Those who love the combination of art and nature, between past and present, must definitely take a trip to Sabina, a special area east of Rome along Via Salaria. Although Salaria is one of the great consular roads born with the Roman empire, the lack of highways has preserved this territory where your gaze is lost between castles and pristine valleys.
It is a landscape where evocative ancient villages like Cottanello meet on the top of a hill overlooking the green Umbria. Woods and rural landscapes then hide a small secret: a red marble quarry of Monte Lacerone where once the marble used by Bernini was extracted for his masterpieces.
The magnificent basilica of San Pietro is exciting also thanks to the 46 marble columns of Bernini's altar made with Cottanello stone. In order to get the marbles to Rome the roads were widened and new paths opened and we can say that part of the joy of the Roman Baroque is also due to the joyous red of the marble of this area of the Sabina.
But there are many other reasons to plan a visit to this village and one of these is certainly the possibility of enjoying equestrian tourism. L’associazione Cavalieri e Allevatori del Cavallo Tolfetano di Cottanello (Association of Knights and Breeders of the Tolfetano Horse of Cottanello) was born from a group of friends who were fans of horse riding in the countryside and today performs re-enactments of the work of the ancient cowboys in all the best Italian events such as Fieracavalli in Verona.
Equestrian tourism, along bridleways near Cottanello, plus the fame of local cowboys attract an ever increasing number of equestrian enthusiasts from all over Europe. For more information, please contact Alessandro Volpi, president of the association that is based in his farm.
The association can host groups of enthusiasts in lodgings in the ancient village and let them live an experience on the Sabina trails. While the more experienced can try their hand at the exercises of the cowboys in bringing up of the young.
But a journey here is also the discovery of local flavours and the quality of Cottanello products is unparalleled throughout the Sabina. If you want to taste the excellent falvours you can go to ‘La Foresteria’ Matteo Ricci's place where you can taste his special ‘Stringozzi Piccante Bianco’. An original recipe that revisits the traditional Sabina dish, a pasta made with water and flour called Stringozzi.
The sauce is made with pecorino cheese, garlic and chilli mixed with the extra virgin Cottanello oil and added at the end of cooking onto drained pasta. Pasta should not be over stirred and the end result is absolutely a delight and a surprise.
And if you are fond of meat you should not hesitate to ask for a cut of Chianina from animals bred in a open range state, that you can also buy in the local butcher's shop, where you can also find the famous Sabina Oil, but be careful to choose the one produced in Cottanello by local producers who work organically.
The meat smells of local herbs and has a soft consistency to the point that it is served without adding oil so you can taste it to the full. Its taste is delicate like the harmony that is breathed in the village and in the countryside.
For wine, ask for the wine from the Cantina Sociale dei Vini dei Colli Sabini: we chose a ’29 September’ red IGT of Lazio from Magliano Sabina.
Remember that all lunches in Sabina close with cheese and honey. And you can't avoid it!
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