Montemonaco is a small village located in the Sibillini National Park, that is part of the region of Ascoli Piceno. For the last 40 years, Montemonaco has had this amazing, Festival of the Chestnuts this happens the last weekend of October just in time to kick off Halloween. We have been going for the last 4 years and this year we came with our camper and puppy Suzi.

We arrived the night before and had a walk around, the whole place seemed magical with the fires going to cook the chestnuts and their famous “Vin Brule” that is a spiced cooked wine it is cooked in a huge cauldron in the middle of the main square. There are so many things to do, see and eat in the old village of Montemonaco during this festival. They also organize morning hikes and have bike routes through the mountains for those who are there in the morning.

I personally just went walking around taking photos for you before the people from all over arrived with my sweetheart Suzi, while my husband went off on his mountain bike for a few hours.

I hope you enjoy the photos below:

Cooking the Vin Brule at night

The stand during the day

By the way the Vin Brule is free to keep you warm.

During the day.

The welcoming committee.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The wood to keep the fires going to cook the chestnuts and vin brule.

The is where the magic happens with the chestnuts.

All fires going to cook the chestnuts in pans with holes.

Then they are continuously flipped.

They are off on a morning hike.

Views

Views

Views

The views from Montemonaco are truly amazing.

Kitchen of flavors from a time past.

This is the main tent where you can get a hot plate of food.

Sit and enjoy a plate of delicious food and wine.

Here is the main tent where you can sit get warm and have some of the local hot food they serve lunch and supper only.

Now for some of the views around the village.

A small church square.

Locals

A nice perspective

A jewelry stand where I got a beautiful pair of earrings. All handmade by Mara Liverotti mara.liverotti@hotmail.it

Directions of the different things montemonaco offers normally.

Cultivating the chestnuts.

Issa, can I go run over there?

Bells that you can ring, but it is usually full of children ringing them. But not this morning.

Set up for outdoor seating in the park.

Archery

Autumn flowers

a sweet square

Suzi wanting to go play….

More set up to have lunch.

more chestnuts

What is up there?

small piazza

Went looking for where everyone parked their camper.

Ahhhh look at that.

But we parked ours on a secret road with great views.

I am not one for crowds so when it got too much we left.

The people started coming

The early birds does not have to wait in line.

Yummy stuff

When you see it….. hahaha

Oh, My!

Oh! This crowd has gotten too much for me, I am out!

I hope you enjoyed this post and thank you for reading it.