Wild Boar Pappardelle Festival

A festival in the heart of the Tiber Valley

The Wild Boar Pappardelle Festival is the most anticipated gastronomic event in Nazzano, a small village in the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, in the Lazio region, overlooking the great bend of the Tiber just over 45 kilometers from the center of the capital. Organized by the Pro Loco Nazzano, the festival takes place every year on April 25th, Liberation Day, transforming Piazza della Rocca, at the foot of the castle that dominates the town, into a large open-air dining hall.

The signature dish: pappardelle with wild boar ragù

The absolute star is a dish that tells the story of the rural cuisine of the Lazio hinterland: strictly handmade pappardelle, rolled out on a wooden board according to the traditional method, and served with wild boar ragù. It is a preparation that requires an expert hand and long cooking times, capable of softening and enhancing the wild flavor of the meat without masking it. Alongside the pappardelle, the stalls offer grilled meats, seasonal side dishes, and local red wines.

• Handmade pappardelle with wild boar ragù
• Grilled meats and typical local main courses
• Seasonal side dishes and local red wine
• Live music and entertainment during lunch

Taste, biodiversity, and the River Museum

For several years, the festival has been held in conjunction with the Bio and Geodiversity Festival, promoted by the River Museum of Nazzano, which complements the culinary experience with a program of naturalistic education dedicated to the richness of the valley's ecosystems. It is an unusual and successful combination: you have lunch in the square and in the afternoon you head down toward the river for workshops, meetings, and wildlife observation.

The Nazzano, Tevere-Farfa Nature Reserve

Nazzano is the gateway to the Nazzano, Tevere-Farfa Regional Nature Reserve, the first protected area established in Lazio, famous among birdwatching enthusiasts for the richness of the avifauna that frequents the river bend. Those arriving for the festival will find well-equipped trails, observation points, and, on certain days, guided excursions and short boat trips on the Tiber. A visit to the village, the church of Sant'Antimo, and the River Museum naturally completes the day.

A medieval village that tells its story

The town preserves its medieval layout with narrow alleys, arches, and stairways that climb up to the fortress. Walking among the stone houses before or after lunch is part of the experience: from the top, the view embraces the Tiber valley and the hills of the Sabina, with a panorama that explains better than any description why this stretch of the river was chosen as a protected area.

Why it's worth the trip

It is not a spectacular or monumental festival, and that is precisely the point: it is an authentic village celebration, built by the volunteers of the Pro Loco, where the quality of the food and the hospitality count more than the scenery. For those living in Rome, it is a day trip of just over an hour, perfect for an April 25th in the open air; for those traveling in Lazio, it is an opportunity to discover a corner of the province rarely touched by mass tourism, where gastronomic tradition and environmental protection coexist naturally.