Porcini Mushroom Festival

The king of the forest takes center stage in Colle di Fuori

Every September, when the air in the Castelli Romani turns crisp and the chestnut woods begin to smell of the forest floor, the small village of Colle di Fuori, a hamlet of the municipality of Rocca Priora (Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, Lazio), prepares to welcome tens of thousands of visitors. The Porcini Mushroom Festival was founded in 1994 by the Pietro Pericoli Association and has established itself over the years as one of the most popular festivals in Lazio, capable of attracting over fifty thousand people throughout its days of celebration.

Village cuisine made with real raw ingredients

The heart of the event is the gastronomic area of Piazza Capranica, equipped with about two thousand seats under the shade of the chestnut trees. The cooking is not done by external caterers but by four local restaurants, each with its own specialty, working with porcini mushrooms harvested in the local woods. On the table are dishes that tell the story of the peasant cuisine of the Castelli:

• Homemade fettuccine, pappardelle, and cellitti seasoned with porcini mushrooms
• Mushroom polenta, served in the most traditional version
• Risottos and daily specials
• Grilled meats, arrosticini, and traditional main courses
• Homemade desserts, beer, and Lazio DOC wines from the Castelli Romani

The stands remain open for both lunch and dinner on all festival days, a formula that allows you to organize your visit as a Sunday trip just half an hour from Rome.

Not just food: music, exhibitions, and tournaments

The festival has always had the soul of a village fair. Every evening the square hosts live musical entertainment, with dance orchestras, acoustic groups, and dance evenings that go on until late. Next to the gastronomic area, there is a mycological exhibition—a small educational display dedicated to forest species, useful for learning to distinguish edible mushrooms from toxic ones—a photographic exhibition, and craft stalls with handmade creations and typical local products.

The program also includes tournaments involving the village: burraco, darts, and video game challenges, as well as an area dedicated to children with entertainment and games. In recent editions, the event has also hosted cooking shows with nationally renowned chefs and live radio broadcasts from the square.

The Castelli Romani Park a stone's throw away

Colle di Fuori is located within the Castelli Romani Regional Park, in an area of chestnut and beech forests that is among the most beautiful in the Tusculum area. During the festival, walks and nature trails are offered in the surrounding woods, an opportunity to understand where the product on your plate really comes from. It is an added value that distinguishes this festival from the many gastronomic festivals in Lazio: here the mushroom is not a decorative theme but the fruit of a forest that you can walk through on the same day.

Why it's worth the trip

Rocca Priora is the highest municipality in the Castelli Romani and in summer it is a refreshing destination for Romans. The Porcini Mushroom Festival combines this climatic vocation with the conviviality of the September festivities: popular prices, generous portions, a family atmosphere, and an organization perfected over more than thirty years. Those arriving from Rome can combine the visit with a tour of the nearby villages—Rocca di Papa, Monte Compatri, Frascati—and a stop at the local wineries.