Vicovaro Spring Festival

A festival of nature and tradition at the gates of the Aniene Valley

The Vicovaro Spring Festival is one of the most anticipated new events of the season in the Aniene Valley, located about forty kilometers from Rome. Established in 2025, the event takes place in the square in front of the San Cosimato Convent, one of the most picturesque sites in the Lazio region: a monastic complex perched on a rock spur overlooking the Aniene River, along the ancient Via Tiburtina Valeria. The event is promoted by the Municipality of Vicovaro together with the Monti Lucretili Regional Natural Park and is organized by the San Cosimato Festival Committee, chaired by Adriana Dominici.

The Hermitages of Saint Benedict, a hidden heritage

The cultural heart of the festival is the guided tour of the Hermitages of Saint Benedict, led by an environmental hiking guide. The hermitages, with their rock-cut stairs and caves transformed into chapels, house 17th-century decorations and tell an ancient chapter of Lazio's spirituality: according to tradition, Saint Benedict of Nursia stayed at San Cosimato before retiring to Subiaco. Tours take place in small groups in the morning, with entry by voluntary donation, offering a chance to discover a site that is usually difficult to access.

A convivial lunch with traditional dishes

At midday, the festival turns into a large open-air lunch in front of the convent. The second edition's menu features strozzapreti with garlic, oil, and tomato, bruschetta with pancetta, tomato salad, and homemade tart, with wine and water included. It is the simple, honest cuisine of the Aniene Valley villages, served in a setting that combines conviviality with scenery: from the tables, the view sweeps over the river gorges and the peaks of the Monti Lucretili.

An afternoon of music, dancing, and families

After lunch, the square comes alive with children's games, music, and group dancing with DJ Pepè and the Allegra Compagnia. The 2026 edition, scheduled for the second Sunday in May, coincides with Mother's Day: a special moment is dedicated to the mothers present, in the presence of municipal authorities and the president of the Monti Lucretili Park. There is also a charity raffle and, in the evening, the distribution of fried pizza, a delicious way to end the day.

Vicovaro, gateway to the Aniene Valley

A village in the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, in the Lazio region, Vicovaro defines itself as the "gateway to the Aniene Valley," a territory where history, nature, and gastronomic culture meet. The Spring Festival, along with the Autumn Festival organized by the same committee, is now part of an event calendar that promotes San Cosimato and attracts visitors from Rome and the entire valley: the first edition in 2025 was, in fact, a complete sell-out.