Festival of Medieval Cities and Villages (Fiuggi stage)
Great classical music in the medieval villages of Lazio, with a summer stop in Fiuggi
About Medieval Cities and Villages
An itinerant festival through the villages of Lazio
The Festival of Medieval Cities and Villages is an itinerant concert series that, since 1981, has traversed the municipalities of the Aniene Valley (province of Rome) and upper Ciociaria (province of Frosinone) every summer. Each edition features around forty events hosted in collegiate churches, archaeological sites, municipal theaters, and historic squares of rare beauty. The core idea of the project is both simple and ambitious: to bring together the great classical repertoire and the medieval architectural heritage of Lazio, providing small towns with national-level musical programming.
The Fiuggi stage
Among the towns included in the circuit, the Municipality of Fiuggi holds a permanent spot. Famous throughout Italy for its thermal waters, Fiuggi preserves a perched medieval historic center — Fiuggi Alta — made of alleys, arches, and stairways that slope down toward the main square. This setting provides the backdrop for the annual concert: the festival alternates each year between the Collegiate Church of San Pietro and the scenic staircase of the Municipal Theater, where the natural acoustics and the view over the village rooftops create an atmosphere no concert hall can replicate.
A long-standing artistic direction
The festival is organized by the Ernica Simbruina Musical Association and is directed by Maestro Vincenzo Mario Mariozzi, an orchestral-trained clarinetist who curates the program. The event is held under the patronage of the Ministry of Culture and supported by the Lazio Region, the host municipalities, the BCC of Paliano, and Acea Ato2. This institutional continuity has allowed the festival to span over forty-five years without interruption, a rarity in the Italian music festival landscape.
The music
The program revolves around classical and chamber music, with occasional forays into sacred music and more popular pieces. Over the years, the stage has hosted:
- Symphony and chamber orchestras, including the Calabria Philharmonic Orchestra and the ICO Orchestra of the Teatro Goldoni in Livorno;
- Specialized ensembles such as the Virtuosi di Vivaldi and the Ensemble of the San Pietro a Majella Conservatory of Naples;
- Acclaimed soloists — pianists, violinists, oboists, and flutists — often accompanied by young international performers;
- Monographic evenings dedicated to Italian and Neapolitan songs, and tributes to cinema, such as the homage to Ennio Morricone.
Why it's worth the trip
Attending a festival concert means combining two experiences in one evening: discovering a medieval village during the golden hour, when the sun sets and the stones release the day's warmth, and listening to live music in an intimate setting where the audience is just a few meters from the performers. Tickets are deliberately affordable — just a few euros, with discounts for youth and seniors — because the festival was born with a civic vocation: to bring high culture out of major urban centers and make it accessible to those living in the inland towns of Lazio.
Fiuggi beyond the concert
Visitors coming for the musical evening can easily build a weekend around it. Fiuggi offers the Bonifacio VIII and Anticolana Springs with their thermal parks, trails, and cycling paths in the woods of the Ernici Mountains, as well as a robust Ciociarian culinary tradition, from sagne e fagioli to lamb and mountain cheeses. In July, the town's calendar is particularly busy: the Festival of Medieval Cities and Villages concert is part of a summer season that includes literary reviews, guitar festivals, and open-air events.
Medieval Cities and Villages — edition 2026
Fiuggi, July 26, 2026
The Fiuggi appointment of the 46th edition is scheduled for Sunday, July 26, 2026, at 9:15 PM, on the staircase of the Municipal Theater of Fiuggi. The concert, titled "Comparison between two Popes", is a ticketed event.
The theme of the edition
The 2026 edition is titled "International Beethoven" and explores the work of the Bonn composer, also investigating his more private sides — above all his relationship with Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, reconstructed through their correspondence and chamber music production. The festival opened on June 7, 2026, in Paliano, at the Collegiate Church of Sant'Andrea, with "Dawn of Prometheus, the opening to genius," performed by the ICO Orchestra of the Teatro Goldoni in Livorno conducted by Nicola Samale with violinist Riccardo Zanuner.
