Museo Cantina della Pesca e della Colatura di Alici

Cetara's Museo Cantina della Pesca e della Colatura di Alici interprets the town's fishing heritage and its traditional anchovy sauce, colatura.

Why it matters

Colatura di alici is a defining product of Cetara and a continuation of an ancient tradition of fish fermentation. The museum connects the food craft with the maritime history of the community and the medieval rooms of the Torre Vicereale.

What to notice

The collection includes traditional wooden vessels, fishing objects, photographs and documents related to the town's maritime life. Colatura is made by layering anchovies with salt in a terzigno and allowing the fish to mature; the resulting liquid is collected and used as a condiment.

Context and history

The museum was established by the municipality in rooms of the Torre Vicereale in collaboration with local fishing and colatura associations and researchers from the University of Naples Federico II. Colatura di Alici di Cetara received Protected Designation of Origin status in 2020. The craft is often compared with ancient Roman garum, though the traditions are not identical.