Monte San Savino is a beautiful little Tuscan town located halfway between Siena and Arezzo and each year, it is home to a delicious food festival: the Sagra della Porchetta.
Food festivals are a penny a dozen in Italy with most towns having at least one but this one, in particular, promises some good eating. A well-known and popular event, it centres around suckling pig and is celebrated each September with a big festival and market where you can try the star of the show (the pig) or sample countless other local products and dishes.
Just find a luxury villa in Monte San Savino and you will be tasting the best pork of your life this September.
Food festivals are a penny a dozen in Italy with most towns having at least one but this one, in particular, promises some good eating. A well-known and popular event, it centres around suckling pig and is celebrated each September with a big festival and market where you can try the star of the show (the pig) or sample countless other local products and dishes.
Just find a luxury villa in Monte San Savino and you will be tasting the best pork of your life this September.
Aside from the festival, the town is already delightful, historic and has a strong food culture with a lively weekly market, an award winning artisan gelato maker, a shop for delicious fresh pasta, restaurants and nice cafes.
Its historic centre is characterised by the Renaissance-style Loggia dei Mercati, the Town Hall, with cloisters and hanging garden, and the Tower, offering a breathtaking view of the historic centre and the whole of Val di Chiana.
Monte San Savino is also the birthplace of the Renaissance sculptor Andrea Sansovino.
Its historic centre is characterised by the Renaissance-style Loggia dei Mercati, the Town Hall, with cloisters and hanging garden, and the Tower, offering a breathtaking view of the historic centre and the whole of Val di Chiana.
Monte San Savino is also the birthplace of the Renaissance sculptor Andrea Sansovino.
However, the highlight of the year in Monte San Savino has to be the Porchetta festival in September with two weekends devoted to locals and tourists eating the absolutely best roast pork ever. In fact, the town is so devoted to the art of cooking pork and this festival that they won the Guinness World Record for the longest roast suckling pig in the world. The tradition of the 'porchetta' is very strong in the area with preparation limited to grand occasions, concentrating in the months of the agricultural fairs at the end of summer and in the winter months in the past. Today, the 'porchetta of Monte San Savino' is a constant in the municipality and neighbouring areas at every important gastronomic meeting or festival though the annual celebration specific to the dish remains an important tradition.
The Sagra della Porchetta Savinese is held first half of September and sees the pork made according to ancient and traditional recipes, flavouring the meat with fennel, garlic and black pepper. If you're a food-lover visiting Tuscany, this festival is an absolute must.
The Sagra della Porchetta Savinese is held first half of September and sees the pork made according to ancient and traditional recipes, flavouring the meat with fennel, garlic and black pepper. If you're a food-lover visiting Tuscany, this festival is an absolute must.
Photo credit
Picture 1: LigaDue / CC BY-SA 4.0
Picture 1: LigaDue / CC BY-SA 4.0
