Sagra della Varola

A tradition over sixty years old

When October arrives, Melfi changes its face: the streets of the historic center fill with fragrant smoke, voices, and people walking with a warm cone in their hands. It is the Sagra della Varola, one of the most deeply rooted and long-standing sagre (food festivals) in Basilicata, which for over six decades has celebrated the star product of the territory: the Marroncino del Vulture.

The very name of the festival tells its soul: the 'varola' is the large iron grate on which the chestnuts are roasted, filling the air with an unmistakable aroma. Along Piazza Umberto I and the village streets, stands and stalls reminiscent of mountain farmhouses line up.

The Marroncino del Vulture

The absolute protagonist is the Marroncino del Vulture, a chestnut with a shiny skin and sweet flesh, grown on the slopes of the extinct volcano that dominates the area. Around this fruit, the festival has built a true gastronomic journey: chestnut cake, chestnut ice cream, chestnut beer and pasta, desserts, and creations that enhance its flavor. Accompanying the chestnuts is the Aglianico del Vulture DOC, the great red wine of Basilicata.

Part of 'Ottobre Melfitano'

The Sagra della Varola is the first major event in the 'Ottobre Melfitano' (Melfi October) program, a celebration of Melfi through taste, culture, and beauty, organized in co-design by the Municipality of Melfi and the Pro Loco Federico II di Svevia. The following week is dedicated to the Medieval and Falconry Days, which complete the journey back in time in the name of Frederick II.

A festival for all of Basilicata

More than just a gastronomic festival, the Varola is an event of identity for Melfi and the entire Vulture-Melfese area, in the Province of Potenza. It is the perfect opportunity to visit the Frederick II castle, get lost in the alleys of the historic center, and savor the Lucanian autumn in its most genuine form.