Perched at 860 m between the Mainarde Mountains, in the National Park of Abbruzzo, Lazio and Molise, in an evocative landscape of beech woods with mushrooms and truffles, San Biagio Saracinisco is the perfect destination for matchless outings.
Archaeological remains, the still-extant polygonal walls and the Sepolcreto, in the evocative locality of Omini morti, are testimonials to the Samnite origins; and the Etruscan type of necropolis, within which numerous objects have been found, suggests a world of trade exchanges with the Etruscans, perhaps from Capua, interested in the iron, copper and silver from the mines in the Meta mountains.
The tradition of the Zampogna or bagpipe is still alive in the village. This wind instrument is played in the town streets during the Christmas holidays and San Biagio Saracinisco boasts the largest number of working pipers, who leave here to perform throughout Italy.
The DOP cheese, Pecorino di Picinisco is produced in San Biagio Saracinisco. The cheese, more or less hard, is made by a cold technique from sheep’s milk: the sweet to intense flavour, with aromas of mountain pasture grass and above all, no barnyard odour, tends to be sharp.
Mushrooms and truffles from the local woods are used in gourmet dishes; a must-try is the Tordiglione, a green polenta with pork liver sausages and vegetables, and the Abbuoto, tripe rolls tied with gut, in meat sauce.