Cetara will participate in the upcoming edition of “Escale à Sète,” which will take place in the French city from March 31 to April 6.

Escale à Sète is the largest festival of maritime traditions in the French Mediterranean, held every two years (in even-numbered years) in the port of Sète, in Occitanie. Italy is the guest of honor in 2026, and the choice pays homage to the historical roots of the city of Sète, where about a third of the population has Italian origins, specifically from Cetara, which, for this reason, has been twinned with Sète since 2003.

Here is what the Italian participation entails:

The “Villaggio Italia”: it will be set up at the Quai d’Alger and will host 7 delegations from various regions (Cetara, Venice, Laveno, Cesenatico, La Spezia, Gaeta, Genoa) to promote our country’s maritime culture, music, and cuisine.

Prestigious ships: among the highlights will be the Nave Italia, considered the world’s largest brigantine, along with other historic vessels of the Italian Navy and traditional boats such as those from the Maritime Museum of Cesenatico.

Mediterranean Route: The event is linked to the new Italian festival Velarìa – Scalo alla Spezia, creating a maritime bridge connecting La Spezia to Sète and the Spanish city of Castellón.

The event program includes a gathering of historic boats; the festival will host over 120 vessels, including majestic tall ships, historic replicas, and traditional fishing boats from around the world; naval parades, reenactments of naval battles, sea shanties, craft workshops, and demonstrations of local seafood cuisine. The harbor quays will come alive with costume parades, concerts, and themed villages celebrating the deep bond between the city and the sea.

Visit the event website