Carpasina Festival

Carpasina, the shepherds' bread

In Carpasio, a hamlet of the Municipality of Montalto Carpasio (Province of Imperia) in the upper Argentina Valley, carpasina is much more than just bread: it is the memory of an agro-pastoral civilisation. It is a barley bread that, according to tradition, was the bread of shepherds, capable of being preserved for many days during transhumance. Today it is a product with Municipal Designation (De.Co.), a recognition obtained by the Municipality to protect its traditional recipe.

A festival that has lasted for over sixty years

The Sagra della Carpasina, organised by the Pro Loco of Carpasio, has its roots in 1961 and is one of the longest-running gastronomic events in the Imperia hinterland. For one day, the village comes alive with stalls offering carpasina and other traditional valley dishes, accompanied by music and moments of conviviality.

Among the gastronomic treasures of Montalto Carpasio

Together with frandura, carpasina is one of the two De.Co. products that the Municipality of Montalto Carpasio has chosen to promote as a symbol of its gastronomic heritage. Recognised among the Authentic Ligurian Events, the festival is an opportunity to discover an authentic corner of western Liguria, far from the tourist routes, where the table preserves the memory of rural life.