Good to know
Good to Know
- Many of Cinque Terre's signature events are rooted in religious traditions and local gastronomy, particularly celebrating local products like anchovies and lemons.
- Summer (June–August) is the peak season for festivals and celebrations.
- The Illuminated Nativity Scene in Manarola is best viewed at night when all 17,000 light bulbs are illuminated and is visible from multiple vantage points in the village.
- Most major festivals occur in Monterosso al Mare, the largest of the five villages.
- Patronal festivals (celebrating local patron saints) take place across different villages throughout the year with processions, music, and fireworks.
- The Underwater Christmas in Vernazzo is a unique local tradition not found elsewhere in Italy.
Events
Lemon Festival (Sagra Del Limone)
- Month
- May
- Location
- Monterosso al Mare
- Specific Date
- Third Saturday of May
- Description
- Festival celebrating local lemons with competitions, stalls selling lemon-based products, tastings, music, guided tours, and scented walks among the lemon groves.
Corpus Domini (Corpus Christi)
- Month
- June
- Location
- Monterosso al Mare
- Specific Date
- Second Sunday after Pentecost
- Description
- Religious procession through the village streets with the traditional floral display (infiorata), a carpet of colorful flower petals decorating the streets.
Festival of Our Lady of Montenero
- Month
- June
- Location
- Riomaggiore
- Specific Date
- June 12
- Description
- Procession to the sanctuary honoring the local Madonna of Montenero.
Fried Anchovy Festival (Sagra dell'Acciuga Fritta)
- Month
- June
- Location
- Monterosso al Mare
- Specific Date
- Third Saturday of June
- Description
- Festival dedicated to the Monterosso anchovies, featuring fried anchovies prepared in a characteristic iron fish-shaped pan, served with local fried bread (sgabei) and Cinque Terre white wine.
Festival of San Giovanni (St. John the Baptist)
- Month
- June
- Location
- Monterosso al Mare
- Specific Date
- June 24
- Description
- Patronal festival featuring religious processions, music, fireworks, and the burning of the 'Battiston' (a rag puppet) in a traditional bonfire.
Festival of Saints Peter and Paul (Festa Di San Pietro E Paolo)
- Month
- June
- Location
- Corniglia
- Specific Date
- June 29
- Description
- Patronal festival with procession to the terrace of Santa Maria, featuring the traditional Fieschi cake, a large traditional cake offered to all festival participants.
Festival of Santa Margherita
- Month
- July
- Location
- Vernazzo
- Specific Date
- July 20
- Description
- Patronal festival with evening procession starting from the main square and finishing at the end of the village, followed by fireworks.
Patronal Festival of San Lorenzo (St. Lawrence)
- Month
- August
- Location
- Manarola
- Specific Date
- August 10
- Description
- Patronal festival with procession through the village streets and illumination of scenes on the hillside nativity scene.
Salted Anchovy Festival
- Month
- September
- Location
- Monterosso al Mare
- Specific Date
- September (date varies)
- Description
- Gastronomic festival celebrating the salted anchovy tradition with tastings at numerous food stalls throughout the village and collateral cultural events.
Illuminated Nativity Scene (Presepe Luminoso)
- Month
- December–January
- Viewing
- Free to view from the village
- Location
- Manarola
- Specific Date
- December 8 to mid-January
- Description
- A hillside nativity scene featuring over 300 handcrafted characters illuminated by approximately 17,000 light bulbs. Created since 1976 by Mario Andreoli using recycled materials. Different scenes illuminate on August 10 (San Lorenzo) and at Easter.
Underwater Christmas (Christmas Subaqueo)
- Month
- December
- Location
- Vernazzo
- Specific Date
- Christmas Eve/Day (exact timing varies)
- Description
- Unique tradition where the statue of Baby Jesus is brought to the surface by divers in a procession through the waters of Vernazzo's small gulf, followed by Christmas mass.
Easter Procession (Passione)
- Month
- March–April
- Location
- Manarola
- Specific Date
- Easter period
- Description
- Traditional procession to the hill of the Three Crosses with a luminous representation of the Passion of Christ.
Sciacchetrail Race
- Month
- March–April
- Location
- Monterosso al Mare (start/finish)
- Specific Date
- Between end of March and beginning of April
- Description
- A demanding 47 km loop trail race touching all five Cinque Terre villages, running along vineyard paths with steep ups and downs next to the terraces that produce the famous passito wine (sciacchetrà).
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this signature annual events research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
More About Cinque Terre
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.