Everything you Need to Know about the Focaccia di Recco Festival in Italy

The scent is the first thing that reaches you in Recco. Long before the Ligurian seaside town appears, there is an unmistakable smell of warm dough and molten cheese - focaccia col formaggio.

Each May, the people of Recco celebrate the Festa della Focaccia di Recco, an open‑air celebration of the flatbread that put the town on the gastronomic map.

What exactly is celebrated?

Unlike the high, oil‑dotted Genoese focaccia found throughout Liguria, focaccia di Recco is almost wafer‑thin. Two sheets of unleavened dough, made with the local Riviera Ligure extra‑virgin olive oil, are stretched until translucent, stitched together, and sealed around a generous amount of fresh stracchino cheese. When it emerges from the 300 °C oven, the crust shatters and cheese escapes like lava. The recipe earned Protected Geographical Indication (IGP) status from the European Union in 2015, formal recognition of a centuries‑old craft that the town guards jealously.

The first modern edition of the festival was staged in 1955, when post‑war Liguria was looking for reasons to rejoice and Recco’s bakers realised their speciality could serve as a flag of identity. Seven decades later, the party has outgrown its origins.

When and where

Recco lies 20 kilometres east of Genoa, located on the Golfo Paradiso section of the Italian Riviera. The festival occupies the whole town centre, particularly Piazza Nicoloso, Via Assereto, Via Roma and Via XX Settembre, and traditionally falls on the fourth Sunday of May. The 2025 edition expands to an entire weekend, Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 May, to cope with the 20–25 thousand food‑travellers who routinely descend on the 10‑thousand‑person community.

How a day at the festival unfolds

Time	What happens	Where
10:00 – 12:00	Distribuzione gratuita of classic focaccia “with” and “without” onions, handed out straight from the ovens of the historic Moltedo and Tossini bakeries	Multiple stands along Via Assereto, Via Roma, Piazza Nicoloso
14:30 – 16:30	The star attraction - endless trays of focaccia di Recco IGP sliced and shared for free	Piazza Nicoloso & Via XX Settembre
15:30 onward	“Scianke” speed‑eating bouts (classic vs. onion focaccia) followed by the infamous “No Limits Challenge”, ten brave couples racing through a one‑kilogram pan of cheese‑filled focaccia	Central stage, Piazza Nicoloso
All day	Street bands, DJ sets, Harley‑Davidson meet‑ups, artisan markets, kids’ mini‑railway & face‑painting corners	Throughout the historic centre

The Consorzio della Focaccia di Recco col Formaggio, the municipality and regional institutions orchestrate the event precisely because a single dish now lures “taste tourists” from every corner of the world

Practical notes for travellers

• Getting there – Regional trains leave Genoa’s Brignole station roughly every 30 minutes and reach Recco in 25 minutes. If you drive, exit the A12 autostrada at Recco but expect traffic queues after 09:00.

• Come early, stay late – The free morning distribution usually runs out before noon. Afternoons are for enjoying the golden Riviera sunset.

• Cash & layers – Tasting is free, but market stalls, wine bars and gelaterie often operate cash‑only. Coastal weather turns breezy after dusk, so bring a light jacket.

• Beyond the focaccia – Use the festival as a springboard to hike the ancient mule tracks to Camogli, kayak beneath San Fruttuoso’s abbey, or catch a ferry to the Portofino headland.