Giulia MarchettiSpring is one of the best seasons to visit Italy and if this destination is on your bucket list, don’t miss the first edition of Tuscia in Fiore, the flower festival that will be held in April in some pretty villages in the province of Viterbo.
Tuscia in Fiore is an annual festival that involves some municipalities with their young mayors, as well as various associations, artists of all kinds, and many hardworking volunteers. It is an extraordinary and unique event, partly financed by the Lazio Region.
Giulio Della Rocca of Viterbo, living in Los Angeles and Viterbo for over 30 years, is the creator and founder of the Tuscia in Fiore project. However, his idea of decorating historic centers with beautiful temporary gardens is not new but he got inspiration from another local festival called San Pellegrino in Fiore.
In fact, back in 1987, the market exhibition of plants and flowers was organized for the first time in the historic center of Viterbo taking the name after the oldest and most well-preserved medieval square in Europe, namely San Pellegrino. Over the years this local event has transformed into a large festival capable of attracting up to 60,000 people from all over Italy. Unfortunately, due to various obstacles, San Pellegrino in Fiore stopped at the 33rd edition.
Giulio thought that the time had come to re-launch this festival, relocating it to some small towns in the Viterbo area. Another step forward of this new project, compared to past editions, is the adoption of a broader vision based on networking and internationalization. Tuscia in Fiore, in fact, was also born with the aim of attracting to Tuscia international tourists in search of authenticity and slow life, off the main tourist routes.
Gray stones and colorful flowers
The most characteristic aspect of the villages of Tuscia is the beautiful gray stone used to build castles, houses, fountains, and walls, which gives a unique and wonderful identity to this area of northern Lazio. This stone, called peperino, is the result of ancient volcanic eruptions and represents the ideal background for setting amazing scenarios made of floral compositions and ornamental plants.
There is in fact a magical contrast between the fragile and colorful flowers with the solid and gray stones. The intent is to transform each village into a small and suggestive wonderland.
Festival is every day
Ralph Waldo Emerson said that “It is not the destination, It’s the journey”, and so we can say that about the Tuscia in Fiore project. The whole organization is made up of many people who volunteer to make this great festival possible. All together they are enjoying every single step leading up to the final destination, which is the event itself. The vibrant collaboration creates feelings of joy and happiness among the participants, and the use of social media allows many more people to ideally be part of this great team.
Many short live streamings anticipate the contents of the festival, while slogans encourage everyone to work with enthusiasm and commitment: “Full speed ahead!” and “Spring arrives early in Tuscia“.
There is also a 30-minute live-streaming podcast called “The Best-Kept Secret in Italy, Tuscia” which takes place every Wednesday at 9:30 pm (CET). It hosts Americans who share their experiences in Tuscia and is having a good deal of success in the United States with views ranging from 20,000 to 28,000 for every single episode.
Festival’s activities
The villages involved in Tuscia in Fiore Festival are: Bassano Romano, Villa San Giovanni in Tuscia, Bomarzo, Onano and Valentano. Every weekend in April, one or two of these villages will host thousands and thousands of flowers and countless activities that you can enjoy, such as: art exhibitions, concerts, treasure hunts with prizes, and workshops for children. You can also join rallies of the most representative icons of Italy: Vespas (dreaming La Dolce Vita) and Fiat 500s.
You can participate in outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, and horseback riding. And, if you are a reading lover, street libraries will allow you to add or take books to share your knowledge.
Last but not least, you can taste traditional dishes, prepared with delicious local organic products. Lots of great food and wine to celebrate your Tuscia experience!
Unique towns
The towns of the festival are unique because they are different in beauty, history, traditions, dialects, and typical food and wine products. However, despite their diversity, they all share the same “Slow Life” philosophy. In fact, in these small villages, life flows at a different speed. It’s always possible to have coffee with an old friend or take a moment to chat with someone you’ve just met.
They also share the same curiosity: their mayors are among the youngest in Italy. They are part of a new generation of more international political figures, decidedly eco-friendly and with a green vision.
Sustainable tourism
Tuscia in Fiore is not only flowers, fun, and good food, but it is also a project with a specific commitment to sustainable and ecological tourism.
For this reason, Giulio Della Rocca has launched a solidarity activity called Passeggiando piantando (Strolling planting), to allow you to plant your tree on a plot of land assigned by the municipality. Giulio took inspiration from a personal experience he had in Japan, the birthplace of his wife. He has planted a cherry tree as a symbol of connection with that country.
So, you too can create an ideal bond with Tuscia just by planting your tree in this land. This bond will be a great drive for you to continue visiting Tuscia!
Program event
