On the second Sunday of May, the fishing village of Camogli on the Ligurian Riviera rolls out a frying pan 4 meters in diameter, heats 2,000 liters of olive oil, and fries fish for 10,000+ people. For free. The Sagra del Pesce has been held since 1952 to honor the town's patron saint (San Fortunato) and its fishing heritage. It's absurd, generous, spectacular, and completely Ligurian: a community event that started as a fishermen's party and became one of Italy's most beloved food festivals. The pan is real. The fish is fresh (caught that morning by Camogli's boats). The olive oil is Ligurian. The queues are long. The experience is joyful. Riviera guide → · Liguria →
Plan my Liguria trip →Morning: The fishing boats return with the day's catch. The giant pan (padella) is heated on the harbor — the sight of a 4-meter frying pan full of bubbling oil is magnificently excessive. Afternoon (from about noon): Fish (typically sardines, anchovies, and mixed local catch) is fried in batches and distributed to the crowd in paper cones. Free. The queues wrap the harbor. Evening: Fireworks over the sea, live music, and the specific Ligurian joy of having eaten too much free fish in a beautiful place. Saturday evening (vigilia): The night before features bonfires on the beach and the "Fish Star" (Stella del Pesce) — a bonfire structure set on the water.
Date: second Sunday of May (check comune.camogli.ge.it). Getting there: Camogli is on the Genova-La Spezia regional train line (25min from Genova Brignole, every 20min). By car: 30min from Genova (parking is near-impossible on festival day — take the train). Arrive early (before noon) for shorter queues. Free fish: served until it runs out (usually by mid-afternoon). Camogli itself: one of the most photogenic fishing villages on the Riviera — tall, painted houses rising from a curved harbor. Combine with: Portofino (boat from Camogli harbor, 15min), San Fruttuoso (boat from Camogli — the abbey on the hidden beach with the underwater Christ statue), Genova (30min), Cinque Terre (1.5h).