguished from each other by the color of the garments, the times of exit and the choirs that accompany them. Two processions are held in Massa Lubrense: one starts from Torca, the other from Massa center.

All the itineraries of the processions can be found on the website processioni.com. In addition to Massa Lubrense, the processions also take place in the municipalities of Sorrento, Sant’Agnello, Piano, and Meta. 

Black procession on Good Friday

Easter and Easter Monday

Easter Sunday is announced by the sacred and solemn ringing of the bells which, finally, can be dissolved to ring in “glory”.

The following Easter Monday is called “Pasquetta”: on this day, even if there is often bad weather, families and friends use to have a nice outing with a picnic in nature.


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Massa Lubrense Expo… ne

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“Massa Lubrense Expo… ne” is the local handicraft and agriculture fair held in Sant’Agata sui due golfi (Massa Lubrense) from 17 to 19 December 2021

A charming traditional market lined with wooden chalets, beautifully decorated and filled with unique gifts, handicrafts, local produce and tantalizing culinary delights.

The atmosphere is enlivened by street performers and traveling music. At lunch and dinner it is possible to taste the dishes prepared by the local restaurants association.

In one of the chalets, Santa Claus is waiting for all the children who want to personally deliver their letter to him.

Opening time:

Friday 17 from 18:00 to 21:00

Saturday 18 from 10:00 to 21:00

Sunday 19th from 10:00 to 21:00

Place of the fair:

Via Doppio Corso, Sant’Agata sui due golfi


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Carnival of Termini 2020

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The 2020 carnival of Termini (Massa Lubrense): times, dates, parade program and all useful information.

The Cultural Association Termini non solo Carnevale has organized for this year a Carnival full of music, colors and joy.

The Carnival in Termini kicks off on Sunday 23 February and until Sunday 1 March Termini will be invaded by the colors of the Carnival masks and parades of allegorical floats for what is one of the most characteristic carnivals of the Sorrento Peninsula.

The full program of the Carnival in Termini 2020 is on the poster.


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Limoni in Festa 2018 – Massa Lubrense Lemon Festival

Category:Blog,Events,Excursions,Featured,Festivals,Pro Loco Tags : 

Limoni in festa 2018 – Massa Lubrense Lemon Festival

The highlight event of the summer of Massa Lubrense. An excellent opportunity to taste many delicacies of the cuisine of Massa Lubrense based on the typical citrus that gives the name to the festival: our oval lemon called “femminiello”.

A series of events taking place in the city center, following the flavors of dishes with lemon scent, the sounds of popular music, the rediscovery of the oldest buildings, the streets, the typical corners.

Program

Friday, 13 July 2018
6.30am – 11.00pm Market with typical products and local crafts
8.30pm Concert “Divenendo Live” by Marco Mariconda and Le Sequenze

Saturday 14 July 2018
10.30am – 11.00pm Market with typical products and local craftsmanship
5.00pm Guided walking Massa center – Annunziata – Marina Lobra
7.00pm – 11.00pm Gastronomic itinerary based on lemons
9.00 pm Concert Mujeres Creando – Special Guest: Enzo Gragnaniello with Piero Gallo

Sunday 15 July 2018
10.30am – 11.00pm Market with typical products and local craftsmanship
7.00pm – 11.00pm Gastronomic itinerary based on lemons
9.00 pm “Parco Sofia Tour” concert of La Maschera

Location

Largo Vescovado, 80061 Massa Lubrense, Naples, Italy