Discover Poggio Moiano: Nature, Infiorata and Churches

Poggio Moiano combines an impressive natural setting with a historic center, sacred art and festivals that shape the character of the town. If you would like to combine landscape, culture and local traditions on your trip to Italy, you will find several distinct points of interest here.

Nature around Monte Pendente

The area of the Parco Naturale Regionale dei Monti Lucretili located within the municipal boundaries of Poggio Moiano encompasses the northern part of the Monte Pendente massif. In this area, dense forests alternate with shrub-covered pastures. The forests are predominantly characterized by hornbeams, downy oaks and manna ashes. The landscape therefore does not appear as a uniform forest area, but as a combination of different natural habitats.

Paths between the town center and the forest

The Via Francigena di San Francesco passes through the historic center of Poggio Moiano. Another connection between the town and the surrounding landscape is CAI Route No. 309 Poggio Moiano–Monte Pellecchia. From the Chiesa di San Sebastiano in Poggio Moiano, follow the visible white-and-red trail markers. The route is a variant of the Via dei Lupi and, after about 150 meters along the Fosso del Rio, leads into an oak forest.

CAI Route No. 309 also reaches Fonte Castello. There is a picnic area with a fire pit. For planning your day, you can therefore consider historic paths and a route section close to nature as different focal points, without mixing up their respective landscape and local connections.

Churches, frescoes and the Infiorata

The Chiesa di Santa Maria della Concezione e San Giovanni Battista is located in the historic center. It preserves frescoes from the 15th and 16th centuries. The Chiesa rurale di San Sebastiano contains a fresco depicting Saint Sebastian, signed by the painter Manenti. The community of Poggio Moiano celebrates its patron saint San Sebastiano there every year on January 20.

The Museo dell’Infiorata was established in 2018 in an old wine cellar in the heart of Poggio Moiano. It displays photographs from past editions of the Infiorata, floral materials, dried flowers and documents relating to the techniques of “spiluccatura” and “infioratura.” The Infiorata in honor of the Sacred Heart takes place on the last Saturday in June and is Poggio Moiano’s most important festival. Flowers are collected throughout the year for the next edition, beginning in the days following the previous edition.

Local tradition and wild asparagus

The Sagra dell’Asparago Selvatico is also part of Poggio Moiano’s annual events calendar. The gastronomic festival takes place in mid-May and is dedicated to wild asparagus. At the 17th Sagra dell’Asparago Selvatico, a menu based on wild asparagus was offered on May 5 at Piazza Vittorio Emanuele. In Poggio Moiano, floral craftsmanship and regional food culture thus come together.

Putting Poggio Moiano in the context of your trip

If you are looking for a hotel in Poggio Moiano, you can structure your planning around the themes that are to define your days: the historic center connects the Via Francigena di San Francesco with the Chiesa di Santa Maria della Concezione e San Giovanni Battista and the Museo dell’Infiorata. Route No. 309 leads from San Sebastiano into the natural area around the Fosso del Rio. The Infiorata, the festival for San Sebastiano and the Sagra dell’Asparago Selvatico each have their own dates in the annual calendar. Therefore, consider whether culture, nature or a particular festival should be the focus of your trip.

If you would like to extend your trip planning beyond Poggio Moiano, you can find further destinations here: Santa Rufina, Montebuono, San Polo, Casaprota, Micigliano, Poggio Sommavilla, Fiumata, Madonna del Mattone.

To the higher-level travel overview: Rieti.