Meet me in Camogli for the Sagra del Pesce! It’s time for a weekend festival in Italy! We can rest by the seaside and watch the fishing boats floating in the harbour. We’ll give our thanks to the ocean, and share our blessings with the town. Let’s revel in the party, sing with the choir, and wake the next day to the smell of gently fried anchovies in the piazza. It feels like home, even if we only stay for the weekend.

Let’s head into town before sunset. The market stalls are all set up, with some final touches added to the street lights. Cafes and restaurants are open, but home-baked goods and savoury delights are calling me from the market stalls. Before anything else, we’ll grab one of the ‘fish biscuits’. These honey-spiced cookies are a little tough and equally a little sweet; the nonna at the stall said they are just like Camoglians! The flavour of cloves and cinnamon warms me to my toes!

We’ll browse among the stalls and slowly weave through the streets. There are soaps, flowers, sweets, and linen. Everything has a touch of classic Italy about it. The air has a soft, salty taste, mixing with the market’s buoyant feeling. The crowd gently guides us through town and up the wide stone stairs to the Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta. Sitting high on the headland, the church is filled with candles and glowing gold details. You would never know such glorious Baroque style lay within the simple white stone walls outside the church. Don’t forget: This is Italy–look up and let the art flow over you!

The blessing begins with the priest softly speaking his prayers, and every member of the congregation gently replies. A sense of peace passes over us. Take a moment to breathe and be grateful for the community sharing this with us. It is a blessing not just for the sea and its bounty but also for the town and its generosity. Like everyone here, we will give our thanks and wait for the procession to start. 

The San Fortunato is heaved upon their shoulders and carried with reverence from the Basilica to the marina. She glows with candles lit all around her, like stars shining on the ocean. The music leads the way, and we sing along as we follow the crowd once again. Fireworks burst into the sky as they continue their parade down to the water. Waiting on the shoreline, we can see the huge bonfires ready to go (as are the firefighters, purely as a precautionary measure).  Soon after the effigy arrives, the bonfires leap into the sky, filled with the energy of the people around. 

Eventually, the crowd disperses back to town. A few stragglers linger around the market stalls as they pack up, but most of us are heading to bed before tomorrow morning’s Big Event. This lightshow? This party? It was the precursor to the moment when Camogli opens its heart. 

Meet me again on Sunday morning for fried fish and a swell of community spirit. The Marina Piazza is open to anyone and everyone! The stage is set, quite literally, near the water, with a massive fry pan already sizzling with hot oil. It’s not just big; it is 3.8 metres in diameter and has an extra 6 metres in the handle. Will you join me in the line for fish, or wait here on the stone steps near the Basilica? We need to be there by 10 am at the latest; not too late to join the line and with enough time to make some new friends. For a 6-euro donation, it’s nice to know we’re helping charity, but it doesn’t seem enough to pay back for the big community hug. 

Remember to say thanks to the volunteers at the front of the line. Their toughest job is keeping the sneaky seagulls at bay! A wedge of lemon is all the seasoning we need, as we head back to the piazza and sit on the wall looking over the bay. Eat like the locals and pop off the heads before swallowing the little fish. It’s a generous serve, and we can take our time watching the boats bobbing in the water. 

Eventually, we will brush the sand off our feet and return to the heart of the village. Maybe we can find some gelato or affogato al caffe—something sweet after the salty tang, sweet like the memories we’ll have of Camogli. Something that will always bring us back to celebrate the bounty of the sea again.

---

Sagra del Pesce is an annual festival celebrated in the town of Camogli, Liguria. It was first held as a public event in 1952, based on the traditional holy blessing the local priest gave to the fishermen for many years before. Today, it is an opportunity to open the town to visitors, boosting local tourism while sharing the plentiful seafood with visitors. The fish festival is celebrated on the second Sunday of May when the town cooks up tons of fish and shares it with the general public. Previously, it was a free event, but it has recently asked for a 6-euro donation per person, with all proceeds going to charity. 

As with many Catholic festivals in Italy, the real celebrations start the night before. In Camogli, they celebrate the Festival of San Fortunato, starting in the local Basilica Santa Maria Assunta and concluding with two gigantic bonfires on the beach. Families have been celebrating for years, and you will often see multiple generations sharing their family traditions (eg. special ‘fish’ dresses to wear for the event). 

Camogli is located northwest of the more famous Cinque Terre. Most travellers miss this beautiful little town, as they often finish the Great Five and move directly on to Milano to the north. In doing so, they miss the town’s rich history and beautiful Riviera atmosphere. The soft terracotta-coloured buildings (in dusty pinks, reds, and yellows) stand out against the rich azure blue of the ocean water. 

Camogli is a gateway for delicious seafood, with many treks and bike routes to help burn it off! The best time to visit is late spring, when the weather warms slightly, and the colours sparkle along the coastline. It is also the perfect time for catching the fish and losing yourself in the community spirit of Sagra del Pesce.