From October to November the woods of Liguria fill up with chestnuts and mushrooms, and the villages of the hinterland hold their sagre: village food festivals with stalls of polenta, frisceu and roast chestnuts, almost always on a Sunday. This guide tells you where to look, how to spot the ones worth the trip and how to plan the day from a base on the coast.
An honest note: small festivals announce their dates only shortly beforehand and sometimes move them because of bad weather. So you will find here the typical places and periods, not an invented calendar; for the exact day, always check with the town hall or the Pro Loco (the local tourist association).
- When: chestnuts from mid-October to early November; mushrooms after the autumn rains; new olive oil in November
- Where: the hinterland of Genoa and of the province of Imperia, plus a few festivals by the sea
- How it works: lunch in the village from about 12:30, roast chestnuts in the afternoon, usually on a Sunday
- Dates: announced shortly before; with rain, many festivals slip by a week
- Getting there: by car; mountain villages have narrow roads and small car parks
Chestnut festivals
The chestnut is the star of the Ligurian autumn. The festivals listed by local calendars this year are mostly in the hinterland of Genoa: Fontanegli, Borgo Fornari, Crocefieschi, Cicagna, the autumn fair of Torriglia and the Fiera degli Angeli in Mezzanego, where the roast chestnuts are free. In Sestri Levante there is also a “bicicastagnata” organised with Fiab Tigullio, a bike ride that ends at the table: a good start if you want something different from the usual lunch.
The pattern is always similar: stalls open around 12:30 with polenta, stew, frisceu (fried dough fritters) and fried mushrooms, then in the afternoon the fires are lit to roast the chestnuts in big perforated pans. Some festivals, such as those of Crocefieschi and Borgo Fornari this year, have already planned a postponement to the following Sunday in case of bad weather: a good reason to check the forecast on our weather in Liguria page before you set off.
Mushroom and game festivals
With the rains of September and October the porcini arrive. Among this year’s festivals are the Sagra del fungo in Masone, with fried mushrooms, ravioli and music in the evening, and the one in Torriglia, dedicated to porcini. In Borzoli, a district of Genoa, there is the Sagra del cinghiale (wild boar). These are festivals to enjoy slowly: the dishes come from the village kitchen, not from a restaurant.
If you feel like picking mushrooms yourself, remember that the rules change from area to area (permits, quantities, protected parks): ask the town hall or the park authority first. The same goes for chestnuts in private woods.
Find a place to stay on the coast for the autumn festivals
Other autumn festivals on the coast and in the Ponente
It is not only the hinterland of Genoa. In Triora, the witches’ village, the night of 31 October offers a Halloween programme with fortune-telling, travelling theatre and a photo hunt; to get to know the village before you go up, also read about the witches of Triora. In Albenga the Fiera di San Martino falls in November (in 2025 it was mid-month; this year’s dates are not yet confirmed), and 11 November is the feast of St Martin in several coastal villages, including Bergeggi and Framura. For local produce, read about the typical products of Albenga.
In early November Imperia hosts Olioliva, the new olive oil festival of Oneglia: we cover it in our guide to new oil and olive mills. If autumn for you is mostly about food, the Ligurian cuisine guide and the article on what to eat in Genoa show you the dishes to order.
How to find the right dates
No single calendar is complete, so use several channels:
- our events in Liguria page, which collects the biggest events;
- the town hall website and the Facebook page of the village Pro Loco, which usually publish the programme a few days beforehand;
- the phone number of the tourist office, if you are coming from far away and want to know whether the festival is confirmed;
- the weekend weather forecast: with heavy rain many festivals are moved.
Practical tips for the day
- Arrive early: car parks in small villages fill up by mid-morning and you walk the last stretch.
- Check whether lunch has to be booked and whether dishes are paid for with tokens or at a till.
- Bring a jacket: in the autumn woods it is much colder than by the sea.
- With a rental car, stick to the main roads: many minor roads in the hinterland are narrow and have no guard rails.
- Combine festival and walk: our list of hiking in Liguria helps you choose an easy route before lunch.
Where to stay for the autumn festivals
The hinterland has few hotels: the most convenient solution is to take a base on the coast and drive up for the day. For the festivals of the Genoese hinterland, Genoa and Sestri Levante are excellent bases, while for the Ponente festivals Imperia or Albenga work well. October and November are low season: prices are lower than in June to August and you can usually find a room a few days before arrival, but not on the weekends of the big festivals. The guide to where to stay in Liguria explains the areas.
Frequently asked questions
When are the chestnut festivals in Liguria?
Usually from mid-October to early November, almost always on a Sunday. The exact dates are announced shortly beforehand: check with the town hall or the Pro Loco.
Where are most of the autumn festivals?
In the hinterland of Genoa (Torriglia, Masone, Cicagna, Mezzanego and other villages), with festivals also in the Imperia and Savona areas. The coast has fewer festivals but excellent places to stay.
Do I need to book to eat at a festival?
Often not, but at some festivals lunch has to be booked or is paid for with tokens. Ask the Pro Loco, especially if you are coming as a group.
Do the festivals go ahead in the rain?
Many have covered stalls, but some postpone to the following Sunday in bad weather: it happens every year, so check the forecast.
Can I pick mushrooms and chestnuts myself?
It depends on the place: in private woods you need the owner’s permission, and some protected areas have special rules. Ask the town hall or the park before you go.
Can I reach the festivals without a car?
Some villages are served by bus, but services are few and even fewer on Sundays. For most festivals the car is the simplest choice.