Venere Contadina

Venere Contadina: the countryside in the heart of Rome

On the weekend of April 18–19, 2026, the Casale dei Cedrati, located within the expansive Villa Doria Pamphilj park in Rome, will host Venere Contadina. This two-day event celebrates the capital's agricultural vocation through talks, farm-to-table tastings, and activities for families. The festival aims to become a permanent laboratory—a place to rediscover the ancient bond between the city and its land.

The Giardino dei Cedrati

The heart of the event is the Giardino dei Cedrati, the citrus garden that gives the Casale its name. Twelve different varieties of citrus trees grow here, some sourced from protected areas and planted in collaboration with Slow Food Presidia. Originally landscaped in the 18th century by Gabriele Valvass by Gabriele Valvassori with pergolas, pathways, fountains, and wrought-iron gates, the garden was dedicated to the goddess Venus—hence the name of the festival, which weaves together beauty, nature, and rural culture.

A program between memory and the future

The two days alternate between reflection and culinary delight. Discussions will cover the restoration of historic greenhouses, modern cultivation techniques, Rome's agricultural heart, and local landscape production, featuring experts, officials, and local organizations like Slow Food Lazio. There will also be workshops for children, including creative recycling and open-air theater, as well as farm-to-table tastings featuring products grown at or associated with the Casale: organic salads, cheeses paired with bitter orange marmalade, oil from the Consorzio Olio di Roma IGP, and beer infused with citrus peels from the garden.

An event for the whole city

With almost all activities free of charge and set in the lush greenery of one of Rome's most beloved parks, Venere Contadina is perfect for families, curious visitors, and lovers of nature and good food. It is an invitation to view the capital from an unusual perspective—that of its rural history—in a corner of the Municipality of Rome, in the Lazio region, where the countryside has never truly faded away.

Why it's worth attending

• A free, open-air weekend in a historic garden at Villa Pamphilj.
• Farm-to-table tastings linked to the Casale's citrus heritage.
• Workshops designed for children and families.
• Talks on Rome's agricultural vocation with experts and local stakeholders.