Mosciarella Festival

A festival dedicated to the gold of the Prenestini Mountains

For over forty years, on the last Sunday of November, the small town of Capranica Prenestina—perched at an altitude of about 900 meters in the Prenestini Mountains near Rome—has dedicated an entire day to the mosciarella. This name refers to the dried chestnut, a symbolic local product born from a slow, patient process passed down through generations. Today, the Mosciarella Festival is one of the most cherished autumn events in inland Lazio, attracting visitors from Rome and across the region.

What is a mosciarella?

The mosciarella is a rare and flavorful variety of dried chestnut. The traditional method involves the use of casette, small stone drying sheds scattered throughout the chestnut groves. A light, steady fire is lit on the ground floor, and the heat rises through a wooden lattice to the chestnuts spread out above, where they dry for about a month. The chestnuts are then beaten to remove the skins and stored—white and sterilized—in dry sacks. This rural knowledge has roots in the Roman era and, between the 16th and 17th centuries, led to chestnut groves covering vast portions of the territory.

The village and the chestnut grove

Capranica Prenestina is part of the prestigious Most Beautiful Villages in Italy circuit and serves as the gateway to the Natural Monument of the Prenestino Chestnut Grove, an ancient forest covering hundreds of hectares on the mountain slopes. The local Civic Naturalistic Museum preserves the memory of this landscape and opens its doors for free during the festival, offering guided hikes among the chestnut trees.

How the festival unfolds

The day weaves together nature, culture, and gastronomy. In the morning, a guided hike through the chestnut grove begins; at noon, the culinary trail opens, leading the public through the alleys of the historic center with a menu entirely inspired by chestnuts. In the afternoon, the re-enactment of the ancient mosciarella processing takes the stage, accompanied by traditional music, while activities for children make the festival family-friendly.

• Guided hike to the Natural Monument of the Prenestino Chestnut Grove
• Culinary trail through the village alleys
• Re-enactment of the traditional mosciarella processing
• Folk music and children's activities
• Free admission to the Civic Naturalistic Museum

Autumn flavors

The star of the show is, of course, the chestnut, prepared in countless ways: from roasted chestnuts handed out to the crowd to traditional dishes served along the culinary trail, such as chickpea soup with chestnut croutons and various desserts. There is no shortage of typical products from the Prenestini Mountains and local wines, such as Cesanese, creating an authentic portrait of the rural cuisine of this corner of Lazio.

The Mosciarella Festival is much more than a food event: it is a way to keep the values and wisdom of a community alive, rediscovering a humble yet precious product that still tells the story of the identity of Capranica Prenestina and the Roman mountains.