Zazzicchie e Verole Festival

An autumn feast in the Ruffi Mountains

The Zazzicchie e Verole Festival is the most anticipated autumn event in Gerano, a small village in the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, in the Lazio region, nestled in the Ruffi Mountains between Tivoli and Subiaco. Established in the early 1980s and reaching its 45th edition in 2025, the festival is organized by the Gerano Pro Loco Association and transforms the squares and alleys of the historic center into a large open-air dining room for two days.

Zazzicchie and verole: what are they?

The festival's name comes from the local dialect: zazzicchie are grilled pork sausages, and verole are roasted chestnuts cooked over an open fire. These two products tell the story of the area's historical economy, where chestnut groves and livestock farming have sustained families for centuries. Eating them in the square in late October, with the first chill of autumn and a glass of wine from the Castelli, is the most authentic way to experience the cuisine of this part of the Roman province.

The festival menu

The Pro Loco food stalls offer a menu of home-style dishes prepared by volunteers. Recent editions have featured:

• Grilled zazzicchie, also served as a sandwich with broccoli rabe;
• Verole, chestnuts roasted on the spot;
• Truffle bruschetta from the surrounding mountains;
• Pasta e fagioli and fresh pasta with sausage sauce;
• French fries and seasonal side dishes;
• Autumn desserts and local wine.

For years, the Pro Loco has provided a children's menu and gluten-free options, as well as covered areas for dining in case of rain.

Music, markets, and entertainment

Alongside the culinary offerings, the festival features live music throughout the two days. In 2025, Saturday evening was energized by the band Erre Sei, while Sunday featured the Smilf Street Band at lunchtime and the folk group Cavesja in the afternoon. The village streets also host the Una piazza per curiosare market, dedicated to crafts and local products, while games and entertainment activities are organized for children.

Gerano, the village of the Infiorata

The festival is also an opportunity to discover a town with an unusual cultural heritage for its size. Gerano is best known for its Infiorata (flower festival), considered the oldest in Italy and a candidate for intangible cultural heritage status. During the festival, you can visit the Infiorata Museum and the curious Museum of Antique Tin Boxes, the only one of its kind in Italy. The medieval historic center, with its arches and stone stairways, can be explored entirely on foot in just over half an hour.

Why it's worth the trip

Less than an hour from Rome, the Zazzicchie e Verole Festival remains a genuine village celebration, free from tourist artifice: the food is excellent, it's affordable, and admission is free. For those wanting to experience autumn in the Aniene Valley villages, it is an ideal stop, perhaps combined with a walk in the chestnut groves of the Ruffi Mountains or a visit to Subiaco and its Benedictine monasteries.