Activities
The first 15 days of August are the heart of summer in Italy. It means more people everywhere, but also every little village coming alive with its own calendar of events, festivals, music, lights, and celebrations.
More information on each activity
• Sagra u’ Pastizz r’tunnar - 5th of August, Rotondella
Rotondella is a small hilltop village nearby, and once a year it celebrates its traditional pastizz, a crescent-shaped baked calzone filled with meat, eggs, cheese, herbs, and spices and cooked in a wood-fired oven. The festival unfolds through the streets at night, with tastings, music, and the chance to wander through the village.
• Serenade, Serenade, dinner together*,
wine & music festival in Nova Siri! - August 7th
The serenade will start officially at Paola’s place at 6:30 pm, we suggest people to start gathering from 6 pm if they wish for a coffee or a spritz. There is a bar within walking distance called Garden next to Paola’s place. The serenade will last until 7.30 pm. For dinner, we soft-booked a restaurant next door at 8:00 pm with a fixed menu for 20 euros including mussels, mixed fried seafood, pizza, and beverages to share.
Of course you are free to organise as you wish; it’s a busy day in Nova Siri, and for very big groups it is hard to be spontaneous unless you want to just snack on something (like a panzerotto at the 2 scugnizzi). In the evening by the seaside in Nova Siri, there will be a wine and music festival. There are plenty of ways to try out wines, typical food, or just get a typical granita on the beach. We’ll head there after dinner.
• Late beach day and yoga at Nova Siri
and white night in Rocca Imperiale - August 9th
- We will take the day after the wedding slow, saying goodbyes to some of our guests, chilling on the beach and offering to everyone a yoga class on the beach. We will be sharing locations of this closer to the wedding on the whatsapp community.
-In the evening, head to the white night along the seafront of Rocca Imperiale Marina, with live music, entertainment and stalls serving typical local food late into the night. If you have time, it's also worth visiting nearby Rocca Imperiale Paese, one of Italy's most beautiful medieval villages, famous for its castle overlooking the Ionian coast and for its fragrant IGP lemons, considered among the finest in Italy.
• Notte di San Lorenzo - 10 August, Nova Siri
Known as the night of shooting stars, linked to the Perseids meteor shower. Along the coast, people often stay on the beach until late or even until sunrise, watching the sky and making wishes when a star passes.
• Peperone Crusco celebrations - August 11th, Senise
In Senise, a nearby village known for its IGP peppers, August often brings small festivals dedicated to the peperone crusco. These peppers are dried and quickly fried until they become crisp. They’re eaten on their own as a snack or crushed over pasta and other dishes to add flavor and crunch — simple, but very typical of the region.
• Open air theater, A bollita 1956 - August 12th, Old town Nova Siri
Experience the narrow streets of Nova Siri's medieval village through an immersive open-air theatre performance inspired by the town's Renaissance history. The play follows the story of Diego Sandoval de Castro, the Baron of Bollita, and his connection to Isabella di Morra, one of Italy's most celebrated Renaissance poets, whose tragic fate has become part of the region's history.
• Sunrise Party in the Calanchi - August 12th, from 10:00 pm until sunrise, Pisticci
Dance through the night in one of Basilicata's most spectacular natural landscapes. The Calanchi are dramatic white clay formations shaped over thousands of years by wind and rain, creating an almost lunar scenery unique to southern Italy. On this special night, the natural amphitheatre becomes an open-air venue where music, light installations and local food and wine come together beneath the stars, ending with sunrise over the hills.
• International Folklore day - August 13th, Pisticci
In the days leading up to Pisticci’s Patron Saint Festival on August 15th, the town is decorated with luminarie—the elaborate illuminated arches traditionally displayed during Italian village celebrations. International Folklore Day brings together groups in traditional costumes, with folk music, dancing and performances through the streets. It is a lovely opportunity to experience the festive atmosphere, admire the lights and discover more about the region’s local traditions.
Some other references in the area
• Sogno di una notte a “Quel Paese” (Colobraro, all friday in August, August 7th or 14th)
A roaming theatre experience through the old streets of Colobraro, a hilltop village surrounded by legends of curses, magic and masciare—women traditionally believed to practise spells and folk rituals. Its name was once considered so unlucky that people from neighbouring villages avoided saying it, referring to Colobraro simply as “that village.” Actors, musicians and costumed characters appear throughout its alleys and squares, bringing these superstitions to life through folklore, mystery and humour. Three performances take place every Friday at 6:30 pm, 8:30 pm and 10:00 pm. No booking is required.
• Teatro dei Calanchi (August 9th, and other various evenings)
Not far from where we’ll be celebrating, the calanchi — the striking clay badlands shaped over centuries by wind and rain — become a natural open-air theatre during the summer. Performances take place at sunset and into the night, with the landscape itself as the stage. Even if the plays are in Italian, the setting alone makes it a very special experience. Booking is required.
• Matera
A stop in Matera is a must. The city is famous for its Sassi, ancient cave dwellings carved into the rock and inhabited for thousands of years. Walking through it, especially in the evening when the lights come on, feels almost unreal. It’s one of the most unique places in Italy and a UNESCO World Heritage site, and we’d love to share it with you.
• Rocca Imperiale ((just next door, in Calabria))
Only a short drive from Nova Siri, but already in another region. Visiting the old hilltop town, the castle, or going for dinner by the sea can easily turn into a beautiful afternoon or evening together. The area is also known for its citrus groves, especially lemons used in desserts and homemade limoncello.
• Polifonie Festival ((Rivello, early August))
Up in the hills, in the more mountainous part of Basilicata, this music festival takes place in a stone village setting. It’s a beautiful way to discover another side of the region and an excuse to spend some time inland before heading toward Maratea and the Tyrrhenian coast, a completely different sea from the Ionian one.
The simple things that make summer here
Beyond specific events, summer in this part of Italy is mostly about everyday life and small rituals that we’d love to share with you.
• Going to the beach
The Ionian coast is just minutes away. Many days naturally revolve around the sea, early in the morning or later in the afternoon when the heat softens. Long swims, slow afternoons, and doing very little together.
• Discovering local food
From a quick pizza after the beach to a cold granita on a hot day, food is everywhere and always part of the experience. Small family-run places, simple bars, and spontaneous stops are often the best discoveries.
• Fun group moments
We’ll try to organize a few relaxed activities for whoever feels like joining, whether it’s something simple like yoga on the beach, a walk together, or just time spent by the sea.
• Lemons, citrus and limoncello
In nearby Rocca Imperiale, citrus groves are part of the landscape. Lemons are everywhere, and often turned into homemade limoncello. It’s a lovely place to wander through and enjoy a slow afternoon or evening.
• Tomato sauce season
August is when families prepare tomato sauce for the rest of the year. You’ll see crates of tomatoes, big pots, and people working together in courtyards and gardens. It’s a real summer ritual — and who knows, if curiosity leads the way, we might even find a grandmother happy to show how it’s done.
There is so much more we could share, but it’s impossible to capture everything in words. Summer here is made of small moments, unexpected encounters, and simple rituals that only make sense when you live them. You’ll have to come and experience it for yourselves to truly feel the magic.