Autunno Orviniese

An autumn festival in the heart of Sabina

The Autunno Orviniese is the event with which the town of Orvinio, in the province of Rieti, Lazio, welcomes the chestnut season. It is traditionally held on November 1st, All Saints' Day, when the public holiday draws families and hikers to the Sabina region in search of fresh air and authentic cuisine. The event is organized by the Pro Loco of Orvinio, which for years has set up a large, covered, and heated food stand in Piazza del Comune to ensure the early November chill doesn't spoil the day.

What to eat

The menu features simple, hearty dishes from the peasant tradition of the Lazio-Abruzzo Apennines. The festival's signature dishes include:

• Cicerchiole with beans — hand-cut egg pasta squares cooked with beans: the iconic dish of the Autunno Orviniese;
• Grilled sheep arrosticini, a nod to the cultural proximity to Abruzzo, served with french fries;
• Roasted chestnuts in paper cones, distributed throughout the day;
• Traditional desserts and mulled wine to warm up in the afternoon;
• Water and wine included in the stand's tasting menus.

Market and atmosphere

Alongside the food, the square hosts an arts and crafts market with local exhibitors: woodwork, textiles, typical Sabina products, honey, and preserves. Past editions have featured music and folk dancing, following the "eat and dance" formula introduced by the Pro Loco back in 2018. It is a village festival in the best sense of the term: a few hundred people, shared tables, and volunteers in the kitchen.

Orvinio, one of Italy's most beautiful villages

Orvinio is a small town in the Lucretili Mountains, at an altitude of about 840 meters, and is part of the Borghi più belli d'Italia (Most Beautiful Villages of Italy) circuit. The historic center gathers at the foot of the Malvezzi-Campeggi castle and preserves stone alleys, valley views, and the church of Santa Maria dei Raccomandati. It lies on the border between the Rieti Sabina and the Tiburtine area—a position that explains the festival's cuisine, where traditional Lazio egg pasta meets Abruzzo-style arrosticini.

When to go and how to plan

The stands usually open around noon (in the 2025 edition, service started at 12:30 PM), while the market opens in the morning. It is best to arrive early: the square is small and seats in the tent fill up quickly. We recommend combining the festival with a walk through the village or a hike in the Lucretili Mountains Regional Natural Park, which surrounds the town with beech forests and marked trails that are particularly beautiful during the autumn foliage.

A recent but well-established tradition

Launched in the late 2010s, the event reached its sixth edition in 2025, confirming itself as the most anticipated autumn appointment on the Orvinio calendar, alongside the summer threshing re-enactment. It is an effective example of how Pro Loco associations in the Lazio hinterland keep small communities alive, turning a home recipe into a reason for visitors to explore the entire province of Rieti.