In the town that bears his name, at the foot of the Lattari mountains and a few kilometres from Castellammare di Stabia, the feast of St Anthony the Abbot is the high point of winter. On the night of 16 to 17 January the great bonfire is lit, the «cippo» or «fucarazzo», a symbol of purification and of winter's end, which by tradition also opens the Carnival season.
Around the feast day the Porchetta Festival takes place, which reached its 48th edition in 2026: the local porchetta, seasoned with rosemary, garlic, pepper and wild fennel, is eaten in the typical «panino cafone». Pork and fire are at the heart of the festivities because the saint is venerated as the protector of domestic animals.
Our tip: go on the evening of 16 January to see the bonfire lit; the 2027 festival dates will be announced closer to the event.