Francigena Festival
The grand finale of the pilgrimage between Priverno and Fossanova Abbey
About Francigena Festival
A journey that becomes a celebration
The Francigena Festival is an event that brings together walkers, pilgrims, scholars, and curious visitors every spring along the Southern Via Francigena in Lazio, a 230-kilometer route that descends from the gates of Rome toward the Lower Lazio region, crossing the provinces of Rome and Latina. After several stages held in various towns, the festival reaches its grand finale in the Municipality of Priverno, in the province of Latina, based in the extraordinary medieval village of Fossanova.
Priverno and Fossanova Abbey
It would be hard to find a more fitting setting. Fossanova Abbey is the oldest example of Cistercian-Gothic architecture in Italy and preserves the cell where Saint Thomas Aquinas died in 1274: the cloister, chapter house, guesthouse, and the Infirmary of the Conversi still bear witness to the hospitality the monks once offered to travelers. Surrounding the abbey is a compact village of light-colored stone, now home to a tourist information point and local artisan shops. Nearby, Priverno preserves Piazza Giovanni XXIII, the 13th-century town hall, and the Archaeological Museum linked to the ancient city of Privernum.
Walking together
The heart of the festival is the group walk, open to everyone and non-competitive, which connects Priverno to Fossanova along country paths and dirt roads at the foot of the Lepini Mountains. Recent editions have also featured multiple itineraries starting from neighboring towns, all converging on the abbey: a simple and effective way to physically experience the idea of a territory united by the path. The pace is slow and suitable for families, with stops, storytelling, and scenic viewpoints.
Culture, spirituality, and debate
The cultural dimension is more than just a side event. Each edition dedicates significant space to a public conference in the Infirmary of the Conversi Auditorium, inside the abbey complex, where administrators, university professors, and religious representatives discuss the value of pilgrimage routes: sustainable tourism, the development of inland villages, dialogue between peoples, and landscape protection. It is the moment when the festival becomes a laboratory of ideas for the future of the Southern Francigena.
Music, entertainment, and flavors of the Lepini
Upon the arrival of the walkers, the village comes alive: street performers and costumed troupes welcome participants with music and entertainment, while local associations host a communal lunch in the equipped area next to the information point. The table is filled with products from the Lepini Mountains and the Pontine Plain, from homemade pasta to cheeses, extra virgin olive oil, and traditional desserts. The atmosphere remains deliberately simple and rustic, free from artifice.
A widespread event in Lazio
The Francigena Festival is not limited to a single day: throughout the spring, it visits various towns in Lazio crossed by the route, from Velletri to the villages of the Compagnia dei Lepini, before concluding in Priverno. The event is organized by the Gruppo dei Dodici ODV together with the DMO Francigena Sud nel Lazio, with the support of the Lazio Region, the Municipality of Priverno, and the European Association of the Via Francigena.
Who is it for?
- Walkers and pilgrims who want to experience the Southern Francigena in a single day.
- Families looking for an outdoor excursion with entertainment and lunch.
- Art and history enthusiasts, drawn by the Cistercian complex of Fossanova.
- Slow travelers interested in sustainable tourism and the villages of southern Lazio.
Francigena Festival — edition 2026
"Together along the paths of sharing"
The grand finale of the 2026 Francigena Festival took place on Saturday, June 6, between Priverno and the village of Fossanova, concluding a spring journey that had already touched several towns in Lazio crossed by the Southern Via Francigena.
The walk for peace
Participants met at 9:30 AM in Piazza Giovanni XXIII in Priverno. At 10:00 AM, the "10,000 steps against wars" group walk began, a symbolic route traveled with peace flags to Fossanova, where walkers arrived around 12:30 PM, welcomed by the music and entertainment of the La Corte de' Buffoni company. This was followed by a communal lunch organized by the Fontana del Fico association in the picnic area next to the Tourist Information Point.
The conference at the Abbey
At 2:30 PM, the Infirmary of the Conversi Auditorium hosted the conference "The Via Francigena: a path of culture and peace", opened by the Bishop of Latina Mariano Crociata and the Mayor of Priverno Annamaria Bilancia, with contributions from professors Pierluigi Magistri and Simone Bozzato from the University of Rome Tor Vergata. At the center of the debate was the value of religious and cultural pilgrimages as a tool for territorial development and dialogue between peoples. The official closing of the event took place at 4:30 PM.
Organizers
The event was promoted by the Gruppo dei Dodici ODV and the DMO Francigena Sud nel Lazio, with the support of the Lazio Region, the Municipality of Priverno, the Compagnia dei Lepini, and the European Association of the Via Francigena.
Programme Francigena Festival 2026
Saturday, June 6, 2026 — Priverno and Fossanova
- 9:30 AM — Meeting and registration in Piazza Giovanni XXIII, Priverno
- 10:00 AM — Start of the "10,000 steps against wars" group walk, with peace flags, from Priverno towards Fossanova
- 12:30 PM — Arrival in the medieval village of Fossanova, welcome with music and entertainment by the La Corte de' Buffoni company
- 1:00 PM — Communal lunch organized by the Fontana del Fico association in the picnic area next to the Tourist Information Point
- 2:30 PM — Conference "The Via Francigena: a path of culture and peace", Infirmary of the Conversi Auditorium, Fossanova Abbey. Opening by the Bishop of Latina Mariano Crociata and Mayor Annamaria Bilancia; speeches by professors Pierluigi Magistri and Simone Bozzato (University of Rome Tor Vergata)
- 4:30 PM — Official closing of the 2026 Francigena Festival
Highlights Francigena Festival 2026
- The "10,000 steps against wars" walk from Priverno to Fossanova, with peace flags
- The costumed welcome by the La Corte de' Buffoni company in the medieval village
- The conference in the Infirmary of the Conversi Auditorium, inside Fossanova Abbey
- The communal lunch featuring products from the Lepini Mountains
- The theme of the edition: "Together along the paths of sharing"
Prices Francigena Festival 2026
Practical information — Francigena Festival
How to get there
By car: from the SS7 Appia or the Frosinone-Mare expressway, take the Priverno-Fossanova exit; the village is about 5 km from the center of Priverno. By train: Priverno-Fossanova station on the Rome-Naples line via Formia, with bus and taxi connections to the abbey. Nearest airports: Rome Fiumicino and Rome Ciampino.
Admission and registration
Participation in the festival and the walk is free; for the group walk, registration is required via the online form provided by the organizers. The communal lunch organized by local associations is available for a contribution.
Tips
Bring light trekking shoes, a hat, and water: the route is almost entirely outdoors. Those arriving early can visit the Archaeological Museum of Priverno and the Medieval Museum before the start.
Contacts
Gruppo dei Dodici ODV — [email protected] — tel. +39 320 6196535.
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Where does it take place — Francigena Festival
Abbazia di Fossanova e centro storico di Priverno
Via San Tommaso d'Aquino 1, Borgo di Fossanova, 04015 Priverno