Carbonesca: Hiking, Il Maggio and Polenta Festival

Carbonesca is a destination for travellers who want to get to know a place not only through a sight, but also through its landscape, recurring customs and food culture. This offers several different approaches to planning your trip: you can assess a hike with clearly defined technical details, understand the timing of a nocturnal village tradition and relate local foods to a seasonal festival. This allows you to give culture, physical activity and food the emphasis that best suits your interests. Landscapes, village streets and historical traces are among the features that make Carbonesca tangible as a travel destination.

Local cornmeal from a special variety

A special feature of the local food culture is the cornmeal made from the rediscovered and selected Quarantino ottofile variety. This variety is grown in the fields of Carbonesca. Volunteers from the Pro Loco harvest and shell it naturally and organically; the corn is then stone-ground into cornmeal at a nearby mill. The journey from cultivation through harvesting to processing illustrates a clearly defined local food practice. For travellers who pay attention to the origin and production of food, this process offers a tangible way to experience Carbonesca.

Polenta, sausages and a summer date

The Sagra della Polenta e Salsicce takes place every year between the end of July and the beginning of August. As part of this event, the first Saturday in August is dedicated exclusively to polenta with sausages. The dish recalls the former daily diet of the local people, particularly that of woodcutters and charcoal burners. The event began in the mid-1970s.

Il Maggio on the night of 1 May

Another cultural approach is Il Maggio, an annual tradition in Carbonesca. On the night from 30 April to 1 May, the Maggiaioli walk through the village streets and the nearby countryside with instruments such as the accordion, guitar and tambourine. As they do so, they sing traditional stornelli. The custom therefore combines a fixed date in the annual cycle with music, singing and movement through the village and its immediate surroundings.

Hiking and historical traces

The Carbonesca–Castello di Giomici hike also offers a clearly defined opportunity to experience the surrounding area on foot. The route is 12 km long, includes 300 m of ascent and descent respectively, is rated difficulty level E for hikers and takes around four hours, excluding breaks. Carbonesca is also home to Castello di Magrano. It was formerly situated in a strategic position to control the Chiascio River below and defend the south-eastern sector of Gubbio.

More destinations for your trip to Italy

For further travel planning, you can also find Colle, Gavelli, Chioano, San Secondo, Monte Del Lago, San Biagio De La Valle, Camerata and Monteleone Di Spoleto here.

To the main travel overview: Perugia.