Borgovagando - Wandering Dinner

A walking dinner through the courtyards of San Romano

Borgovagando is a roving dinner that brings the village of San Romano in Garfagnana to life every year. This small town in the province of Lucca is nestled in the heart of the Tuscan Apennines. This is not a simple food festival with tables in a square: here, you eat while you walk, moving from one course to the next along the village's ancient aie—the traditional communal courtyards where wheat was once threshed and the collective life of the farming community took place.

The roving format

The concept is simple and charming: each stop on the route corresponds to a course on the menu, from appetizer to dessert. Diners traverse alleys, courtyards, and evocative corners of the historic center, which are transformed for the evening into tasting stations. It is an experience that combines the pleasure of dining with a slow discovery of the village, its stone architecture, and its views over the Serchio Valley. The gastronomic walk begins in the evening and continues late into the night in a festive, village-fair atmosphere.

The flavors of Garfagnana

Garfagnana is a land with a strong gastronomic identity, and Borgovagando serves as a genuine showcase for it. Among the local specialties, chestnut flour and spelt stand out as historic ingredients of the local cuisine, accompanied by meats, cheeses, and wines from the area. The courses tell the story of mountain tradition, consisting of hearty dishes and handed-down recipes that highlight the raw materials of the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines.

San Romano in Garfagnana, the host village

San Romano in Garfagnana is a town rich in history, dominated by the imposing Fortezza delle Verrucole, one of the best-preserved fortresses in the Garfagnana region and now home to an interactive Archeopark. The municipal area also includes the Orecchiella Park and the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Bosco. Borgovagando is part of a lively local tradition of dinners among the courtyards, shared by various hamlets in the municipality, and represents a perfect opportunity for visitors and tourists who want to get to know the authentic soul of this corner of Tuscany.

A convivial experience

More than just a gastronomic event, Borgovagando is a moment of community: residents and guests share the same walk, the same improvised tables in the courtyards, and the same pleasure of being together under the stars. It is proof that in Garfagnana, food is still a language of hospitality and a way to share the story of the land.