Route map		Where to stay
	Historical and natural attractions		Markets and fairs
	Local products		Outdoor activities
	Producers		A traditional recipe
	Where to eat		Complete description of the itinerary

 
ROUTE MAP


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HISTORICAL AND NATURAL ATTRACTIONS

The Riserva Naturale (nature reserve) della Marcigliana spreads between the via Salaria and Nomentana. The latter also provides access to the Riserva Naturale di Nomentum, just after the ring road; the reserve gets its name from the settlement which, in ancient Rome, also named the consular road.
Gradually the road leads to the rises of the Monti (mountains) Cornicolani, seat of the Riserva Naturale del Bosco (wood) di Gattaceca and  Macchia (thicket) del Barco.
There are many Balkan species of trees in the wood, such as the styrax, a protected species, and the oriental hornbeam.
Many animals live in the reserve, such as badgers, porcupines, foxes, pine martens and stone martens. The bird population includes cuckoos, hoopoes, little owls and  tawny owls.


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LOCAL PRODUCTS

• Extra virgin DOP Sabine olive oil
• DOC Sabine wines
  
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PRODUCERS

ROMA

• Azienda Agricola (farm) Cola Maria
• Caseificio (cheese factory) La Cesarina
• Eredi Gangemi Concetta
• Società Agricola Milani
• Terra Mia s.r.l. (MozzaRe)

MENTANA

• Persichetti Maria Giuseppa

MONTEROTONDO

• Azienda Agricola (farm) Maurizio Moretti

PALOMBARA SABINA

• Azienda Agricola (farm) Tulli Elena
• Azienda Silvi Roberto
• Silvi Sabina Sapori

MORICONE

• Amici Alvaro
• Azienda Carnicelli Mario
• Azienda Fratini Ottavio
• Cooperativa Coltivatori (farmers’ co-operative) Uniti

MONTORIO ROMANO

• Azienda Giannetti Gioacchino
• Salus s.r.l.

MONTELIBRETTI

• Azienda Agricola (farm) Biologica Tre Colli
• Azienda Altobelli Leonardo
• Marchesi Merzetti s.r.l.
• Oleificio Caponetti
• Oleum Sabinae s.n.c.
• Tinte Rosse

NEROLA

• Agrisabina
• Azienda Agricola (farm) (Er Pecoraro) Donati Adelmo
• Azienda Agricola (farm) Biologica Augusto Spagnoli
• Azienda Agricola (farm) Pezzanera s.n.c.
• Azienda Griscioli Giorgio
• Azienda Paganelli Caponetti Elvira
• Carletti Ercole
• Zonetti Luigi & Ennio

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WHERE TO EAT

ROMA

• Tenuta Agricola (farm) Fonte di Papa

GUIDONIA MONTECELIO

• Carcibove

FONTE NUOVA

• La Cerquetta

PALOMBARA SABINA

• Centro ippico (equestrian centre) Lucretius
  

MORICONE

• Abbondanza Fusi
  

MONTORIO ROMANO

• Centro ippico (equestrian centre) La Ripa

NEROLA

• Il Bagolaro

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WHERE TO STAY

ROMA

• Tenuta Agricola (farm) Fonte di Papa

GUIDONIA MONTECELIO

• Carcibove

FONTE NUOVA

• La Cerquetta

PALOMBARA SABINA

• Centro ippico (equestrian centre) Lucretius

MONTORIO ROMANO

• Centro ippico (equestrian centre)  La Ripa

NEROLA

• Il Bagolaro

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MARKETS AND FAIRS

MENTANA

• Grape festival

PALOMBARA SABINA

• “Perzica” (roman dialect for peach) fair
• “Cerase” (roman dialect for cherries) fair 

MONTEFLAVIO

• “Fregnacce” fair (sweet and sour pancake)
• Olive oil and pizzafritte (leavened fried cakes) fair

MORICONE

• Bruschetta (toasted bread) festival

NEROLA

• Festival of the Assumption and S. Rocco, and olive oil festival

 
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OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

ROME’S GUARDIAN: MONTE GENNARO

The Monti (hills) Lucretili, protected by the Regional Park – which was created thanks to a widespread local movement organized by environmentalists and Roman excursionists -  is the largest mountainous group near the capital, and by far the easiest to reach from Rome. From the highest peak, viewers can admire the city’s immense urban fabric, while at the same time they are far removed from pollution, noise and stress caused by its frenetic life. The trip to Monte Gennaro (Cima Zappi – Zappi peak) is a diverse and pleasant itinerary, practicable most of the year.


Parco Regionale (regional park) dei Monti Lucretili
0774 637027; www.parcolucretili.it; info@parcolucretili.it

Associazione  (association) “L’Agrifoglio”
0774 425329 – 339 4766300; agrifoglio@tin.it

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A TRADITIONAL RECIPE

“MURZILLITTI”

Ingredients
1kg of honey, 1kg of nuts, 2 eggs, 1 cup of olive oil, cinnamon, pepper and nutmeg; any flour picked up by the mixture 

Preparation
Once the mixture has been made, roll it out (1 cm, or 1 and ½ cm width), and cut into lozenges with a specific wooden shaper (“stampu”). The latter was made by men with walnut, maple or juniper wood, and personalized with their initials or inlaid drawings. 

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ROMAN AND GARIBALDIAN MEMORIES ALONG THE VIA NOMENTANA

The Riserva Naturale (nature reserve) della Marcigliana spreads between the via Salaria and Nomentana. The latter also provides access to the Riserva Naturale di Nomentum, just after the ring road; the reserve gets its name from the settlement which in ancient Rome also named the consular road.

Gradually the road leads to the rises of the Monti (mountains) Cornicolani, seat of the Riserva Naturale del Bosco (wood) di Gattaceca and  Macchia (thicket) del Barco, which is particularly interesting because of  the presence of the ruins of the archaic city of Eretum, former heart of the Bassa Sabina (Lower Sabine area). The reserve’s calcareous hills also present significant karstic phenomena, caves, dolines and imposing chasms such as the Pozzo (well) del Merro, which has a typical small lake at the base of its steep vertical walls. There are many Balkan species of trees in the wood, such as the styrax, a protected species, and the oriental hornbeam. Close to the karstic cavities the vegetation changes and becomes Mediterranean.


Many animals live in the reserve, such as badgers, porcupines, foxes, pine martens and stone martens. The bird population includes cuckoos, hoopoes, little owls and tawny owls.
The near town of Mentana, built on the site of the ancient Nomentum, has many Roman finds in its medieval part. However, the most interesting historical moment dates back to the 3 November 1867 when the city witnessed an important chapter in Italian history: the camicie rosse (red shirts), under Garibaldi’s command and headed towards Rome, were defeated by the papal army.
The remains of the fallen Garibaldi volunteers are kept in the Ara ossario (ossuary altar); this is  in the park of the Museo Nazionale (national museum) Garibaldino, established in 1905 to preserve the relics of this battle and other Risorgimento testimonies.