Scents and... Stories in Sabina
Three days among the lavender fields of Montasola, in Sabina
About Scents and... Stories in Sabina
A village in Sabina that dresses in purple
Scents and... Stories in Sabina is a widespread event held at the end of June in Montasola, a tiny municipality in the province of Rieti, in the heart of the Sabina region, Lazio. The common thread is the lavender bloom: during the days when the fields around the village reach their most intense color, the town opens its squares, the municipal park, and the surrounding countryside to a program of walks, sensory workshops, music, open-air cinema, and folk tales.
Lavender as an experience
The agricultural heart of the event is the Azienda Agricola Montepiano, along the SP48 Finocchieto road, where mornings are dedicated to harvesting and the uses of lavender. Guided tours of the rows are accompanied by sensory activities — aroma recognition, distillation, small craft workshops — and conclude with a rustic picnic enlivened by traditional songs. Participation is free, but places are limited (about 50 people), so booking is highly recommended.
Stories, legends, and podcasts
The narrative dimension is equally important. On the Belvedere of the "Il Monte" municipal park, the podcast and the volume MONTASOLA — Legends and itineraries of local folklore, curated by Selkink, are presented as part of the Folkland editorial project: a collection of local stories and legends also accessible in a multimedia audio version via QR code, designed as an alternative itinerary through the historic center, countryside, woods, and refuge areas. It is a way to link the landscape to the oral memory of the Sabina community.
Music, cinema, and installations
As the sun sets, the program shifts to a convivial tone: sunset aperitifs on the Belvedere terrace with live jazz and soul concerts, and open-air film screenings in Piazza Umberto I, featuring films chosen around the theme of scents and the countryside. In the "Arts and Crafts" Permanent Exhibition in Piazza San Pietro, you will find "Cinemateum", an art installation by Antonio Acclavio conceived as a fantastic and ironic medieval cinema, visitable in small groups.
The "The Middle Ages Revived" project
The initiative is supported by the M.C.R. — The Middle Ages Revived project, which unites the municipalities of Montasola, Casperia, and Roccantica with PNRR funding, and is organized by the Centro di Ricerca e Sperimentazione Metaculturale ETS. The stated goal is to enhance the smaller villages of Sabina through contemporary cultural practices, without turning them into spectacles: the focus is on slow tourism, meeting producers, and telling the story of the territory.
Why it's worth the trip
- The lavender bloom in a hilly landscape of ancient olive trees, just over an hour from Rome.
- An entirely free program, with activities also suitable for families.
- The opportunity to discover Montasola and the nearby villages of Sabina, among the least frequented in Lazio.
- The unusual combination of agriculture, contemporary art, and folklore in a single weekend.
The context: the Rieti Sabina
Sabina is the hilly strip that rises from the Tiber towards the Sabini Mountains, famous above all for its Sabina PDO extra virgin olive oil. Montasola, with a few hundred inhabitants perched at about 600 meters above sea level, preserves a compact medieval layout and a panorama that sweeps over the valley. In recent years, lavender cultivation has joined olive growing, offering the territory a new image and, with this event, an occasion for celebration at the beginning of summer.
Scents and... Stories in Sabina — edition 2026
A weekend of lavender, stories, and cinema
The 2026 edition proposed a program spread between the historic center of Montasola, the "Il Monte" municipal park, and the fields of the Azienda Agricola Montepiano. The mornings of Saturday and Sunday were dedicated to the lavender fields, with guided tours, sensory activities, and a rustic picnic by reservation, while the evenings alternated between live music, art, and open-air cinema.
The central moment of Saturday was the presentation of the podcast and the volume MONTASOLA — Legends and itineraries of local folklore, followed by a sunset aperitif on the Belvedere with a concert by Betti Granati. Sunday concluded with the "Cinemateum" installation by Antonio Acclavio and the screening of Perfume: The Story of a Murderer. All activities had free admission.
Programme Scents and... Stories in Sabina 2026
Friday, June 26, 2026
- 21:00 — Piazza Umberto I : open-air screening of the film A Good Year.
Saturday, June 27, 2026
- From 9:30 — Azienda Agricola Montepiano (SP48 Finocchieto, km 22+400) : guided tour of the lavender field, sensory activities related to lavender, rustic picnic accompanied by traditional folk songs (by reservation, maximum 50 people).
- From 18:00 — Belvedere of the "Il Monte" municipal park : presentation of the podcast and the volume MONTASOLA — Legends and itineraries of local folklore, curated by Selkink (Folkland editorial project), followed by a sunset aperitif with a live concert by Betti Granati (jazz and soul).
Sunday, June 28, 2026
- From 9:30 — Azienda Agricola Montepiano : visit to the lavender field and sensory experiences dedicated to harvesting and the uses of lavender (by reservation).
- 18:00 — "Arts and Crafts" Permanent Exhibition, Piazza San Pietro : art installation "Cinemateum" by Antonio Acclavio, a fantastic and ironic medieval cinema; entry limited to 12 people every 20 minutes.
- 21:00 — Piazza Umberto I : screening of the film Perfume: The Story of a Murderer.
Highlights Scents and... Stories in Sabina 2026
- Mornings in the blooming lavender fields of the Azienda Agricola Montepiano, with harvesting and sensory activities.
- The rustic picnic among the rows, accompanied by traditional Sabina songs.
- The presentation of the podcast MONTASOLA — Legends and itineraries of local folklore, an audio itinerary accessible via QR code.
- The sunset aperitif on the Belvedere of the "Il Monte" park with a concert by Betti Granati.
- The "Cinemateum" installation by Antonio Acclavio, visitable in small groups.
- The two open-air screenings in Piazza Umberto I, themed around scents and the countryside.
Prices Scents and... Stories in Sabina 2026
Practical information — Scents and... Stories in Sabina
How to get there
Montasola can be reached by car from Rome (about 70 km) via the A1 motorway, Ponzano-Soratte exit, or via the SS Salaria road to Rieti and then the SP road towards Cottanello. From Rieti, it is about 30 km. The activities in the countryside take place at the Azienda Agricola Montepiano, on the SP48 Finocchieto (km 22+400). There is no train station in Montasola: the closest are Poggio Mirteto and Rieti, with onward travel by car or local bus.
Prices
Participation in all activities is free.
Reservations
For activities at the Azienda Agricola Montepiano (field visits, workshops, picnics), places are limited to about 50 people: it is advisable to book by calling +39 329 3933487 or by writing to [email protected]. The "Cinemateum" installation also requires entry limited to small groups.
Tips
Bring comfortable shoes and a hat for the mornings in the fields, which take place under the sun. The village is on a slope and is visited on foot. In the surroundings, there are farmhouses and scattered accommodations between Casperia, Roccantica, and Cottanello.
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Where does it take place — Scents and... Stories in Sabina
Centro storico di Montasola, Parco comunale "Il Monte" e Azienda Agricola Montepiano