San Martino nel Borgo St Martin's Festival in Bisignano
A November evening in the old town with roasted chestnuts, fried culurialli, local wine and folk music from the Fantasie Popolari group
By Salvatore Giuliano Published Updated
The story
San Martino nel Borgo, "St Martin in the Old Town", is the autumn festival with which the historic centre of Bisignano, in the Crati Valley in the province of Cosenza, celebrates the season of new wine and chestnuts. It was created and is run by the Borgo di Piano association, named after one of the town's historic districts, together with Bisignano's "Il Palio" folk traditions study centre and the town council's agriculture department. In 2026 it reaches its fourth edition and takes place on Saturday 14 November: the stalls open at 7:30pm, and the poster gives Piazza Telesio, also known as Largo dell'Ospedale, as the meeting point.
It is a one-night food festival that turns the lanes and little squares of the old town into a trail of food stalls and wineries. The menu is pure November: culurialli, fried dough rings, roasted chestnuts, cuzzutiallu with turnip greens and sausage, and a tasting of local wines, with the area's farms and wine producers listed on the poster. This year the soundtrack comes from the folk group Fantasie Popolari, with strolling traditional music and dancing.
The festival has grown fast. The second edition, on Saturday 16 November 2024, filled the old town's lanes with wine producers from the surrounding hills, vino novello (new wine), roasted chestnuts and the bagpipers of Laino; the third, on Saturday 15 November 2025, was described by the local press as a record edition with a big turnout. For the organisers, the evening is about strengthening the community's sense of belonging and putting the old town back at the heart of local life.
Schedule
- In the evening, folk music and dancing with the folk group Fantasie Popolari
- The food festival opens in Piazza Telesio (Largo dell'Ospedale): food stalls with culurialli fried dough rings, roasted chestnuts, cuzzutiallu bread with turnip greens and sausage, and local wine tasting
What to eat
Culurialli are Calabria's traditional fried dough rings, best eaten hot; alongside them come roasted chestnuts, the classic treat of St Martin's evenings.
The heartiest dish is cuzzutiallu with turnip greens and sausage, the filled bread shown on the poster, best paired with the local wines on tasting.
Local tips
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Parking
Bisignano's old town sits on a hillside with narrow streets: arrive a little early, leave the car outside the historic centre and walk up to Piazza Telesio.
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Payments
Neither the poster nor the announcements give prices for food and tastings, so bring some cash for the stalls.
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Crowds and timing
It's a one-night festival and the 2025 edition drew a record crowd: to eat and drink at a relaxed pace, get there around the 7:30pm opening.
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What to wear
In mid-November, at 350 metres above sea level, evenings are cold and the festival is outdoors: dress in layers and wear comfortable shoes for the old town's slopes.
Weather forecast
Data: Open-Meteo
Getting there
The festival is in Piazza Telesio, in the old town. Lamezia Terme Airport is about 91 km and just over an hour's drive away; leave the A2 motorway at Torano or Tarsia Sud, less than 10 km from the town.
Things to do this weekend in Calabria →
Frequently asked questions
When is San Martino nel Borgo 2026?
The fourth edition is on Saturday 14 November 2026, with the stalls opening at 7:30pm in Piazza Telesio (Largo dell'Ospedale), in Bisignano's old town.
What food is served at San Martino nel Borgo?
Culurialli fried dough rings, roasted chestnuts, cuzzutiallu with turnip greens and sausage, and a tasting of local wines, as listed on the poster.
Who organises the festival?
The Borgo di Piano association, together with Bisignano's "Il Palio" study centre and the town council's agriculture department.
How far is Bisignano from Lamezia Terme Airport?
About 91 km, a drive of just over an hour.
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