Lake Festival (Lagustelli of Percile)

A festival born around two karst ponds

The Lake Festival is the annual appointment that, every May 1st, draws hikers, families, and curious visitors from Rome and across the Sabina area to Percile. The heart of the event is the Lagustelli, two small karst-origin bodies of water—Fraturno, the larger one with a diameter of nearly 120 meters, and the nearby Marraone—protected by a strict nature reserve within the Lucretili Mountains Regional Natural Park. It is an unexpected landscape just a few kilometers from the capital: pastures, oak trees, and still waters that have earned this corner of Lazio the nickname of the "Little Trentino" at the gates of Rome.

The village of Percile and its municipality

With just over two hundred inhabitants, Percile is one of the smallest municipalities in the Province of Rome, in the Lazio Region, nestled on the eastern slopes of the Lucretili Mountains. The festival is organized by the Municipality of Percile in collaboration with local volunteer associations, particularly the cultural association ViviAmo Percile «Claudia Zacchia» and the APS «Luigi de Epifanio». It is a self-funded event built by residents, who for one day multiply the village's population tenfold: a model of slow tourism that the Lucretili Mountains Park has supported for years, with its own information stand and, in some editions, the presence of park rangers on horseback.

The guided walk to the Lagustelli

The highlight of the day is the guided walk that leads from the village to the two ponds. The trail, approximately five kilometers long with a gentle elevation gain, is accessible even to casual walkers and families with children, provided they wear suitable footwear and carry enough water. Along the way, you cross downy oak forests and meadows where horses and cattle graze in the wild. Since parking at the trailhead is very limited, in previous years the organization has provided a shuttle service departing from the Percile parking lot with trips every thirty to forty minutes, generally starting from 10:00 AM.

The table: gnocchi, grilled meats, fava beans, and pecorino

As in every local Lazio festival, gastronomy plays a leading role. The food stand set up by volunteers offers traditional local dishes: homemade gnocchi, grilled meats, sausages, and naturally the iconic May 1st pairing in Lazio, fava beans and pecorino cheese, accompanied by wine from the Castelli and Sabina areas. Everything is served outdoors, on shared tables, in an atmosphere that remains intentionally far from large-scale commercial events.

Nature and park rules

As this is a protected area, visiting the Lagustelli requires some care: swimming in the lakes is not allowed, trash must be carried back down, and dogs must be kept on a leash so as not to disturb the grazing livestock. The Municipality also notes that in case of rain, the event may be postponed: it is therefore always advisable to check for confirmation on the ViviAmo Percile association's channels in the days immediately preceding the event.

What to see beyond the festival

• Naturalistic-Prehistoric Museum of Percile, which tells the story of the geological formation of the Lucretili and the area's findings;
• the medieval village with its alleys, parish church, and castle ruins;
• the Ramiccia, the spring and canyon that open up not far from the town center;
• the other municipalities of the park—Licenza, Roccagiovine, Orvinio—and the nearby Villa of Horace.

The Lake Festival remains, in the calendar of festivals and fairs in Lazio, one of the most authentic May 1st appointments: no major attractions, but a rare landscape, a walk accessible to everyone, and the cuisine of a welcoming community.