Vertuti Festival

A festival preserving a nearly forgotten dish

The Vertuti Festival in Oliveto Sabino, a hamlet of the municipality of Torricella in Sabina, in the province of Rieti, is one of the most authentic spring celebrations in the Rieti-Sabina area. Now in its twentieth edition in 2026, it is organized annually by the Pro Loco Oliveto Sabino in early May, continuing the ancient traditions of the rural May Day, when families would clear their pantries of the previous year's legumes to prepare a large, auspicious soup.

What are 'vertuti'?

Vertuti is a hearty spring soup made of legumes and cereals—beans, chickpeas, fava beans, wheat, and corn—flavored with wild thyme leaves and dressed with Sabina extra virgin olive oil, one of the region's signature products. It is a traditional peasant dish that has almost disappeared from modern tables, related to the more famous 'virtù' of Teramo; it once marked the transition from winter to the warmer season, blending the last of the winter stores with the first spring harvests.

The festival in Piazza della Croce

The heart of the festival is the grand convivial lunch in Piazza della Croce, the village's main square. From lunchtime, the Pro Loco food stands serve the vertuti accompanied by other local traditional dishes: the essential fresh fava beans with pecorino cheese, pork loin, bruschetta with Sabina oil, and dessert, all washed down with water and local wine. In past editions, the menu has also included tomato macaroni, roasted potatoes, and sausages. Seating is limited and reservations are mandatory, reflecting a festival designed more for conviviality than for large crowds.

Artisan markets and local farms

Alongside the culinary offerings, the square hosts artisan markets and stalls from local farms, where you can purchase DOP Sabina extra virgin olive oil, legumes, cheeses, and other typical products. Music and entertainment accompany the afternoon in a genuine village festival atmosphere.

Oliveto Sabino and the Rieti-Sabina area

Oliveto Sabino is a tiny hillside village in the municipality of Torricella in Sabina, in the heart of the Sabina region, in the province of Rieti, Lazio. Its very name tells the story of the surrounding landscape: hills covered in olive groves that produce the extra virgin oil used to season the vertuti. The festival is also an opportunity to discover this secluded area of Lazio, with its stone villages, ancient olive groves, and the nearby Turano Valley.

Why visit?

• To taste vertuti, a rustic soup now found only here and in a few other Sabina villages.
• For the convivial lunch in the square at an affordable price, featuring fava beans, pecorino, and traditional Rieti dishes.
• For the artisan markets and local farm products, starting with Sabina olive oil.
• To experience the intimate atmosphere of a true village festival in the lesser-known parts of Lazio.