Today, the second edition of the "Festival Strade dello Zafferano di Sardegna DOP" (Sardinian Saffron Roads Festival) is taking place all day in San Gavino Monreale. The event showcases and celebrates this red gold, one of the island's most prized agricultural and food specialties. The event began at 9:00 a.m.: visitors can visit the producers' stands along Via Roma and the streets of the historic center. Saffron, exhibitions dedicated to the spice, and agri-food exhibitors, featuring top-quality grains, honey, and legumes . Artisans, hobbyists, artists, and exhibitors of objects will also be present, showcasing the agricultural story alongside the diverse expressions of the region's creativity.
Field visits and demonstration workshops on processing and husking , led by local producers, will provide a close-up look at the steps required to separate the stigmas from the flower. Cooking competitions, refreshment stands, and musical entertainment will round out the day, combining knowledge, gastronomy, and moments of celebration.
For San Gavino Monreale, saffron represents a distinctive productive heritage: as explained by the tourism councillor Riccardo Pinna: 'T o obtain a kilogram of saffron Dried saffron requires approximately 150,000–200,000 flowers . PDO saffron is an integral part of our identity and, better than anything else, expresses the profound bond between people, the land, and tradition. It is a product that combines agricultural wisdom passed down through generations with the pride of a community that seeks to transform its excellence into cultural and tourism resources. We want to offer visitors an authentic experience, filled with scents, colors, and encounters.
The festival can help develop rural and food and wine tourism beyond the summer season , highlighting a period when agricultural work and flowering become part of the visitor experience. "We want to support producers," explains Mayor Stefano Altea, "enhance local economies, and promote autumn tourism with a project shared with Turri and Villanovafranca that connects agriculture, culture, local development, and food and wine."