Risotto Days and Rice Week

Vercelli, the Italian capital of rice

Surrounded by the endless rice paddies of the Po Valley, Vercelli has been the heart of Italian and European rice cultivation for centuries. It is in this landscape of water and earth that the Rice Week was born, a widespread event promoted by Fipe-Ascom Vercelli together with Confagricoltura Vercelli and Biella, ANGA Vercelli, and numerous local bodies and institutions. The goal is to tell the story of Vercelli rice in all its dimensions: agricultural, economic, gastronomic, and cultural, taking the visitor from production to the table.

The Risotto Days, the delicious heart of the event

At the heart of the Rice Week are the Risotto Days, the most anticipated appointment for food lovers. For several days, about forty restaurants in Vercelli and the province join the initiative by offering a special fixed-price menu with risotto as the star dish. Each chef interprets the great classic of local cuisine in their own way, creating a taste journey that ranges from traditional recipes to the most creative reinterpretations. You can savor risottos made with the historic varieties of the territory, such as Carnaroli, Sant'Andrea di Baraggia DOP, and Maratelli, often paired with other Piedmontese excellences.

From the paddy field to the museums: guided tours

The Rice Week is not just about food. During the event, a rich calendar of free guided tours is scheduled to the symbolic places of rice cultivation and city history: the Commodity Exchange in Piazza Zumaglini, where the price of rice was once set, the historic rice mills, and the museums of Vercelli, from the Museo Leone to the Cathedral Treasure Museum, from the MAC Santa Chiara to the Typographic Archive. A way to discover how the culture of rice has shaped the identity of the city and the Province of Vercelli.

An event for the whole territory

The Rice Week and the Risotto Days are a collective celebration that involves restaurateurs, farmers, rice mills, museums, and associations of the Vercelli area, in Piedmont. More than a single event, it is an opportunity to experience the deep bond between Vercelli and its rice at 360 degrees, in a period of the year when the rice-growing plain prepares for a new season.