Polentone and Traditional Polenta Festival

A winter festival in the heart of Sabina

The Polentone and Traditional Polenta Festival takes place in Montasola, a small town in the province of Rieti, in the Lazio region. It is the first major food and wine event of the year in Sabina: it is held in the first days of January, close to Epiphany, when the medieval village perched among olive groves fills with visitors arriving from Rieti, Rome, and the entire Tiber Valley.

The formula is simple and has been successful for years: the historic center becomes a journey of taste. You walk through alleys, small squares, and cellars opened for the occasion, finding something to sample at every stop. No artificial scenery, just the village as it is, with its light-colored stones and views opening over the Sabina countryside.

The 'polentone montasolino' and traditional polentas

The signature dish is the polentone montasolino, a firm polenta seasoned with guanciale and pecorino, served according to a recipe passed down by local families. Alongside it, there are three tastings of classic polenta with traditional local toppings, showcasing the variety of a dish that has always been considered humble.

• Polentone montasolino with guanciale and pecorino
• Three tastings of classic polenta with traditional toppings
• Lamb skewers grilled over embers
• Polenta-based desserts
• Local wine and mulled wine to warm up

Everything is designed for a winter day: generous portions, hot dishes, and a relaxed pace. You eat standing up or sitting wherever you find a spot, often in the company of strangers, which is how village festivals have always worked.

Market, music, and an open village

Throughout the day, the village hosts a market dedicated to crafts and typical Sabina products, starting with extra virgin olive oil, the true wealth of this territory. The exhibitors are mostly local producers and artisans, and the market occupies the squares and indoor spaces along the festival route.

Live music wanders through the streets and squares of the village: roving bands move from one point to another, without a fixed stage, so the sound accompanies those strolling by. For the occasion, some places that are usually closed are opened, such as the Oratory Chapel and the Church of San Michele Arcangelo, along with spaces that showcase the crafts and daily life of the past, including the municipal oven.

Montasola, a village to discover

With just over four hundred inhabitants, Montasola is one of the smallest towns in the province of Rieti, belonging to the Sabina region that stretches between the Tiber and the Sabina mountains. The village retains its medieval layout, with city walls, entrance gates, and stone houses huddled together. From the upper part of the village, the view stretches far, reaching the Apennine profiles.

Those arriving for the festival find two things at once: a table full of tradition and a village that can be explored on foot in a short time. Nearby, there are the woods of Monte Cosce and trails connecting Montasola to other villages in the Rieti Sabina, for those who want to extend the day with a walk.

An event organized by the village

The event is promoted by the Municipality of Montasola together with the Festival Committee and local associations, with the volunteer work of a large part of the community. It is a community festival in the most concrete sense: it is the inhabitants who cook, serve, and open the doors of the village, and this is felt in the atmosphere of the day.