The Saint Francis way
The bed & breakfast "La Mentuccia" is in perfect position, at the same distance from Rieti, Terminillo, Cittaducale, and Poggio Bustone, it can be the starting point for the way of Saint Francis of Assisi in the holy valley. From here it is possible to easily reach the Greccio hermitage, the churches of Cantalice, the beech of Rivodutri, the forest where Saint Francis composed the Canticle of the Sun, and the relic of the body of Saint Francis in the church on top of Terminillo.
Nature
The bed & breakfast "La Mentuccia" is litterally into the wild, in a small village called Capolaterra. Many mountain paths can be reached by foot walk, in this way you can enjoy the wild beauty of the Apennines Mountains. From the bed & breakfast it is possible to reach the official pathways of the Italian Alpine Club (CAI, Club Alpino Italiano), in particular the pathways 410 (Lisciano - Pian de' Valli), 414 (Lisciano - Rifugio La Fossa), 423 (Cantalice - Versanello), 424 (Case l'Oste - Campo Stella). The official map can be easily purchased and we can even provide one for free if required.
Festivals
Rieti is famous for the large amount of food festivals that take place on its territory. From "La Mentuccia" it is possible to easily reach those festivals, here a list of some of the most interesting events:
Saint Felice holiday: every year on the 18th of May in Cantalice, the statue of the Saint is taken by the Confraternita and moved around the village. During the week there are typical chatolic ceremonies, music, and food.
The way of the art and the food: during August in Cantalice there is this typical food festival. It consists of a pathway that start from the top of the village and move down the stairways passing through the old town. Along the way it is possible to eat local food and and enjoy the art works exposed for free.
Festival of the Stengozze: the Strengozze are typical pasta made in Cantalice. In September there is a festival where this kind of pasta is cooked and offered to the visitors. The pasta is made of simple tomato sauce, extra virgin oil, garlic, and fresh herbs taken from the mountains. There are also shows and food markets.
Festival of Pizzicotti: the Pizzicotti are a type of pasta made by pinching (in italian: pizzicando) the dough used for baking bread and pizza. Through this procedure it is made a small ball that is boiled and prepared with fresh tomato. They are served in July in Lisciano, a small village that can be reached by foot from "La Mentuccia".
Lisciano in the winery: at the end of May during the holiday of the Madonna of Soccorso in Lisciano, the wineries are open to the public and it is possible to try the great local wine and eat local food.
The June of Saint Antony: in Rieti during June there are the Saint Antony holidays, with the famous procession with big candles and the statue of the saint is moved around the city. There are always many events such as concerts and food festivals.
© Copyright Massimiliano Patacchiola 2013