Selvaggia – Festival of Wild Herbs, Flowers, and Buds

Selvaggia, the Garfagnana Wild Herb Festival

In Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, the historic capital of the Garfagnana area in the province of Lucca, every spring brings the celebration of Selvaggia, a unique event on the Italian scene: a festival entirely dedicated to the edible wild herbs, flowers, and buds that grow in the meadows and mountains of the Apennines and the Apuan Alps. Promoted by the Municipality of Castelnuovo di Garfagnana together with the Garfagnana Union of Municipalities, the festival transforms the village into a large, widespread laboratory focused on the theme of "erbi boni" (good herbs), as they are called in the local Garfagnino dialect.

An experience blending nature, culture, and taste

Selvaggia is not just a simple food festival: it is a journey into the region's biodiversity. Along the streets and squares of the historic center, special pyramids and actual woodland corners recreated in the city host the gathered herbs, each classified with its scientific name and its traditional folk name. It is a way to rediscover ancient knowledge—the art of foraging and using wild plants—passed down for generations in the valleys of Garfagnana.

The program weaves together different approaches:

• Herbal Market in Piazza delle Erbe, with stalls dedicated to medicinal herbs and products linked to the event
• Selvaggia Themed Menus in local restaurants, featuring dishes based on wild herbs, soups, and local specialties
• Herbal teas and bitters offered at participating bars
• Guided ethnobotanical excursions to learn how to identify and forage wild herbs
• Cooking shows and talk shows with chefs and experts

The 100 Herbs Dinner

Among the most anticipated events is the 100 Herbs Dinner, a themed menu that brings dozens of different wild herbs to the table, hosted in the evocative setting of the Fortezza di Mont'Alfonso, which overlooks the village. It is an opportunity to savor the extraordinary botanical variety of the valley in a single culinary journey.

Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, gateway to the valley

Dominated by the Rocca Ariostesca—linked to the poet Ludovico Ariosto, who served here as a commissioner for the House of Este—and the Fortezza di Mont'Alfonso, Castelnuovo di Garfagnana is the ideal starting point to discover one of the greenest valleys in Tuscany, nestled between the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines and the Apuan Alps. Selvaggia, with its focus on nature and biodiversity, tells the story of this deep bond between the community and its territory.