Valdichiana Eating

A weekend of taste in the medieval village of Cetona

Valdichiana Eating is a travelling food and wine festival that brings the very best of Senese Valdichiana agricultural produce to a different village each year. For the 2026 edition, the choice fell on Cetona, one of the most charming towns in the province of Siena, Tuscany. Dominated by Monte Cetona and celebrated for its medieval atmosphere, the town will host the event in Piazza Garibaldi, which will become the beating heart of the festival for two days, featuring local producers' stalls and a packed programme of free events.

The zero-kilometre farmers' market

The soul of the event is the farmers' market, bringing together local businesses with their genuine, short-supply-chain products:

• Extra virgin olive oil and wine
• Cured meats and pecorino cheese
• Legumes, preserves, and seasonal fruit and vegetables
• Honey, saffron, and typical products from the Valdichiana and Val d'Orcia regions

Visitors can meet the producers directly, learn the stories behind these small agricultural businesses, and purchase the finest local food and wine.

The Aglione della Valdichiana takes centre stage

The symbolic heart of the 2026 edition is the Aglione della Valdichiana, a large-bulb garlic variety with a delicate flavour, currently a candidate for PGI recognition. Talks, tastings, and show cooking sessions dedicated to the region's agrobiodiversity will revolve around this unique product.

Show cooking, tastings, and the Disfida Cetonese

The programme includes cooking shows with well-known culinary figures, guided wine and oil tastings led by FISAR sommeliers and AICOO experts, and the Disfida Cetonese—a widespread gastronomic challenge between local restaurants and farmhouses where the public votes for the competing dishes. Throughout the weekend, the Civic Museum for the Prehistory of Monte Cetona and the Belverde Archaeological and Natural Park will remain open, allowing visitors to combine culinary pleasure with the discovery of local culture.

A local event

The event is organised by the Strada del Vino Nobile di Montepulciano e dei Sapori della Valdichiana Senese, in collaboration with the Municipality of Cetona, the Pro Loco, and Vetrina Toscana. It is an appointment designed to promote sustainability, seasonality, and the rural identity of one of Tuscany's most authentic territories.