The Enchanted Village

Centro storico di Gerace · Gerace, Costa Viola, Calabria

26 July 2026 – 28 July 2026

Concluded event

The Enchanted Village runs from 26 July 2026 to 28 July 2026 at Centro storico di Gerace, 89040 Gerace (RC). The event is organised by Comune di Gerace. The line-up includes Rašid Nikolić, Daiana Lou. Entry is open to everyone at no charge. This is the Ionian side of Calabria, where the coast opens into long beaches and the villages climb towards the interior. Street performances follow an urban route, with several pitches and repeat shows spread across the evening.

The Enchanted Village in Gerace

What better setting than Gerace, one of Italy's Most Beautiful Villages, to host Il Borgo Incantato? Carved into the rock and facing the Ionian Sea, the medieval old town becomes the stage for one of Calabria's most magical summer events: an international street arts festival that every year, at the end of July, fills alleys, squares and courtyards with light and wonder. The 2026 edition runs on 26, 27 and 28 July. It is an event for all ages, staging unique performances by stilt-walkers, fire-eaters, jugglers, circus artists, mimes and musicians who animate the village with acts from another era, in a fairy-tale atmosphere that highlights Gerace's architecture and traditions.

An international festival in its 26th edition

Founded in 1999, Il Borgo Incantato has grown into an International Festival of Street Arts, Urban Theatre and Contemporary Circus, promoted by the Municipality of Gerace, and in 2026 it reaches its 26th edition. The whole town turns into a single, widespread stage, where churches, courtyards and palaces become part of the scene without the need for large structures. Companies perform across different corners of the village, from the historic squares to the most hidden views, in a continuous weave of shows. Among the expected artists are names such as Rašid Nikolić, with his marionette theatre, and the duo Daiana Lou, in a programme that blends established companies and emerging talent from across Europe.

Gerace, a medieval town in the Locride

Gerace stands in the hinterland of the Locride, suspended between the Aspromonte mountains and the Ionian Sea, and preserves one of the best-kept medieval centres in Calabria. Cobbled lanes, stone portals, Norman churches and the great Cathedral form the natural backdrop to the shows, while the small terraces overlooking the sea and hills offer privileged viewpoints. During the festival the village also comes alive with its food traditions: there are many tastings of local zero-kilometre products, which can even be sampled in the private homes that the people of Gerace open to visitors, in the spirit of their proverbial hospitality.

Practical information

Admission to the shows of Il Borgo Incantato is free, and the performances animate the alleys mainly in the evening, from around 8:30 pm, when the lights turn the village into an open-air theatre. Gerace is easily reached from the Ionian coast, a few kilometres from Locri along the SS106 state road, and makes an ideal destination to pair with a day by the sea and a stroll through the old town. Anyone planning a trip to the region can browse the other events in Calabria to build an itinerary of culture, villages and traditions.

Frequently asked questions

When does Il Borgo Incantato 2026 take place?

The festival is held in Gerace on 26, 27 and 28 July 2026.

Where is the festival held?

In the medieval old town of Gerace, in the province of Reggio Calabria, among the village's lanes, squares, churches and courtyards.

What kind of event is Il Borgo Incantato?

It is an International Festival of Street Arts, Urban Theatre and Contemporary Circus, with stilt-walkers, fire-eaters, jugglers, circus performers, mimes and musicians.

How much is admission?

Admission to the shows is free.

What time do the shows start?

The performances animate the village mainly in the evening, from around 8:30 pm.

Who organises the festival and which edition is it?

It is organised by the Municipality of Gerace and was founded in 1999: in 2026 it reaches its 26th edition.

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