Rosso Visciola - Food in the Land of Myth

A signature fruit and a community

In Sezze, in the province of Latina, the sour cherry is more than just a fruit: it is a hallmark of identity. Along with the famous artichoke, this small, tart cherry from the Lepini Mountains has accompanied the life of the village for generations, especially in its most beloved form, the sour cherry tart (crostata di visciole) — so much so that Sezze is considered the home of the sour cherry tartlet, one of the most recognizable typical desserts of the Lepini area. Rosso Visciola - Food in the Land of Myth was created precisely to showcase this excellence, with an evening that brings the streets of the Sezze historic center to life every mid-June.

The Land of Myth and the Appian Way

The name of the event evokes the "Land of Myth," the Pontine and Lepini territory linked to the legend of Hercules, the mythical founder of Sezze, and crossed by the Appian Way, the Regina Viarum. The event is built upon the "C.L.O. Food in the Land of Myth" partnership and the Appian Way - Regina Viarium network: talks and local walks connect the taste of the sour cherry to the historical and scenic itineraries that link the villages of the province of Latina, in southern Lazio.

A "slow," elegant, and scattered format

Rosso Visciola is not a traditional festival with a single stand and long queues: it is a scattered event, designed as a stroll through alleys and small squares. Institutional, food, wine, and artisan stalls are spread across Via Marconi, Porta Pascibella, Via del Guglietto, and Via Corradini, while live music — jazz, dixieland, violins — accompanies the tastings in the most evocative corners of the village. The Councilor for Productive Activities, Lola Fernandez, described the format as "as elegant as the color of our sour cherries": a different way of promoting the territory, more intimate and curated.

What to taste

The absolute star is the sour cherry in all its variations: alongside traditional tartlets, recent editions have offered contemporary interpretations such as sour cherry jelly, sour cherry gin and tonic, and spritz paired with a popsicle. The food and wine tasting in the Giardino del Visciolo, curated by the Pro Loco of Sezze, is one of the most anticipated moments, along with the food stalls in the Piazzetta della Capocroce and Vicolo dello Spirito Santo.

With the Feast of Saint Anthony

The event coincides with the celebrations in honor of Saint Anthony: Holy Mass at the "U. Calabresi" Social Center and the religious procession through the streets of the historic center open the evening, uniting the devotional moment with the celebration of taste. It is a typically Italian blend of the sacred and the popular, which roots the event in the calendar of Sezze traditions.

Who organizes it

Rosso Visciola is promoted by the Municipality of Sezze through the Local and Tourism Development Services, in collaboration with the Parish of Santa Lucia, the Pro Loco of Sezze, Confcommercio Lazio Sud, and with the support of the Province of Latina and the Chamber of Commerce. Established in 2024, the event has already become a permanent fixture of the Lepini summer, capable of involving over twenty-five organizations including artisans, merchants, and local cultural associations.