A particularly hot summer is slowly letting up, and the colors lining the highways already herald the arrival of fall. Starting in mid-September, the villages along the A24 and A25 highways open their town squares to festivals and events celebrating the region’s finest products—perfect opportunities to treat yourself to a high-quality culinary break.
And so begins a journey through Lazio and Abruzzo, guided by the aromas and flavors of rural tradition.
It all starts with MarsicaLand, three days of markets, gatherings, cultural activities, historical parades, and events in the heart of Avezzano (AQ). The undisputed star is the Fucino Potato (PGI), but the third edition of the festival dedicated to the agricultural and food products of this region in the heart of the Abruzzo Apennines promises to reveal much more: legumes, vegetables, cheeses, and local specialties bring this event to life, where local products, people, communities, and cultural heritage all come together to tell the story of Marsica’s shared identity.
The festival has two main highlights: the Mercato della Terra, where local producers meet consumers face-to-face, and the Marsi Historical Parade, scheduled for the afternoon of Sunday, September 20, with a route from Aia dei Musei to Piazza della Repubblica. Costumes, tools of the trade, and animals come together to create a symbolic journey through the community’s history, featuring trade associations, local tourism organizations, folk theater troupes, and municipal representatives. Recommended route: Take the A25 to Avezzano, then continue toward the city center.
On Saturday, September 19, it’s time for the Vallepietra (RM) Potato Festival, held in a village within the Monti Simbruini Regional Park that’s also famous for the Sanctuary of the Holy Trinity, nestled in the rock at an elevation of over 1,300 meters. The star of the show is the potato grown in the mountains, served in handmade gnocchi prepared according to a traditional village recipe, baked under the ashes, in fritters, and in other rustic specialties. From the A24, take the Vicovaro-Mandela exit and continue along SR 411 and SP 45a toward the Upper Aniene Valley and Vallepietra.
There’s no shortage of sweet late-summer flavors. In Guadagnolo (RM), the highest inhabited village in Lazio, the weekend of September 19 and 20 is dedicated to the blackberry harvest. Tarts, homemade jams, fruit salads, and spoon desserts accompany scenic walks among the Prenestine peaks. To reach the Blackberry Festival, take the A24 exit at Castel Madama and continue toward Capranica Prenestina until you reach Guadagnolo.
That same weekend, from September 18 to 20, autumn already carries the scent of the woods in Colle di Fuori (RM), a hamlet of Rocca Priora, where the 32nd Porcini Mushroom Festival is being celebrated. The food stands, open for lunch and dinner, offer fettuccine, gnocchi, polenta, risotto, and other local specialties dedicated to the “king of the forest,” accompanied by live music, crafts, and family-friendly activities. From the A24, heading toward Rome, continue toward the Grande Raccordo Anulare and the Roma Sud exit, then follow the signs for Rocca Priora and Colle di Fuori.
Finally, we’ll have to wait until the last weekend of the month to immerse ourselves in the sweetness of the 20th edition of “Tornareccio Regina di Miele.” On September 26 and 27, the historic center of this village in the Val di Sangro—known for the megalithic walls of Pallanum—will host an exhibition and market dedicated to beekeeping and Abruzzo’s finest products, featuring booths, tastings, talks, and entertainment. The stars of the show are honeys and bee products, along with traditional specialties linked to beekeeping and the region’s beekeeping heritage. To get there from the A25: take the Chieti-Pescara exit, take the connector road toward the A14 in the direction of Bari, exit at Val di Sangro, and continue on State Road 652 toward Villa Santa Maria; then follow the exit and signs for Bomba-Tornareccio to the village.
