Picture it: you’re in a romantic Italian village, set along a rocky coast, with a rainbow of pastel buildings, and walking trails that overlook the sea. It’s time for the sagra del pesce, or annual fish festival.
This is a town on par with the postcard-perfect towns of Cinque Terre, but without the crowds of tourists swinging selfie sticks around or clambering about with trekking poles.
Oh, and did we mention they’re known for freshly-caught seafood served up by local fishermen? We know, we should all go immediately!
The spot we’re talking about is the sleepy Italian fishing town of Camogli, located along the coast south of Genoa in the region of Liguria. Since 1952, the town of Camogli has hosted a weekend-long festival dedicated, fittingly, to fish. Or more specifically, fried fish.
Every May, the picturesque fishing village of Camogli comes alive with the Sagra del Pesce. This is one of Italy’s most iconic seafood festivals, which is in honor of San Fortunato. Held on the second Sunday of the month, this celebration transforms the town’s harbor into a bustling open-air kitchen, where locals and visitors gather to enjoy freshly fried fish served from a giant pan in the main square.
Your Game Plan For The Sagra del Pesce
With its coastal charm, festive atmosphere, and delicious eats, the Sagra del Pesce is a true celebration of Ligurian maritime tradition and a must-do for food lovers exploring the Italian Riviera.
But, if you’re thinking about approaching Italian food festivals like you’d approach festivals in the States — arriving early in an attempt to be the first in line so you don’t miss anything – get after it, but know you’ll likely be one of the first to arrive.
On our trip to the Sagra del Pesce, we arrived uber early, and, aside from a handful of locals on a morning swim and the volunteers setting up for the festivities, the town was practically empty.
Arriving early still has its perks, though, because you can pre-game by noshing on a few local bites. First stop at a café, sip a cappuccino, and then order a pastry to porta via (as in to-go) and enjoy it on the beach as the town wakes up.
After soaking up the morning sun, head on over to a classic Ligurian focacceria (Revello is a good bet) to grab a mid-morning snack of the famous Focaccia di Recco — aka Italian flatbread stuffed with stracchino cheese that hails from the town of Recco just down the road.
Once you’re focaccia-d out, head over to the festival’s home base, Piazza Cristoforo Colombo. The main stage will be set up with easily one of the largest frying pans you’ll ever see: as in, 28 tons, 4 meters in diameter, and with a capacity of 3,000(!) liters of oil. Then, around 9:30 a.m., the welcoming ceremony begins.
As soon as it’s finished, the lines start forming. Take that as your cue to find the ticket booth: the ticket gets you entry into the festival, a souvenir plate, and most importantly, a basket of fried fish—more specifically, acchiuge, or anchovies!
The Food Festival With A Purpose
We’re particularly into this festival because it supports a great cause. Proceeds from the festival are donated to the Camogli Fishermen’s Cooperative, which supports the Slow Food practice of tonnarella fishing.
This centuries-old style of fishing is a simpler and smaller version of the tonnara fishing system, wherein a few chambers come together with a net known as the pedale.
The Camogli tonnarella is one of the few still active in Italy, the only one still in operation in Liguria. It’s a highly sustainable form of fishing that has been in place in Camogli for the last hundred years and managed directly by the fishermen of nearby Punta Chiappa.
In 2017, the tonnarella system was severely damaged, not only cutting the fishing season short but also being detrimental to the fishermen and, in turn, the town’s economy. Suffice it to say the proceeds from the festival have a real and immediate impact on the town, and that’s something we can get behind.
A Lesson In How To Eat A Whole Fish
But back to the festival itself: after you’ve purchased your ticket, head back to the piazza, which will likely be filling up with visitors from around the country. The line for the fish weaves in and out of barriers, continuing along the beach where people anxiously await their lunch of fried fish.
Surrounding the piazza, clusters of people will be sipping espresso or sharing a bottle of wine, while journalists strike up conversations with those waiting in line. Thankfully the line moves quickly so even if you jump in line later than expected (hey, we couldn’t say no to a glass of wine overlooking the sea!) you’ll likely get through it in an hour.
After grabbing your fish, your next decision is where to eat. Most festival-goers head to the beach and eat with their toes in the sand. For a less crowded option, head to the stony boardwalk known as Via al Molo, which is the perfect spot to watch boats enter the port while still enjoying a view of the lively city.
If you’re not a regular fried fish eater, don’t be deterred when staring down at your basket of fish, even though you have no utensils, and the scales and fins are still intact. Do like the locals and pick up the whole fish, then bite into it and eat it whole, aside from the head, tail fin, and spiny backbone.
Once you’ve finished your fish festivities, be sure to stay around and make a day of it in the area. For something more relaxing, you can stay put in Camogli and spend the day soaking up the sun on the beach, snacking on focaccia and gelato, or getting an aperitivo at a local restaurant.
However, if you’re looking for more of an adventure, you can walk down the coast towards the train station, where you’ll find the entrance of the hiking trail to San Fruttuoso — a hidden gem only accessible by foot and boat! From here, you can continue hiking or take a boat taxi to Portofino and/or Santa Margherita Ligure!
While there are many festivals in the Liguria region centered around food (and even more throughout the whole country!), The fish festival is by far the most popular in this region. It truly showcases the Italian way of life of creating a community focused on food and supporting the fishermen who allow this coastal town to thrive.
How To Get To Camogli
The closest big city to Camogli is Genoa, from which you can take a train or drive. Keep in mind that parking is incredibly limited in Camogli, so it is recommended to arrive via train or by boat, from Genoa or other cities along the Ligurian Riviera (like, say, Santa Margherita Ligure, Portofino, or San Fruttuoso).
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Liguria Foods To Know
To get a deeper taste of Ligurian cuisine beyond the festival, check out our guide to classic Liguria foods, where we dive into regional staples like farinata (a crispy chickpea pancake), focaccia in all its forms, and pesto Genovese, the region’s most famous culinary export. These dishes are the foundation of Ligurian food culture, and they taste even better when enjoyed with a view of the Mediterranean.
Classic Ligurian Recipes
Looking for some classic Italian recipes? Here are a few of our readers’ favorites from the region of Liguria!
Liguria Travel Guide
Are you considering traveling to Genoa and the Liguria region in real life? Check out our free Liguria Travel Guide for our best travel tips, recipes, and articles.
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