Falasche-Jenne Transhumance March

A trail connecting the sea to the mountains

The Falasche-Jenne Transhumance March is one of the most authentic pastoral re-enactments in the Lazio region. For five days in mid-August, a group of riders travels the approximately 125 kilometers that separate the village of Falasche—a district of Anzio overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea—from the village of Jenne, perched at over 800 meters in the heart of the Simbruini Mountains, in the province of Rome. This is no simple excursion: it is a faithful retracing of the ancient trail that shepherds from Jenne traveled twice a year for centuries, descending toward the Pontine Plain in search of milder pastures and returning to the upper Aniene Valley.

The origins of the March

The initiative was born in the early 1990s from an idea by Antonio Volpi, the son of shepherds from Jenne who had moved to Anzio, and a group of thirteen enthusiasts who wanted to bring their fathers' traditions back to life. Since then, the event has been held every summer without interruption and has grown to involve the municipal administrations of Anzio and Jenne, the L.U.P.A. association, the La Voce di Falasche Onlus association, and the Simbruini Mountains Regional Natural Park. The route has been recognized as a Cultural Route of the Council of Europe, honoring its cultural value and its link to sustainable tourism and the preservation of historical trails.

The journey, stage by stage

The caravan departs from Falasche after the blessing of the horses and riders, then heads inland, passing through Cisterna di Latina, Artena, Paliano, Serrone, and Piglio before reaching the Altipiani di Arcinazzo, the first town in the Aniene Valley to welcome the participants. From there, the route continues toward Trevi nel Lazio and finally descends to the Piana dei Fondi in Jenne. These are long days filled with dirt roads, fields of wheat and sunflowers, mountain mule tracks, and nights spent under the stars; in total, fourteen villages are visited or passed along the way.

Arrival in Jenne and the celebration

The most emotional moment is the final one. After a refreshing stop at Piana dei Fondi, the caravan reforms and, led by an amazon carrying the banner of the Municipality of Jenne, enters the village amidst cheering crowds. In Piazza Vittorio Emanuele III, the final celebration takes place: the municipal administration presents commemorative medals to the participants, followed by music, a communal dinner in the public gardens, and toasts that last well into the night. For Jenne, a village of a few hundred inhabitants, this is the defining event of the year.

Flavors of the transhumance

The cuisine accompanies every stage, drawing on the repertoire of shepherds and the Lazio countryside. During the event's evenings, both in Falasche and along the route, dishes such as pasta e fagioli, beans with pork rinds, tripe, pasta with wild boar sauce, pecora al callaro (traditional mutton stew), arrosticini, and grilled mutton have been served, often in the form of open-air food festivals accessible to residents and visitors.

More than just horses

Over the years, other forms of participation have been added to the equestrian core: a foot race that tackles the same route, groups of walkers on the Anzio-Jenne Transhumance Way, and even a Vespa rally organized by local coastal motorcycle clubs. It is a way to extend the celebration to those who do not ride and to showcase a territory that stretches from the dunes of the Tyrrhenian Sea to the beech forests of the Simbruini Mountains Park.

Why it's worth the trip

• A living pastoral tradition, not a staged performance, in the heart of Lazio
• The charm of the medieval village of Jenne, home of Pope Alexander IV, and the Aniene Valley
• The Simbruini Mountains Regional Natural Park, with its trails, springs, and woods
• A free and genuine popular festival in the main town square