Mountain Serpentone

A trail of taste through the alleys of Marcetelli

The Mountain Serpentone is the signature event of Marcetelli, a tiny village in the province of Rieti, Lazio, overlooking the Lago del Salto basin and nestled between the Navegna and Cervia mountains. With only a few dozen permanent residents, Marcetelli is known as the smallest municipality in Lazio: this is precisely why the human "serpentone" that winds through its narrow streets every August is so extraordinary, capable of multiplying the village's population tenfold in a single evening.

The formula is simple and proven: not a traditional festival with fixed stalls, but a wandering food and wine trail. Participants walk from one small square to the next, discovering a different dish of Rieti mountain cuisine at each stop, served by volunteers from the Pro Loco Marcetelli and local youth.

The stops on the trail

The route winds through the most characteristic spots of the village, each paired with a course:

• Pretacchiara — the opening aperitif with bruschetta and local snacks;
• Piazza della Porta — pizzicotti, traditional flour-and-water pasta served with tomato sauce;
• Collacchiu — lentil soup, an iconic dish of the inland region;
• Partucolle — pecora allu cotturu, mutton slow-cooked with tomato and chili pepper;
• ciambelle salere (savory donuts) from the peasant tradition;
• Piazza San Rocco — the final watermelon feast, closing the evening with music.

Throughout the trail, wine is served freely, following the "unlimited wine" tradition that accompanies the journey from one stop to the next. In the most abundant editions, local pecorino cheese, prosciutto, and porcini mushroom bruschetta are added to the menu, showcasing typical products of the Rieti mountains.

Music, folklore, and hospitality

The Serpentone is about more than just food. The evening is enlivened by live music and roaming performers: accordion players, folk songs along the streets, and concerts in Piazza San Rocco keep the crowd entertained until late at night. It is the folklore of the central Apennines in its most authentic form, without tourist filters, where the people serving the tables are the same locals you will find dancing in the square later on.

A village to discover

Those who arrive early can take advantage of the sunset light to explore the village. In Marcetelli, you can find the Church of Santa Maria in Villa, dating back to the 11th century, the characteristic octagonal fountain, the gate of the ancient castrum, and the Museum of Craftsmanship and Peasant Life, which chronicles the trades and daily life of the Rieti mountains before the area saw its population decline. The panoramic view over the valley and surrounding mountains is one more reason to make the trip up here.

Twenty years of tradition

Born from the initiative of the Pro Loco to keep a village alive that has very few inhabitants in winter, the Mountain Serpentone has grown edition after edition to become one of the most anticipated summer events in the Valle del Salto. In 2026, the event celebrates its twentieth anniversary, coinciding with the Ferragosto and San Rocco festivities, when the village fills with returning emigrants, vacationers, and curious visitors from Rome, Rieti, and Abruzzo.

It is a festival small in size but grand in spirit: proof that even the smallest municipality in Lazio can become, for one August evening, the center of the party.