The collaboration between Villa Cavalletti and CLICI—the Center for Italian Language and Culture at the University of Rome Tor Vergata, under the direction of Prof. Florinda Nardi—has given rise to a project that combines scientific research, local knowledge, and cultural and environmental sustainability.
Researchers Samuela Di Schiavi and Martina Palese, PON/Green doctoral students with scholarships partially funded by Villa Cavalletti and CLICI, have developed a series of itineraries dedicated to the history, literature, and food and wine traditions of the Castelli Romani.
These itineraries are the result of three years of research into the works of Italian and foreign authors who, from the Renaissance to the present day, have chronicled the identity of this region, its landscape, and its connection to olive and wine production.
The proposed experiences cover a variety of themes: the olive tree and its fruit in Mediterranean culture, the relationship between wine and literature, foreign travelers’ perspectives on the Castelli Romani, the town of Marino as depicted in Ungaretti’s writings, Gadda, Morante, and Scego, the tradition of the Grape Festival, and the history of the Tuscolan Villas.
Following the first shared experience during the 2024 Summer School, the project continues with new itineraries in which walks, readings, tours, and tastings serve as tools for rediscovering the local historical and scenic heritage.
The dialogue between research and the local community thus makes it possible to ascribe new meanings to places, weaving together memory, culture, and agricultural production. A journey that finds in the estate, the monumental olive grove, the historic vineyard, and the Villa Cavalletti Olive Oil Museum the point where knowledge, experience, and sustainability converge.
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