Friariello Festival

A festival born around the Neapolitan friariello

The friariello is much more than just a vegetable: it is a piece of the gastronomic identity of Naples and its province. A bitter-tasting turnip top, it has been paired for centuries with sausage in what remains the most beloved winter dish of Neapolitan cuisine. The Friariello Festival in Volla, in the municipality of the same name on the outskirts of Naples, was founded in 2023 specifically to pay homage to this product and the land that cultivates it, in an area of the Nola-Vesuvius region historically dedicated to horticulture.

The initiative has grown rapidly: starting as a neighborhood festival organized by the AMIP Association with the patronage of the Municipality of Volla, in just a few editions it has become one of the most popular winter gastronomic events in the eastern belt of Naples, in Campania.

Where it takes place

For the first three editions, the festival was held along via San Giorgio, in the square adjacent to the sports field, sheltered by a heated marquee that allowed visitors to face the late January cold without issues. Since 2026, the event has moved for the first time to the Tenuta Agricola Nuvia, at via Pinocchio 6: a rural setting with large green spaces, horses, and convenient parking, which has given the festival a much broader scope.

What to eat

The heart of the festival remains the sausage and friarielli pairing, offered in every possible form by the food stalls. Alongside local producers, there are also stalls from other regions, expanding the offer well beyond the borders of Campania:

• Sausage and friarielli sandwich, the unmissable classic
• Lasagna, also in the version with friarielli and sausage
• Gnocchi with friarielli cream and traditional pasta dishes
• Meatballs in sauce, porchetta, and caciocavallo cheese
• Apulian and Sicilian specialties brought by guest exhibitors
• Craft beer and local wine
• A large dessert area with pastries and traditional sweets

Music, dancing, and entertainment

Every evening, the program includes live music, entertainment, and shows: from tammurriate and traditional Campanian folk dances to evenings with DJs and neomelodic singers, in a convivial atmosphere that involves families, groups of friends, and curious visitors. In recent editions, a children's play area and a vintage car and motorcycle parade have been added, attracting enthusiasts from all over the province.

Why it's worth visiting

The Friariello Festival is not a tourist showcase built on a drawing board: it is an authentic village festival where you eat well for little money and where you can breathe the still-vibrant relationship between Volla and its countryside. Admission is always free: you only pay for what you consume, by purchasing tickets directly at the stalls. It is the perfect opportunity to discover a lesser-known corner of the Neapolitan hinterland, just a few kilometers from the center of Naples but with a still-rural soul.

A late January appointment

The festival is firmly scheduled for the last weekend of January, when the friariello is at the peak of its season. Three days, from Friday afternoon to Sunday evening, with continuous hours over the weekend: a weekend that ideally concludes the Campanian gastronomic winter before the arrival of Carnival.