Staffoli Country Day

A mountain festival in the heart of the Cicolano

The Staffoli Country Day is the summer event that brings the small hamlet of Staffoli to life every year. Located in the municipality of Petrella Salto, in the province of Rieti, Lazio, and sitting at an altitude of approximately 1,009 meters, Staffoli is the highest village in the municipality and one of the most picturesque spots in the Cicolano, the area of the Rieti province that encompasses the upper Salto Valley and stretches to the border with Abruzzo.

The event is organized by the Amici di Staffoli Social Promotion Association, a group dedicated to keeping the village's community spirit alive, maintaining local trails, and welcoming back those who have family roots in Staffoli during the summer. The event is free to enter and open to everyone.

What to expect at the Country Day

The name says it all: it is a "country" day in the most authentic sense, meaning rural and mountain-focused. The festival takes place across the meadows surrounding the village and along its narrow streets, in an informal setting that blends recreation with the agricultural and rural heritage of the area. It is the perfect occasion to enjoy the outdoors, go for a walk, share a meal, and rediscover an unspoiled landscape.

• Open-air setting among the high-altitude pastures and meadows of Staffoli.
• Convivial moments and local gastronomy featuring products from the Salto Valley.
• Country and musical atmosphere, a hallmark of the event since its inception.
• Welcoming for families, vacationers, and passing hikers.
• Free admission: there are no participation costs.

Staffoli, the village and its surroundings

Those who arrive for the Country Day find much more than just a festival. Staffoli is an ideal starting point for hiking: from the village, you can reach Monte Nuria, the Rascino plateau, and the trails that descend toward Lake Salto, all accessible on foot, by horse, or by mountain bike. The village is also recognized as one of the "Places of the Heart" by the FAI (National Trust of Italy), a testament to the affection residents and former residents hold for this corner of the Apennines.

The demographic decline affecting many mountain villages in the Lazio hinterland makes events like this particularly precious: these are the days when the village becomes populated again, when closed houses reopen, and generations reunite. The Country Day serves as a community glue, as well as a draw for gentle, sustainable tourism.

A well-established summer tradition

In 2025, the festival celebrated its fifth edition, taking place on Thursday, July 10th, starting in the morning. The Municipality of Petrella Salto promotes it on its official portal as a "traditional event" of the municipal summer calendar, a sign of its stable place in local programming.

The Cicolano region thrives on these types of widespread events: food festivals, hamlet celebrations, and themed days that follow one another from June to September, collectively forming the cultural and tourist offering of the Rieti summer. The Staffoli Country Day fits into this fabric with its own identity, suspended between rural charm and the lightheartedness of a mountain village festival.

Tips for visitors

Staffoli is located a short distance from the municipal seat of Petrella Salto and can be reached via the provincial roads of the Salto Valley. The high altitude makes for pleasant days even in the height of summer, but it is always advisable to bring a sweater for the evening and comfortable shoes suitable for meadows and trails. Those wishing to extend their stay will find farmhouses and accommodation facilities scattered between Petrella Salto and the neighboring towns in the province of Rieti.