Acqua Cotta Festival

A festival dedicated to the shepherds' soup

The Acqua Cotta Festival is one of the most cherished gastronomic events of the summer in Farnese, a small medieval village in the Province of Viterbo, Lazio. Every year, around mid-August, the town gathers around a simple, iconic dish: acqua cotta, a soup that tells the story of centuries of peasant and pastoral life in the Upper Tuscia region.

More than just a recipe, acqua cotta is a tale of survival and resourcefulness. It originated among the butteri (local cowboys) and charcoal burners who spent months in the forests of the Lazio Maremma, forced to turn whatever they had into sustenance: stale bread, seasonal vegetables, wild herbs gathered along the trails, a drizzle of oil, and, when available, an egg or a piece of salt cod. The result is a warm, hearty soup served over toasted bread that still carries the scent of the vegetable garden and the Mediterranean scrub.

Farnese and the Selva del Lamone

The festival is also the perfect opportunity to discover Farnese, perched on a tuff spur on the edge of the Selva del Lamone Regional Nature Reserve, one of the most extensive and pristine forests in Lazio, which grew over an ancient lava flow. The village, which gave its name to the famous Farnese family, preserves alleys, small squares, and vistas that have recently become a film set. Strolling through its narrow streets with a steaming bowl of acqua cotta is an authentic way to experience the most genuine side of the Tuscia region.

Three days of taste and community

During the event, gastronomic stalls set up in the Giardino Sottocolonne and the historic center serve acqua cotta alongside other local traditional dishes, such as homemade fettuccine. The festival is about more than just food: the evenings come alive with live music, town square bingo, open-air cinema, and entertainment for all ages.

• Traditional cuisine: acqua cotta, egg fettuccine, and Tuscia specialties
• Music and entertainment: evenings with live bands and performances
• Community moments: bingo, cinema under the stars, and games
• Village atmosphere: the historic center of Farnese in celebration

A symbol of the humble cuisine of Tuscia

Acqua cotta unites several municipalities in the Upper Tuscia, from Farnese to Arlena di Castro and Tuscania, all of which share this soup as an emblem of simple, sustainable gastronomy based on zero-mile ingredients and respect for the land. The Farnese festival, promoted by the Municipality and the Pro Loco as part of the Estate Farnesana, keeps this memory alive and shares it with the visitors who flock to this Viterbo village every summer.