The entire coastline of Liguria is dotted with its characteristic olive groves, vineyards, and citrus groves. Of these last, the lemon is king, and for micro-climactic reasons, the lemons in Monterosso are better than anywhere else, which is why the city celebrates them in its Lemon Festival, which takes place annually on the third Saturday of May, which means that this year it falls on May 19th.
So if you’re in the area in mid-May, you should make the effort to get to Monterosso to take part in this important village-wide festival. There are lemons to beat hell, plus lemonade, limoncino (the lemon-infused liqueur so popular in all of Italy), lemon pies, and a party in the central piazza in the evening. You’ll get the real flavor of small-town life in Italy, and see for yourself how important these local agricultural fairs are in Italian culture.
And this year in particular, considering the damage brought by the floods in October, it’s even more imperative to show your solidarity with Monterosso as its residents rebuild their town and their homes. Visiting during this festival is one way to do it.
