A large party has been organised for Friday, with hot-air balloons and music in the main piazza.
"Everybody in Cisternino was talking about the end of the world, so we decided to stay here a little bit longer to see if something happens," said Aurane Mendy, who was staying in the town with her boyfriend's family.
Believers are being drawn to spots like Cisternino, where they think their chances of survival will be better, and accompanying them are the curious, the party-lovers and people wanting to make some money.
Locations include the French town of Bugarach, the famous Stonehenge in Britain and Mount Rtanj, a pyramid-shaped peak in Serbia.
