San Martino Truffle Festival

The truffle, the undisputed king of San Martino

In the municipality of Petrella Salto, in the province of Rieti (Lazio), the small village of San Martino hosts one of the most anticipated festivals in the Rieti Apennines every summer. The San Martino Truffle Festival was born from the initiative of the local residents and has now surpassed forty editions: the 42nd was celebrated in 2025, the 41st in 2024, and the 35th was already held back in 2016. It is an event that has never been commercial, but rather a community gathering, built year after year by those who live in the village and those who return for their August holidays.

A strictly truffle-based menu

The highlight of the event is the tasting: dishes prepared with fresh products and a menu entirely built around the local summer truffle. Truffle fettuccine and bruschetta are the symbols of the evening, served at the food stalls set up in the heart of the village. The truffle of the Cicolano and the Rieti Sabina is an authentic resource of these mountains, gathered by local hunters: the festival is the simplest and most direct way to taste it without any frills, at popular prices and in a convivial setting.

• Food stalls with a truffle-based menu
• Fresh products and traditional local recipes
• Live music and dancing until late at night
• The traditional Pantasima, a folk dance that closes the festival

The Pantasima and folk tradition

Alongside the food, the festival preserves a folkloric element that links it to the peasant festivals of the central Apennines: the Pantasima, a large figure made of cane and paper that is danced among the crowd and accompanies the most anticipated moment of the evening. It is a simple ritual, passed down here along with the recipes, which gives the visitor the feeling of an authentic village festival, not one reconstructed for tourists.

A mountain village to discover

Petrella Salto is located in the Cicolano, the mountain area that extends around Lake Salto, one of the most picturesque artificial basins in Lazio. The municipal territory is dotted with hamlets and castles, first and foremost the fortress that dominates the main town. Those who reach the festival can easily combine the gastronomic evening with a day of hiking along the trails of the Cicolano, a visit to the shores of Lake Salto, or a stop in the nearby villages. The altitude ensures cool evenings even in the middle of August, one more reason to head up here.

How to experience the evening

The festival is an evening event: the opening of the stalls is traditionally set around 7:30 PM and the party continues with live music. Admission is free; you only pay for what you consume. A free shuttle service is provided for the evening to facilitate access to the village, where parking is limited. It is advisable to arrive early: the turnout is considerable and the San Martino Truffle Festival has been a fixed appointment in the summer calendar of the province of Rieti for decades.