Terra Nostra - Flavours to Save

A fair that defends forgotten flavours

In the landscape of food and wine events in Lazio, Terra Nostra - Flavours to Save holds a unique position: it was not created as a commercial exhibition, but as a cultural recovery project. The title says it all — there are flavours at risk of disappearing, products grown or processed by only a few companies, and recipes now passed down only within homes. The Palaterme in Fiuggi festival was born to bring them back to the public. The territory in question is Ciociaria, that part of the province of Frosinone that descends from the Ernici Mountains towards the Sacco Valley, rich in small-scale agricultural production but historically unaccustomed to telling its own story.

The Palaterme, the heart of the event

The venue is no coincidence. The Palaterme is the main congress and exhibition facility in Fiuggi, with a capacity of over three thousand seats, making it one of the largest in central-southern Italy. Hosting a traditional products fair here means providing exhibitors with an indoor space, accessible even during autumn bad weather, and allowing the event to be structured across multiple levels: company stands, tasting areas, and spaces for shows and cooking demonstrations. Fiuggi, after all, is used to welcoming visitors: its spa vocation has made it one of the most popular destinations in Lazio for over a century, with a hotel capacity that no other village in the Province of Frosinone possesses.

What to find at the fair

The exhibition path highlights the excellence of the territory, with a particular focus on niche production. Regular features of the festival include:

• Chestnuts, with the dedicated festival: roasted chestnuts, wine, and music, in the popular format that accompanies the Ciociarian autumn;
• Bread, oil, and wine, featuring tastings of freshly pressed extra virgin olive oil, one of the products on which Ciociaria has built its reputation;
• Local wines, starting with Cesanese, the only DOCG red wine in Lazio, grown in the hills around Piglio and Anagni, just a few kilometres from Fiuggi;
• Cheeses and cured meats from local farms;
• Handmade pasta and traditional peasant dishes, served in their authentic versions.

Live cooking and material culture

Alongside the stands, the event dedicates significant space to demonstrations. In the section called Journeys into Good Taste, chefs, including Michelin-starred ones, work live on typical Ciociarian dishes, reinterpreting them and pairing them with local wines: a way to show that traditional cuisine can stand up to contemporary dining without betraying its roots. Completing the picture is the more anthropological side, with performances by folkloric groups and the setup of a small historical museum of peasant civilization, where tools and work equipment from an agricultural world that disappeared within two generations are displayed.

An opportunity to discover Ciociaria

Those arriving in Fiuggi for the fair will find a territory that is worth the trip. The historic centre of Fiuggi Città, perched on the hill and distinct from the more modern Fiuggi Fonte, preserves medieval alleys and views over the valley. Within a half-hour drive, you can reach Anagni with its Romanesque cathedral and the Charterhouse of Trisulti, nestled in the woods of the Ernici Mountains. The event, held in autumn, falls at the best time to combine the visit with the chestnut and mushroom season, when the local woods are at their best.

Information on upcoming editions

The festival has traditionally taken place in October, over three days. At the moment, no official dates have been published for the 2026 edition: it is advisable to check with the Municipality of Fiuggi or the Palaterme facility before planning your trip.