Festivals in Cosenza, Italy

Each year, Cosenza’s local and unique festivals draw inquisitive crowds from around Calabria in southern Italy. Have you been?

If you didn’t catch last week’s part one of the festivals in Cosenza, then head on over to Fabulous Festivals: Cosenza, Calabria for a little taste of intriguing festival photos and information.

festivals, Le Strade del Paesaggio, Cosenza, Calabria, Italy, Europe

Typically, Italy hosts a profusion of festivals (Sagre) during the summer months and I’m sure this has to be a release from the long winter months. A rebirth. A chance to venture out after the deepened, dark, and damp winter. A time to unshackle the gloomy chains and be free of the confines of one’s walls. An escape. A tad dramatic? I know, but hailing from Australia and living in sub-tropical QLD, I do suffer in the cold. You?

I’m sure other European countries also hold summer festivals…but in Calabria, it doesn’t just have to be summer as there’s always a festival on in the region somewhere. But, what makes Festivals in Calabria special?


Festivals, more festivals

Scrumptious food-tasting festivals offering hot roasted chestnuts, sublime chocolate, potato harvesting, bread, and of course many wine festivals, most of which I’ve attended at one point or another while in the northern hemisphere. But, that’s not all, as Calabria like the rest of Italy is proud of its artistic heritage and also its artists, this means staging beguiling art festivals. And get this, the majority of festivals are free to enter and typically backdropped against ancient cobbled laneways in medieval old towns or quaint villages. Weave your way around every stoned corner to discover something new in the world of art, or traditional and authentic food – a feast for your eyes and stomach.

Cosenza, Calabria, Italy, Europe
Picturesque Cosenza’s Old Town

Calabria holds so many festivals that I’ve lost count of the number I’ve been to so far and need to check my photos to remember everything, which is the reason for this second post. I love sharing my photos of southern Italy so that you become aware of the natural beauty of this stunning region between the Tyrrhenian and Ionian Seas. The humbling and warm southern hospitality, incredible history, and amazing culinary delights will lure you to Calabria again. So, onto a few more festivals…


Le Strade del Paesaggio

Initiated in 2007, Le Strade del Paesaggio states: “a series of events within a single great event make the Festival a macro cosmos made up of entire microcosms” – profound?

Well, if you’re a fan of comics, then this street festival will delight you even more as Cosenza’s streets come alive with street art of comic characters.

The popularity of this festival has grown from 16,600 in 2015 to over 27,000 in 2017 and also hosts live painting, art exhibitions, fabulous murals, fun activities for children, and just about something for everyone.


Cose Belle Festival

Aptly named the Cose Belle (Beautiful Things) Festival, this festival of creativity, design, and illustration features exhibits from local Italian artists that are made by hand.

Cose Belle Festival, Cosenza, Calabria, Italy, Europe

Started in Calabria in 2017, the Cose Belle Festival celebrates the creativity, illustration, and design of local artists to exhibit their original creations.

Cose Belle Festival, Cosenza, Calabria, Italy, Europe
“Happiness” by Antonella Gentile (Catanzaro, Calabria)

The exhibition’s motto is “I create and I am Happy. What about you?”


Christmas festivals

Of course, festivals during Christmas are many and Cosenza hosts an abundance of spectacular free events for locals and regional Calabrese to enjoy. From fire jugglers to street stilt walkers, music, art, street fairs, spectacular light shows…

…lanterns, pretty street light dressings, and so much more draws a crowd from around Calabria into the city.


A couple of just-because festivals…

With an apartment only a few-minute stroll from Cosenza’s pedestrian strip Corso Mazzini, typically where all the action happens, it’s not uncommon to bump into a festival that you know absolutely nothing about.

Not quite a festival but definitely bursting a festival ambiance, this competition for the longest cake ever swamped with chefs and students from Cosenza’s local cooking school was a delight to bump into…especially, as the free cake was handed out afterward.

From memory, think this cake was around 30-metres long of deliciousness. Made at the school in sections and gingerly transported piece by piece…

record cake size, Cosenza, Calabria, Italy, Europe
Artisans at work

…before re-assembling onto these long tables and then the artistic finishing touches added at the Corso, on this chilly October evening.

record cake size, Cosenza, Calabria, Italy, Europe
Providing cake to the city

There is always something to celebrate in Calabria…

Halloween, Cosenza, Calabria, Italy, Europe
Of course, Halloween is taken very seriously in Cosenza

Where is Cosenza?

Snuggled between the gorgeous Tyrrhenian and Ionian Seas of the Mediterranean, Cosenza is one of the larger cities gracing Calabria.

The rugged region of Calabria is graced with 500 miles of coastline, which is a delight to explore.

map of Cosenza, Calabria, Italy, Europe

Getting there

From Lamezia Terme Airport, it’s only an hour’s drive or bus trip north to central Cosenza. If you don’t fancy driving or catching a bus all the way, then a short 5-minute bus trip from the airport to the Lamezia train station is an alternative travel route to Cosenza.

Internal flights from Rome or other Italian cities to Lamezia are frequent. There’s also a fast train from Rome to Paola that takes just over 3 hours, before taking a connecting 20-minute train ride to Cosenza train station.


Visit Nilla’s Photography for more global images. More posts on Italy.

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10 responses to “Festivals in Cosenza, Italy”

  1. gillmorris Avatar

    Fab post as always Nilla. Cosenza sure is an interesting place to be 🙂

    1. Image Earth Travel Avatar

      Thank you Gill and you must get there… 😉

  2. equinoxio21 Avatar

    Cose belle. (Indeed)

    1. Image Earth Travel Avatar

      Only in Italy, right? 😉

      1. equinoxio21 Avatar

        We might agree to disagree. let’s say the concentration is unusually high in Italy. But there is no monopoly on Beauty… (Grazie a Dio…)

      2. Image Earth Travel Avatar

        Ha, ha, fair enough…you’re Italian is definitely improving! 😉

  3. Yetismith Avatar

    Every time I read your posts I wish I had made a point of exploring Europe when I had the chance. I really loved the bits I saw but it was never enough. Is Italy your favourite?

    1. Image Earth Travel Avatar

      Thank you, that makes me happy!
      I don’t have a favourite country as each country that I’ve been to offers its own amazing culture, history, and locals.
      Italy is close to my heart as my heritage is from there so when I stopped in Italy for four years, it really gave me a chance to explore deeper – it helps that I speak a little Italian but there are so many dialects that sometimes Italian isn’t really any help!

      1. Yetismith Avatar

        I went to quite a few places where I had no common language to converse in but somehow it never seemed to be a problem. It was interesting how my mum communicated with the lady who was her helper in Cambodia 1956-58. They ended up with a sort of English-French-Khmer-Chinese. They got on very well!

      2. Image Earth Travel Avatar

        Languages are amazing but coming up with ways to communicate in different countries is even more amazing.

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