Appennino Festival in Rivodutri - "Where Water Enchants"

A Lazio stop for the Appennino Festival

The Appennino Festival is a traveling event that traverses the central Apennine territories affected by the 2016 earthquake each year, hosting stops across Lazio, Umbria, Marche, and Abruzzo. In Rivodutri, a small town in the province of Rieti overlooking the Piana Reatina, the event is titled "Where Water Enchants" and takes place at the Santa Susanna Springs, one of the most picturesque spots in the region.

The festival's formula is consistent and effective: a morning hike, free time for lunch at local eateries, an afternoon visit to a local landmark, and a closing open-air performance. No massive stages, no tickets: the idea is that the landscape itself acts as the stage.

The Santa Susanna Springs

The Santa Susanna Springs river park is one of the most abundant water sources in Europe. Emerging from the rocks of Monte Terminillo, the crystal-clear water forms ponds and canals with almost surreal colors, surrounded by dense vegetation. The site is part of the Laghi Lungo e Ripasottile Nature Reserve, an area of great interest for birdlife and a regular destination for birdwatchers and nature photographers.

Nearby stands the Fratelli Bosi water mill, a tangible testament to how water power shaped the economy and daily life in this part of the Rieti area. The visit to the mill is one of the highlights the festival consistently includes in its program.

A truly inclusive festival

Accessibility is not an optional extra but the heart of the event, which operates under the motto "Inclusive by Nature". The hiking trail is designed to welcome people with physical, cognitive, and sensory disabilities, with the joëlette — a single-wheeled off-road wheelchair operated by assistants — available upon reservation. Walking together at the same pace is the message the festival reinforces at every stop.

• Guided hike of approximately 5.8 km, lasting about two hours
• Accompanied by expert guides, with a focus on birdwatching
• Visit to the historic water mill
• Afternoon open-air live performance
• Free participation with mandatory reservation

Rivodutri and the Piana Reatina

Rivodutri has a few hundred inhabitants and nestles against the slopes of the Reatini mountains, in an area where springs are everywhere. The town is also known for its connection to the Valle Santa Reatina, the circuit of Franciscan sanctuaries that has made this area a benchmark for slow tourism in Lazio. Visitors arriving for the festival will find a context that extends well beyond a single day: trails, nature reserves, charming villages, and simple, hearty mountain cuisine.

Why it's worth attending

The Appennino Festival stops are well-attended but never overcrowded, which is part of their charm. You arrive early in the morning, meet people while walking, eat in the village, and end the day sitting on the grass watching a show. It is a formula that finds a particularly happy setting in Rivodutri, where the spring water accompanies the visitor from start to finish.