Tuscia in Fiore — Villa San Giovanni in Tuscia

The village that dresses in flowers

Every spring, the small town of Villa San Giovanni in Tuscia — home to just a few hundred residents perched in the hills of the Viterbo province in northern Lazio — transforms into an open-air garden. This is the home of Tuscia in Fiore, a traveling festival that sweeps through the villages of the Tuscia region throughout May, featuring floral installations, art, crafts, and local flavors. The Villa San Giovanni in Tuscia leg is the inaugural event and has grown over the years into the town's most significant celebration, attracting tens of thousands of visitors from across Italy.

A traveling festival in the heart of Tuscia

Tuscia in Fiore is organized by the non-profit organization Tuscia in Fiore ETS in collaboration with local municipal administrations, with the goal of promoting Tuscia as a premier tourist destination. The central theme is the contrast between the local peperino stone and spring flowers: floral arches, petal carpets, and handmade creations — blending recycling, art, and creativity — enhance the alleys, stairways, and squares of the historic centers. Following the opening in Villa San Giovanni in Tuscia, the festival continues weekend after weekend, visiting Bassano in Teverina, the historic center of Viterbo, and Castiglione in Teverina, while the archaeological park in Sutri blooms for over a month.

Floral installations

The heart of the event lies in the floral and artistic installations spread along a route that winds through the entire village: in the 2025 edition, there were twenty-one stops to visit, ranging from floral arrangements to fantastical statues and displays curated by artists and volunteers. Homes in the historic center participate with their open doors, showcasing decorated courtyards and cellars, while artisans exhibit local crafts including ceramics, textiles, and woodwork.

Pizzette from the window and village flavors

The most beloved tradition is the pizzette served from the window: local families bake and distribute these small pizzas directly from their home windows, a gesture of hospitality that has become the symbol of the festival. In the square, fresh egg pasta and ricotta are prepared live, while the food stands offer traditional Viterbo dishes, such as pezzata, alongside vegetarian options and local products like oil, cheese, and honey from the Tuscia region.

An event for families

Tuscia in Fiore places great emphasis on children: emotional painting workshops, clay modeling, Lego creations, and giant chess with its own tournament bring the days to life. There are also moments of solidarity, such as the charity walk organized with the Beatrice Onlus, and live performances that accompany the public through the village streets.

Why visit

The Villa San Giovanni in Tuscia leg is the perfect opportunity to discover an authentic corner of Lazio, about an hour and a half from Rome: a peperino stone village that smells of flowers and wood-fired ovens for three days, where the warmth of the residents is an integral part of the show. Admission is free, and the festival is ideal for a day trip combined with visits to the other villages of the Tuscia in Fiore circuit.