From August 1 to 7, the city of Maglie, in the province of Lecce, comes alive with the long-awaited Mercatino del Gusto. This unique event represents an unmissable opportunity to savor the best of Apulian food and wine, packed into one place. The picturesque streets of the historic center, with their Baroque charm, are transformed into a taste trail, offering visitors a complete sensory experience between culinary tradition and innovation.
During this week, Maglie becomes the beating heart of local gastronomic culture, welcoming thousands of enthusiasts and curious people ready to discover regional excellence.
When is the Taste Market in Maglie?
From August 1 to 7 in Maglie, in the province of Lecce, the appointment returns that in one place allows you to taste the best of the region
The paths of taste
Every year, during the first week of August, the charming historic center of Maglie, with its elegant and baroque style, is transformed into the vibrant home of the Mercatino del Gusto. This event, which starts from Piazza Francesca Capece and stretches for more than a kilometer, revitalizes the town's picturesque narrow streets and courtyards, often closed to the public but reopened for the occasion.
The main objective of this renowned Apulian festival is to highlight small and large local producers, including companies, presenting visitors with the excellence of Lecce's and the entire region's food and wine. Maglie, in the month of August, thus becomes a true stage of food and wine culture, with a setting made up of tradition, baroque art and suggestive illuminations, where the undisputed protagonist is good food, both street and gourmet.
Taste Market Products
The historic center of Maglie is filled with stands of various sizes, offering visitors the chance to buy and taste a wide range of typical Salento food and wine products. The streets of the center are divided and named according to the specialties on display, creating a unique taste trail.
Oil (EVO Oil Square): This area is dedicated to the region's green gold, extra virgin olive oil, known for its authentic and genuine taste.
Healthy Foods (The Way of Wellness): A corner dedicated to those seeking tasty but healthy foods, with offerings ranging from real aloe to fruit juices and gluten-free products.
Coffee (Coffee Corner): Coffee, a daily ritual of Italians, is offered in different variations: traditional, corrected, with hazelnut ice cream, with almond milk, on ice or in granita.
Street food: An absolute protagonist of the area, street food is represented by specialties such as puccia salentina, cumma, puddiga brindisina, carne con peperoni, fish and chips, bombette and zampine.
Craft Beer: The best breweries participate with a selection of craft beers, perfect to accompany the various foods offered during the event.
Taste Market Maglie History
Now over the threshold of 20 years, the Mercatino del Gusto is now a must-attend event in the Salento and Apulian food and wine scene. This extraordinary milestone has been achieved thanks to the originality and dedication of all those who have contributed to its realization.
As creator Michele Bruno, a great enthusiast and expert on Apulian food and wine, tells in an interview on 2night.it:
"Like all good things, the Mercatino was born back in 2000 quite by chance, thanks to a fortuitous meeting with the Maglio family. At the time I was president of Slow Food and after an event organized in Lecce, during which there was an extraordinary Taste Workshop together with Benedetto Cavalieri, Maglio asked me to think about and create an ad hoc event on Maglie, and from there the long journey of the Mercatino del Gusto began.So, inspired by the Salone del Gusto, which I had recently taken part in, I began to think of Salento as a brand to be built and given its own identity. The first step was to select 12 food and wine companies to be involved in the event, companies that would represent the excellence of the area and bring prestige to the region."
Mercatino del gusto reviews
For more information and to read reviews from those who have already had this experience, you can visit the dedicated page on TripAdvisor.
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