The Truffle Festival returns to Giurdignano. Salento meets Emilia.

From June 12 to 14, 2026, Giurdignano hosts the third edition of the Giurdignano Fest – Truffle Festival : three days of workshops, tastings, talks, experiential tours, street food, and live music, all built around a rare and precious ingredient that truly thrives in this corner of Puglia, and which every year becomes an excuse to explore the identity, landscape, and future of a region that never ceases to amaze.

The festival is promoted by the Municipality of Giurdignano, organized by Puglia Expò, with the patronage of the Puglia Region, the Province of Lecce, Confindustria Lecce, GAL IsolaSalento, and the Lecce Chamber of Commerce . In collaboration with local landmarks like Borgia Tartufi , each edition is designed as an immersive experience where gastronomy, culture, and a sense of place intertwine authentically, far removed from the standardized formats of large industry events. The new addition: the twinning with Calestano

The big news for the third edition is an unexpected encounter. Calestano (PR), a village in the Parma Apennines and a member, like Giurdignano, of the National Association of Truffle Cities , will bring its own delegation to Salento this year, featuring producers, local delicacies, and a story to tell .

The heart of this twinning is the food and wine trail “ La Food Valley” scheduled for Sunday 14 June: a vertical tasting of Parmigiano Reggiano and a truffle risotto according to the tradition of Calestano, paired with wines from the Strada del Prosciutto and Colli di Parma, in direct dialogue with the flavours and wines of Salento.

A comparison between two villages at opposite ends of Italy's geography and two distant gastronomic cultures that, at the table, as often happens, find more in common than one might expect.

" The twinning is not just an institutional formula: it demonstrates that truffles are a shared language, capable of connecting distant realities that share the same care for the land and the same ambition to enhance it," says the Mayor of Giurdignano, Monica Gravante . The program: three days of thematic workshops, evening markets, and live music.

Friday, June 12: The opening day begins with the roots: a morning Wine Experience takes participants through vine shoots, vineyards, and cellars, accompanied by local producers. In the morning, at the Palazzo Baronale, the workshop " His Majesty the Truffle" opens the comparison between the Calestano truffle and the Salento truffle, with the participation of experts, institutional representatives, and industry professionals. In the afternoon, gastronomic insights and guided tastings will take place. An evening dedicated to Italian songwriting with the ALS Project will be held.

Saturday, June 13: The second day begins with the Truffle Experience: dawn in the woods with Aldo Borgia and his Lagotto Romagnolo dogs searching for local truffles. At the Palazzo Baronale, the conference " Salento, Borderland – Giurdignano, Land of Welcome" addresses the theme of digitalization as a new frontier for territories rich in identity. In the afternoon, the focus will be on "Stories": the art of Salento embroidery told by those who practice it. The evening will feature the folk music of Provvisorio Popolare.

Sunday, June 14: The final series of events opens with a megalithic tour of dolmens, menhirs, underground oil mills, and Centoporte Abbey, accompanied by local guides. In the morning, the major conference " Truffle Cities, Economies, and New Markets" will feature regional institutions, operators, and representatives of the National Association. In the afternoon, the Food Valley with Calestano will take place, and in the evening, the presentation of the book " Puglia. Stories of Ingredients, Cuisine, and Territory" by Flavia Giordano will take place, with live culinary offerings and a musical finale featuring an acoustic performance by Antonio Ancora.

Throughout the festival, every evening starting at 7:00 PM, Piazza Municipio and the historic center come alive with the market of exhibitors : local and national producers, farms, artisans of taste, and street food. This is the beating heart of the festival, where stories are shared directly between those who produce and those who taste.

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• Where: Giurdignano (LE), Town Hall Square, Baronial Palace
• When: June 12 – 14, 2026
• Workshop admission: free, reservation required
• Access to the market and the street food street: free