Local produce, cuisine, tradition and tourism come together for three days in the heart of the Republic. From 4 to 6 September, San Marino will host “Dal Turista al Contadino” (“From Tourist to Farmer”), an event dedicated to local agri-food production and the relationship between agriculture and the restaurant trade, with a programme spanning the historic City Centre and Borgo Maggiore.
The initiative is part of the promotional project “Dalla Terra alla Tavola” (“From the Land to the Table”) and is organised by the Secretariat of State for Territory, Environment and Agriculture, the Consorzio Terra di San Marino and USOT, together with the Castle Councils (Giunte di Castello) of the City of San Marino and Borgo Maggiore. The goal is to bring the Republic’s produce directly into the piazzas, connecting growers and producers with restaurateurs, residents and visitors.
“Dal Turista al Contadino marks a further step in the journey we began with Dalla Terra alla Tavola,” explains Secretary of State Matteo Ciacci. “We want to build an ever stronger bond between those who produce, those who process, those who bring these products to the table, and those who visit our country. Agriculture is not just production: it is territory, identity, landscape protection and culture.”
The event kicks off on Friday 4 September at 6 p.m. in Piazza Sant’Agata with “San Marino nel piatto” (“San Marino on the Plate”), a live cooking challenge involving four restaurants: Cesare, La Terrazza, Brace da Donati and InPerfetto. Contestants will discover on the spot the ingredients sourced from the Consorzio Terra di San Marino’s supply chains and will have to use them to create an original dish. The creations will be judged by chefs, food and wine experts and journalists, while the public can watch the competition live from the square or follow it via USOT’s social media channels.
“Behind every product lie skill, tradition, dedication and a deep bond with our Republic,” notes Aida Maria Adele Selva, president of the Consorzio Terra di San Marino. “Bringing this produce into the piazzas and entrusting it to the creativity of restaurateurs means presenting it in a new light, showing just how much the agricultural sector can contribute to Sammarinese identity and quality.”
After the cooking challenge, at 8:30 p.m., attention turns to the “Mi Gusto” dinner, a four-course menu built entirely around local excellence and curated by Il Piccolo and Osteria da Giulio, with dessert by Pan di Zucchero. The menu will feature, among other products, bresaola and meat from the Allevatori Sammarinesi (San Marino Livestock Farmers), local honey, flour from C.A.P.A., Terra di San Marino bread, caciotta cheese, saba di Tessano from the Cantina di San Marino, and extra virgin olive oil from the Cooperativa Olivicoltori Sammarinesi. The cost is 45 euros, including water and wine, with limited seating and booking required.
The heart of the festival will then expand on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 September, when from 11 a.m. Via Eugippo will be transformed into the “Villaggio del Contadino” (“Farmer’s Village”). This space will be dedicated to the direct discovery of Sammarinese rural traditions and production methods.
Visitors will be able to take part in honey, oil and wine tastings, candle-making workshops, hands-on bread and pasta-making sessions with local “azdore” (traditional homemakers), grape pressing, grain milling and lavender distillation. There will also be activities for children and moments dedicated to Sammarinese truffles, ragù and the work of agricultural cooperatives. Live music from the Associazione Fermento Etnico will accompany both days.
The culinary offerings will also extend to restaurants in the historic centre, with street food and a “Menù del Territorio” (“Local Menu”) featuring dishes created especially for the event using the Republic’s produce.
“The restaurant sector can play a key role in showcasing Sammarinese produce and turning it into an experience that reaches both residents and tourists,” says Mario Liotta, USOT representative. “With Dal Turista al Contadino, we want to bring together the expertise of the restaurant trade and the world of agriculture, creating opportunities where local produce becomes the star of the dish and of the story we tell about our country.”
On Sunday 6 September, the programme will also reach Borgo Maggiore. At 5:30 p.m. there will be the official inauguration of the new “Dalla Terra alla Tavola” venue, the Campo della Fiera lift, and the historic Cantinette (wine cellars). Organisers describe these three additions as a concrete step towards giving continuity to the project and creating new spaces dedicated to promoting local produce.
The closing day will continue at 8 p.m. with a DJ set in the cable car cabin, curated by Dragon Valley, before moving from 10 p.m. to Piazza Grande, where further music is planned.
“This festival aims to bring all of this into the piazzas, among the people, turning our products into an experience to discover, live and share,” Ciacci concludes. Over three days, the programme sets out to connect agriculture, cuisine and tourism, using local flavours as a way of telling the story of the Republic’s identity and traditions.
