We love a good sagra. A sagra is a food and wine event where visitors can taste the traditional dishes of the place or its typical local products. Autumn is our favorite time for taking short day tips outside of Rome to attend all the local food festivals. Here is a list of our favorite autumn medieval celebrations, food events and sagras in Lazio, the region og which Rome is the capital.
Here’s a complete list of autumn sagra food events taking place in October in the surroundings of Rome:
Sagra delle Castagne in Soriano nel Cimino (VT)
In the days of the annual Chestnut Festival the town of Soriano nel Cimino is imbued by a very suggestive atmosphere. The entire town is decorated for the occasion, citizens proudly participate and every weekend visitors may come across magical events and ancient traditions. Everywhere around town, the aroma or roasting chestnuts wafts through the cobbled alleys and Medieval streets.
(2019 edition, October weekends: 4-6 / 9-13 / 18-20)
Sagra delle Tacchie ai Funghi Porcini in Bellegra (RM)
Located at 815 meters elevation between the Sacco Valley and the Aniene Valley, Bellegra hosts a unique sagra food event Tacchie are a characteristic irregular-shaped pasta made according to an ancient peasant recipe. This particular type of pasta goes very well with the area’s aromatic porcini mushrooms that grow in the woods of the surroundings. During the festival it’s possible to enjoy lunch and dinner at the food stands located around town. The €15 menu includes a taste of bread and porcini mushrooms, a plate of tacchie pasta with porcini mushrooms. The menu also includes a main course of meat with porcini mushrooms, typical sweets of the town, a small bottle of wine or water.
(2019 edition, first 2 October weekends: 5-6 / 12-13)
Sagra dell’Uva in Marino (RM)
The Grape Festival in Marino has now established itself as one of the most famous traditional festivals, not only in Lazio but throughout Italy. It takes place on the first Sunday of October in the town of Marino on the western side of the Castelli Romani. The most engaging part of the Sagra dell’Uva is on Sunday, when all the most important and awaited events take place: the procession with the supplication to the Madonna of Pompeii, the historical procession in Medieval costume, the parade of allegorical floats and the now famous fountain from which white Vino Bianco D.O.P. di Marino wine flows.
(2019 edition: 4-7 October)
Sagra della Patata in Leonessa (FR)
Visitors can celebrate the areas famous potatoes (several varieties) with a tasty and rich menu offered throughout the annual Potato Festival, which includes dishes from the Leonessa peasant tradition such as gnocchi with tomato sauce or topped with truffles, fire-grilled sausages, fried potatoes. The main dish of the festival is the so-called “rescallata”, an ancient simple and tasty recipe that mixes only three ingredients: boiled potatoes sautéed in a pan, onions and pancetta.
(2019 edition: 12-13 October)
Sagra della Seppia in Ostia (RM)
Three days entirely dedicated to cuttlefish, which happens to populate the waters off the Roman coast at this time of year.
(2019 edition: 11-13 October)
Sagra delle Pappardelle al Cinghiale in Sacrofano (RM)
The delightful village of Sacrofano, located only a few kilometers north of Rome, is home to the annual Pappardelle with wild boar sauce food festival. As one of the most anticipated food and wine events in the Roman Tuscia area this is an excellent opportunity to taste the local cuisine’s pre-eminent dish. Lunch will be served at noon, the menu offers a plate of pappardelle with wild boar sauce; wild boar stew, and unlimited refills of water, bread and wine. In addition to the food, there’s also a small artisan market and various attractions for kids.
(2019 edition: October 27)
