Polta Festival

The Polta Festival in Pacentro

In the heart of the Abruzzo summer, the medieval village of Pacentro, in the province of L'Aquila, opens its stone alleys for one of its most cherished events: the Polta Festival. The event, which reached its twenty-first edition in 2025, brings the authentic flavors of our grandparents' kitchen—the food of the fields and farming families of the Peligna Valley—back to the table every year.

What is polta?

Polta is a simple, nutritious peasant dish from the farming tradition of Pacentro. It is prepared by boiling beans, potatoes, and cabbage separately, then chopping them and sautéing them in a pan with extra virgin olive oil, garlic, and, for those who like it spicy, chili pepper. It is a humble yet flavorful one-pot meal, born from a culture of zero waste and designed to warm up the evenings of yesteryear, which has now become a symbol of the town's gastronomic identity.

An evening of taste and tradition

The festival usually takes place in mid-August in the historic center of the village, with stalls set up in Piazza Umberto I and along the narrow streets. The tasting of polta is accompanied by local wine and regional specialties, while live music and social gatherings animate the evening until late. Admission is free, and the festival attracts residents, emigrants returning for the summer, and visitors curious to discover the flavors of inland Abruzzo.

Who organizes it

The event is promoted by the Pro Loco of Pacentro in collaboration with the Polta Festival Association, under the patronage of the Municipality of Pacentro. It is a collective effort that keeps a deep-rooted tradition alive and passes it on to new generations.

Pacentro, one of Italy's most beautiful villages

Included in the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy circuit and nestled within the Majella National Park, Pacentro dominates the Peligna Valley with its medieval silhouette. The mighty Caldora-Cantelmo Castle, with its towers and double curtain walls, is one of the best-preserved fortifications in Abruzzo. The village is also known for being the ancestral home of the singer Madonna's family and for the traditional 'Corsa degli Zingari' (Race of the Gypsies) in early September. Attending the Polta Festival means experiencing not just a dish, but the entire atmosphere of a mountain village suspended between history and nature in Abruzzo.