Mondina and Fried Quartuccio Festival in Bargecchia

A hillside tradition nearly half a century old

The Mondina and Fried Quartuccio Festival is held in Bargecchia, a small hillside village in the Municipality of Massarosa, in the Province of Lucca, in the heart of the Versilian Tuscany. Born in 1975, the event is one of the longest-running and most beloved autumn festivals in the region: year after year, it gathers local residents, families from Versilia, and curious visitors in search of the most authentic flavors of the Lucchese peasant tradition.

The event is organized with passion by the Circolo della Pubblica Assistenza Croce Verde Collinare together with the AVIS section of Bargecchia: the proceeds from the festival support the volunteer work of these two associations, giving the celebration a charitable value that goes far beyond the pleasure of the table.

The stars: mondine and fried quartuccio

At the heart of the festival are two specialties that give the event its name. Mondine are roasted chestnuts, the prized fruit of the hillside forests around Bargecchia and a symbol of the Tuscan autumn. The fried quartuccio is a crispy, fragrant fried bread dough, traditionally served with prosciutto: a humble peasant dish that becomes a true delicacy here.

Alongside these stars, the kitchen offers a rich menu of local traditions:

• Mondine (freshly roasted chestnuts)
• Fried quartuccio with prosciutto
• Tordelli with meat sauce, the signature dish of Lucchese and Versilian cuisine
• Zuppa alla frantoiana, the famous vegetable and legume soup scented with new olive oil
• Tripe prepared in the traditional way
• Roast beef and other meat main courses

Music, conviviality, and village atmosphere

The Mondina and Fried Quartuccio Festival is not just about food. Every evening, after dinner, the square of Bargecchia transforms into an open-air stage with live music, dance evenings, and entertainment for all ages. It is an opportunity to gather, dance, and experience the genuine spirit of Tuscan village festivals, where different generations share the same table.

When and where

The event takes place over three weekends in October, with kitchens opening every evening starting at 7:30 PM. The venue is the center of the village of Bargecchia, easily accessible from the towns of Versilia and the city of Lucca. An unmissable stop for those who love authentic festivals, far from mass tourism, where the protagonists remain the products of the land and the generosity of the local community.