The Tellaro Octopus Festival: history, legend and flavours.

Tellaro, a village linked to the sea

In the heart of Tellaro, overlooking the Gulf of Poets, the sea is not only a landscape, but an integral part of daily life and collective memory. This small village of Tellaro Liguria, in the territory of City of La Spezia, maintains a deep relationship with fishing and with maritime traditions, handed down from generation to generation.

It is precisely from this bond that the Tellaro Octopus Festival, a popular festival that celebrates one of the strongest symbols of the village's identity: the octopus.

When and where does the Tellaro Octopus Festival take place

The first edition of the Tellaro Octopus Festival dates back to 1973, when the local community decided to give shape to a festival capable of highlighting its maritime history and traditional recipes. Since then, the festival has become a regular summer event, awaited not only by the inhabitants of the village, but also by visitors from La Spezia and the entire Ligurian coast.

Over time, the event has maintained an authentic and popular spirit, remaining faithful to its origins and its link with tradition.

The Tellaro Octopus Festival is traditionally held in the summer period, around mid-August. It takes place in a particularly suggestive place: outside the Tellaro elementary school, in Via della Fonte, accessible through a long staircase that leads to a panoramic space. From here the guard opens onto the Ligurian coast, offering a breathtaking view of the sea, especially in the evening hours.

Why is it celebrated: the legend of the Tellaro octopus

The Tellaro Octopus Festival has its roots in one of the most fascinating legends of the local tradition. It is said that, in the year 1660, during a misty and stormy night, the village was about to be attacked by Saracen pirates. The inhabitants slept unaware of the danger, while the sea was particularly rough.

According to legend, a large octopus emerged from the sea and, stretching its tentacles, clung to the string of the bell of the church of San Giorgio, making it ring loudly. The ringing woke up the population, who were thus able to organize the country's defense and repel the onslaught.

On the facade of the church of San Giorgio, an inscription in Latin is still visible, recalling this legendary event:

“Saraceni Mare Nostrum infestantes sunt noctu profligati. Quod polypus aes cirris suis sacrum pulsabat.”

That is: The Saracens who infested our sea were put to flight during the night, because an octopus hit the sacred bronze with its tentacles.

There is no historical evidence of the existence of the “bell octopus”, but the legend originates from a real fact: the failed assault on the village by Saracen pirates in July 1660.

Tellaro and the octopus: an ancient tradition

Beyond the legend, the Tellaro octopus has always been an integral part of the local gastronomic tradition. Easy to find for anglers, nutritious and versatile, octopus represented a precious resource in the village's seafood cuisine.

Over time, his preparation has become a shared knowledge, made up of simple gestures and handed down techniques, which today find full expression during the festival.

The main recipes of the festival

During the Tellaro Octopus Festival, octopus is prepared according to the local and typical Ligurian recipes, which enhance its flavor without covering it. The two most representative preparations are:

• Tellarese octopus, the symbolic specialty of the festival: octopus is boiled slowly and served with potatoes, seasoned with local extra virgin olive oil
• Octopus in hell, stewed with bay leaves, marjoram, chilli, tomato and a splash of white wine

Alongside the octopus, the menu also offers other traditional seafood dishes, such as:

• Seafood gnocchi
• Linguine al Bati Bati
• Risotto with clams
• Stuffed muscles
• Focaccia alla Tellarese

All accompanied by local wines, such as Vermentino, and concluded with an inevitable dessert of the Ligurian tradition: Rice cake.

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A real curiosity concerns the preparation of octopus: according to local custom, octopus should not be cooked with added water. It is left to cook slowly in its own liquid, to keep the meat tender and concentrate its flavor. A small secret that tells the experience of Tellaro's fishermen.

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A party that tells the soul of the village

The Tellaro Octopus Festival is not only a gastronomic event, but a moment in which the village is told through its flavors, its stories and its relationship with the sea.

An experience that enriches the story of the Gulf of Poets and that makes Tellaro a special stop for those who want to really get to know this part of Liguria, letting themselves be guided by the slow and sincere rhythm of the sea.