In the San Giovanni district, locals observe this saint's day by guzzling lumache in umido (stewed snails) and porchetta (roast suckling pig). The main religious highlight is a candlelit procession, usually led by the pope, to San Giovanni in Laterano..
The festival has ancient roots, dating back to 1891 when during the celebration of San Giovanni, the Romans would meet in the historic square into a lively meeting of dancing, singing and food celebrating the true values of the huma life of Christians and the need to rejoice together in the name of brotherhood and fellowship.A dish of snails with sauce is offered to the visitors and is the symbol of the festival as they combine the sacred and the profane .The area surrounding the Festa di San Giovanni is an excellent place to find nice hotels, places to eat and a variety of tourist attractions. Easytobook.com offers many hotels nearby for you to choose from.