La Notte dei Sapori Antichi

GIULIANO DI LECCE – The most authentic Salento tradition is ready to reignite the warm nights of Capo di Leuca. On Friday, August 7, 2026, starting at 9:30 PM, the picturesque village of Giuliano di Lecce (a hamlet of Castrignano del Capo) will host the second, highly anticipated edition of "The Night of Ancient Flavors" (La Notte dei Sapori Antichi). The event, now established as the true White Night of this strip of Apulia, promises to transform the historic center into a lively open-air stage where music, traditional peasant food, excellent wines, and craftsmanship will blend into a unique multisensory experience.

Organized by the Cultural Association of Giuliano di Lecce, the event was created to highlight the territory's invaluable cultural and intangible heritage. During the evening, visitors will not only be able to party but also explore the town's historic architecture: private courtyards will be exceptionally open to the public, revealing themselves through exhibitions, tales of the past, and intimate acoustic performances.

Two Stages for a Thrilling Soundtrack
The heartbeat of Salento will resonate thanks to a first-rate musical line-up, split across two stages ready to satisfy every party spirit.

Main Stage (9:30 PM): The energy will explode with Alla Bua, a true institution of Apulian folk music. The ancestral rhythms of the tambourines and the magic of the pizzica will summon the entire square into a relentless collective dance. Following that, starting at midnight, the baton will pass to the spectacular Bar Italia format—a real show made of lights, special effects, and the greatest hits of Italian music history revisited in a remix style, guaranteed to make audiences of all generations sing at the top of their lungs until the dead of night.

Secondary Stage (9:30 PM): For those seeking a more intimate but equally vibrant atmosphere, this stage will open the dance with the group Vicoli e Cortili, bringing to the stage the great masterpieces of Italian singer-songwriters—from Rino Gaetano to Mannarino, up to the anthems of 883—recreating a perfect, visceral "town square party." From 11:30 PM, it will be the turn of the Kalima Trio, ready to enchant attendees with an expert and refined mix of black sounds, a rock edge, and vintage pop immediacy.

To top it all off, wandering street artists will animate the town's streets non-stop.

A Journey Through Local Flavors: The 5 Food Stands
"The Night of Ancient Flavors" is not a simple festival, but a grand celebration of Salento's home cooking. Spread throughout the village, there will be five themed stands—operating through the purchase of special food tokens—offering only fresh, zero-kilometer products:

Stand 1 (Fresh Pasta): The excellence of first courses featuring orecchiette and macaroni with Sunday tomato sauce, or sautéed with the unmistakable turnip greens (cime di rapa).

Stand 2 (Meat): The triumph of local street food, including capocollo, rustic sausages, and the highly traditional and savory horse meat chunks in tomato sauce (pezzetti di cavallo al sugo).

Stand 3 (Pittule): The undisputed queen of Salento fried food: pittule—hot, fragrant, crispy on the outside, and incredibly soft on the inside.

Stand 4 (Bakes and Savory Pastries): A rich peasant banquet featuring specialties like potato pitta (a traditional potato bake), eggplant and zucchini parmigiana, typical rustic pizzas, and the mouth-watering fritta salentina.

Stand 5 (Fruit and Desserts): A sweet finish with inimitable almond paste cookies, fragrant homemade tarts, prickly pears, and juicy slices of watermelon to refresh the palate.

The Wine Tasting Route
Accompanying the rich menu will be a high-profile tasting route, where the glasses will become true storytellers of the land of the two seas. The protagonists will be the great vines of Salento: from Negroamaro to Primitivo, passing through Susumaniello and Malvasia Nera. Among the labels available for tasting, the productions of 10 of the most renowned wineries in the area will take center stage.

The date is set: on August 7th, Giuliano di Lecce awaits to give you a summer night where history and ancient flavors merge in the relentless and wonderful rhythm of Apulia.
Web: apsgiulianodilecce.com/lano...