Other events on the bill
- June 19 — "The Journey into the Soul," with Francesco Mariozzi (cello) and Monaldo Braconi (piano);
- June 28, Paliano — "Beethoven and Goethe, two geniuses": Trio op. 11 and Trio op. 38 with Vincenzo Mariozzi (clarinet), Francesco Mariozzi (cello), Monaldo Braconi (piano), and narrator Fausto Costantini;
- July 5 — "Together for Beethoven, Duet and Septet";
- July 26, Fiuggi — "Comparison between two Popes";
- July 31 — "Grand Heroic Finale, the energy of destiny";
- August 10 — special concert-theater event in the gardens of Palazzo Colonna.
Organization
The festival is curated by the Ernica Simbruina Musical Association under the artistic direction of Maestro Vincenzo Mario Mariozzi, with the patronage of the Ministry of Culture and the support of the Lazio Region, the host municipalities, and the BCC of Paliano.
Programme Medieval Cities and Villages 2026
Fiuggi stage
- Sunday, July 26, 2026, 9:15 PM — Municipal Theater staircase, Fiuggi: concert "Comparison between two Popes." Paid admission.
The 2026 "International Beethoven" program
- June 7 — Paliano, Collegiate Church of Sant'Andrea: "Dawn of Prometheus, the opening to genius." ICO Orchestra of the Teatro Goldoni in Livorno, conductor Nicola Samale, violin Riccardo Zanuner.
- June 19 — "The Journey into the Soul." Francesco Mariozzi, cello; Monaldo Braconi, piano.
- June 28 — Paliano, Collegiate Church of Sant'Andrea: "Beethoven and Goethe, two geniuses." Trio op. 11 and Trio op. 38. Vincenzo Mariozzi, clarinet; Francesco Mariozzi, cello; Monaldo Braconi, piano; Fausto Costantini, narrator.
- July 5 — "Together for Beethoven, Duet and Septet."
- July 31 — "Grand Heroic Finale, the energy of destiny."
- August 10 — Gardens of Palazzo Colonna: special concert-theater event, world premiere.
The complete program of the approximately forty evenings distributed among the municipalities of the Aniene Valley and upper Ciociaria is published by the individual host municipalities and the organizing association.
Highlights Medieval Cities and Villages 2026
- Open-air evening concert on the Municipal Theater staircase, in the historic center of Fiuggi.
- 46th edition of one of the longest-running classical festivals in Lazio.
- Monographic edition "International Beethoven," with an in-depth look at the relationship between Beethoven and Goethe.
- Artistic direction by Maestro Vincenzo Mario Mariozzi and patronage of the Ministry of Culture.
- Affordable ticket prices, designed to make high culture accessible to all.
Prices Medieval Cities and Villages 2026
Practical information — Medieval Cities and Villages
How to get there
By car: from Rome, take the A1 motorway, exit Anagni-Fiuggi, then follow the SR155 for about 15 km (a total of one hour and fifteen minutes from the Grande Raccordo Anulare). From Frosinone, about 35 km along the SR214.
By train: Anagni-Fiuggi station on the Rome-Cassino line, connected to Fiuggi by Cotral bus; the bus ride takes about 30-40 minutes.
By bus: direct Cotral connections from Rome Anagnina.
On-site
Concerts are held in the historic center: it is best to leave your car in the parking lots at the bottom and walk up. The Municipal Theater staircase is outdoors, so it is advisable to bring a light jacket because in Fiuggi, at 750 meters above sea level, summer evenings can get quite cool.
Tickets
Paid admission with affordable rates: 5 euros for a full ticket, 2 euros reduced for under 25s and over 67s. Online booking is generally not available: tickets are purchased on-site before the start.
Where to stay
Fiuggi is a historic spa town and has a wide range of accommodation, from hotels with wellness centers to family-run guesthouses and bed and breakfasts in the upper village. In high season, it is advisable to book in advance.
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Where does it take place — Medieval Cities and Villages
Scalinata del Teatro Comunale di Fiuggi