Maremmana Meat Festival

A festival born from the land and livestock

The Maremmana Meat Festival is the most anticipated summer event in Monte Romano, a town in the Province of Viterbo, in northern Lazio. The village sits in a green valley at the gateway to the Maremma, halfway between Tarquinia and Vetralla, in a territory where shepherding and free-range livestock farming have dictated the rhythm of the seasons for centuries. The festival stems from this very reality: it is not a manufactured tourist attraction, but the public celebration of a culinary culture that the people of Monte Romano have practiced at home and in the pastures long before it became a draw for visitors.

The Maremmana breed, the absolute star

The Maremmana cattle, with their long lyre-shaped horns and grey coats, are the iconic image of the countryside between Tuscia and the Maremma. Raised in a semi-wild state, they provide flavorful, well-structured meat that local cuisine has learned to utilize in its entirety, following a philosophy of complete respect for the animal. At the festival, this translates into a menu that treats noble cuts and humble offal with equal dignity.

• Grilled steak, cooked on open-view grills that remain the scenic heart of the event
• Beef stew and slow-cooked braised dishes
• Tripe in tomato sauce and oxtail (coda alla vaccinara), cornerstones of the Lazio tradition
• Tongue served according to the local village recipe
• Garden-fresh side dishes, local bread, and the famous Monte Romano biscuits paired with Tuscia wines

Piazza Dante and Piazza Lodovico Leo

The historic center is closed to traffic and transformed into a large open-air dining room. Piazza Dante, recently renovated, hosts the food stalls and the main stage; Piazza Lodovico Leo accommodates a second performance area and overflow seating. The surrounding streets feature local producers' stands, evening craft markets, and antique stalls. Food stands traditionally open at 7:00 PM, with service continuing late into the night.

Music, dancing, and village evenings

Each night, the festival is accompanied by live concerts focusing on the Roman and Lazio folk repertoire, traditional stornelli songs, dance music, and Italian classics, with dance parties continuing until late. The 2025 edition featured the band Kosacustika, Gli Stornellatori, and I Figli delle Stelle, with Saturday night dedicated to a DJ set. It is unpretentious entertainment designed to get families, groups of friends, and vacationers returning from the beaches of Tarquinia dancing.

An event that involves the whole town

Behind the event is the Pro Loco Monte Romano APS, which mobilizes dozens of volunteers for the kitchens, table service, and setup. One of the traits most cited by the organizers themselves is the passing of the torch between the veteran cooks and the new generations, who have brought energy and a few modern touches in recent years without distorting the recipes. The 38th edition, in August 2025, exceeded five thousand visitors over three nights, confirming the festival as one of the most solid gastronomic events of the Viterbo summer.

Why it's worth the trip

Those who come to Monte Romano find a festival that is still on a human scale, where you eat well for a fair price and where the distance between those cooking and those sitting at the table is practically non-existent. Nearby, the Tuscia region offers some of the most beautiful landscapes in Lazio: the Etruscan necropolis of Tarquinia, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is just a few kilometers away, as are the natural thermal springs and the villages of the Lazio Maremma. It is the perfect opportunity to combine a festive evening with a weekend of discovery.