Francigena Festival

The Francigena Festival, the musical heart of Caprarola's summer

In the village of Caprarola, located in the province of Viterbo in the heart of the Lazio Tuscia, the Francigena Festival is the soul of the summer cultural programme. Part of the town's rich 2026 Summer calendar, the festival offers a series of open-air concerts and theatrical performances from July 23 to August 9, enlivening the village evenings under the starry sky of the Viterbo countryside.

A bridge between the village's iconic landmarks

The festival evenings take place across two stages beloved by the locals: the Terrazza del Teatro Don Paolo Stefani, a panoramic terrace hosting concerts under the stars, and the Teatro Angelo Pecorelli, which hosts the theatrical performances. All around lies the landscape of the village, dominated by the spectacular Villa Farnese, a Renaissance masterpiece that makes Caprarola one of the most fascinating destinations in the Lazio region.

The 2026 programme: bands, jazz, and dialect theatre

The opening night features a concert under the stars that celebrates both the festival and the local musical heritage. The stage then shifts to the great jazz ensembles of the Tuscia region, before concluding with traditional vernacular theatre, reinterpreting a classic of the Italian repertoire in the local dialect.

• July 23 — Opening concert by the ACM Band "Filippo Mascagna", conducted by Daria De Carolis and Nicola Pecorelli, at the Terrazza del Teatro Don Paolo Stefani (9:00 PM, free admission).
• July 26 — The Lake Jazz Orchestra, conducted by Maestro Luca Rizzo, in concert at the Terrazza del Teatro Don Paolo Stefani (9:00 PM).
• August 7, 8, and 9 — "Le baruffe chiozzotte" by Carlo Goldoni, translated and adapted into Caprolatto by Ottavio Sabatucci, directed by Franco Borgna and Ottavio Sabatucci, at the Teatro Angelo Pecorelli (doors open at 8:45 PM, show starts at 9:00 PM).

Between folk music and charity

The festival engages with other summer events in Caprarola, from vocal and instrumental reviews to food festivals celebrating typical Tuscia products, as well as charity jazz events held in the village during the same period. The result is a month full of opportunities where live music, theatre, and folk traditions meet in the squares and theatres of Caprarola.

A festival to experience in the heart of Tuscia

With its free concerts and popular appeal, the Francigena Festival is an ideal opportunity to discover Caprarola and its treasures: from the famous Palazzo Farnese with its royal staircase and Italian garden, to the alleys of the historic centre, and the flavours of hazelnuts and other local gastronomic delights. An event that unites culture, community, and landscape in the spirit of the Via Francigena.