Sheep Festival

A village suspended in time near Rome

Saracinesco is one of the most charming and intimate villages in the Lazio region: with just 174 inhabitants perched at an altitude of over 900 meters, it lies just a few kilometers from Tivoli, within the Metropolitan City of Rome. Its ancient Saracen origins are commemorated by a plaque on the panoramic terrace overlooking the Monti Ruffi. The village is a labyrinth of alleys, staircases, and stone houses where cars are forbidden. Walking through the historic center, you will also discover a unique open-air museum of time: seven sundials from different eras scattered throughout the village streets.

The Sheep Festival: flavors of pastoral life

Against this backdrop, the Municipality of Saracinesco celebrates the Sheep Festival in summer, a food festival dedicated to the pastoral culture that has defined life in the upper Aniene Valley for centuries. The stars of the menu are strozzapreti with sheep ragù—a traditional pasta served with an intense, savory meat sauce—and grilled arrosticini. These are paired with tastings and sales of cheeses from the Floriani farm, a local producer keeping the territory's cheesemaking tradition alive.

Classical music in the church of San Michele Arcangelo

The festival is more than just food: in the late afternoon, the church of San Michele Arcangelo hosts a classical music concert. In the 2025 edition, the Orchestra of the Roman Musical Academy performed Antonio Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons" with violinist Marco Fiorini, providing the audience with an atmospheric finale amidst the ancient stones of the village.

A young tradition with ancient roots

The Sheep Festival is a recent event—the first edition took place on Sunday, July 28, 2024, and the second on Sunday, June 22, 2025—yet it is deeply rooted in ancient history. During the festival, the village comes alive with mules, once essential for transporting goods along the steep paths: a direct nod to the daily life of a mountain village that has remained authentic.

Why attend

• Taste traditional strozzapreti with sheep ragù and grilled arrosticini
• Discover cheeses from the Floriani farm and typical products of the Aniene Valley
• Listen to live classical music in the church of San Michele Arcangelo
• Walk through a pedestrian village filled with sundials, staircases, and views of the Monti Ruffi
• Experience the genuine atmosphere of one of the smallest municipalities in Lazio

In the heart of the Aniene Valley

Saracinesco is part of a group of villages in the Aniene Valley—along with Anticoli Corrado, Sambuci, and Vicovaro—that preserve the rural and pastoral memory of the Lazio hinterland. The Sheep Festival, promoted by the municipal administration led by Mayor Marco Orsola, is now one of the events that best captures the identity of this corner of Lazio, where pastoral tradition meets music and warm village hospitality.