Discovering Castel Di Tora With The Strigliozzi Festival

RIETI, September 29 - On Sunday October 1 the Strigliozzi Festival, an event that has reached its 11th edition, returns to Castel di Tora, bringing with it a dish that has now entered the Italian dictionary. It is defined as a ''typical home-made pasta from Castel di Tora''. The event is organized by the Castel di Tora Pro Loco. As well as offering the delicious hand-made pasta of flour and water, the festival is also reviving the local gastronomic culture. Castel di Tora is now also famous for its fried pizzas and its polenta with 'magro' (lean meat) sauce. On Sunday the 'I borghi piu' belli d'Italia' (Italy's most beautiful towns) association is inviting people to try strigliozzi and other local dishes in the historic centre of Castel di Tora. The powerful Monte Navegna mountain overlooks the small town, giving it a green backdrop, and it has the reflection of Lake Turano. It is about 80km from Rome and can be reached by taking the A24 and then taking the Casello Carsoli-Oricola exit. Then continue in the direction of Carsoli and head for Rieti-Lago del Turano at the crossroads. Continue for another 20km and you will find the home of strigliozzi. Castel di Tora's origins date back to Roman times but it reached its peak of splendour around the year 1000. Next to Castel di Tora is the Castello di Monte Antuni, a fort whose last lords were the Drago princes. After a long period of abandonment and degradation the palace, its walls and the nearby houses have been restored to reacquire their former splendour. There will be music and balls during the festival and the Proloco association will organize a guided tour of the site from 10am to midday. The tour will go around the bending streets of Castel di Tora, where it is possible to discover the town's craft workshops and taste local specialities. Information: www.prolococastelditora.it, 0765/716363.

03/10/2006 13:47

DISCOVERING CASTEL DI TORA WITH THE STRIGLIOZZI FESTIVAL