Where visitors come from

The Turano Valley may feel quiet and remote, but many people visit it every week. Looking at where visitors come from shows who is drawn to the valley and why, helping communities and tourism planners make better choices on services, transport, and promotion.

Most visitors come from within Lazio. Almost half come from the Rome area, and another large group comes from the town of Rieti. Together they bring more than half of all visitors. Smaller towns across Lazio also send people, but in lower numbers - nearby and familiar places are visited most.

Distance plays a big role. Rome and Rieti have direct road links to the valley, making trips faster and easier for day visits or short weekends. Towns that are farther away or harder to reach send fewer visitors because time, fuel cost, and comfort matter.

Road quality counts as much as distance. Some towns are close but have slow or indirect roads, so fewer people come. Others a bit farther away send more visitors thanks to better access. Good roads enable tourism; poor roads limit it.

Another view compares visits to population size. Big cities send many people because they have many residents. Small towns near the valley often show a high share of their population visiting regularly.

This means the Turano Valley is both a tourist destination and a local leisure space. Nearby communities use it to relax, meet family and friends, enjoy nature, and spend free time outdoors.

Knowing where visitors come from guides practical decisions: where to improve signs, parking, services, or public transport, and which areas to target with tourism promotion.

How long visitors stay

How long people stay in the Turano Valley matters for the local economy. Longer stays mean more spending on hotels, restaurants, cafes, shops, and activities. Short visits bring less income, so length of stay shows how much tourism supports each village.

Across the 11 municipalities, stays vary. To keep it simple, we group them into: day trips (less than one day), weekend trips (one to two days), and longer stays (more than two days).

None of the municipalities fall into the pure day-trip category. On average, tourists spend at least one night everywhere in the valley, even on short visits.

Weekend getaways are the most common. Eight municipalities fall here. In Ascrea, Castel di Tora, Colle di Tora, and Collegiove, visitors stay about one night. In Belmonte in Sabina and Turania, stays are closer to two full days. Many arrive on Friday or Saturday, stay overnight, enjoy the area, and leave on Sunday.

These one- to two-night stays matter. Each night means more meals, more cafe stops, more shopping, and more use of local services - keeping the local economy active even on short breaks.

Three municipalities stand out for longer stays: Longone Sabino, Nespolo, and Rocca Sinibalda. Visitors stay two days or more on average, exploring, relaxing, hiking, and visiting cultural sites. Longer stays create stronger connections, repeat visits, and steadier income for local businesses.

Where residents work

Commuting means regular travel between home and work. In the Turano Valley this shows how villages connect to nearby towns and cities, because local job options are limited and many people travel outside the valley to earn a living.

People follow two main paths: some go to larger cities for work, others work directly inside the valley. Both matter for understanding the local economy.

Rome is the main destination: about 22% of working residents commute there. It is the biggest job centre and offers work in many fields. The trip is long and costs more, but many accept it for better opportunities.

Rieti is the second destination: about 13% commute there. It is closer and cheaper than Rome. Very few travel to other big Lazio cities like Viterbo or Latina because they are farther and harder to reach.

Not everyone leaves the valley. Local work remains strong in Rocca Sinibalda, Longone Sabino, Colle di Tora, Castel di Tora, and Belmonte in Sabina across services, tourism, local administration, construction, farming, and small businesses. Local jobs cut travel time and keep money in the valley.

Limits: the analysis only covers travel inside Lazio. Some people may commute to nearby Abruzzo, so real commuting could be slightly higher.

Another limit is how “home and work” are defined. Some live in Rome during the week and return to the Turano Valley on weekends. They are not counted as commuters because their weekday home appears to be in the city, so they look more like tourists in the data.

Understanding these movements shows where people depend on city jobs, where local work survives, and how weekend and weekday populations differ.

This knowledge supports better decisions on transport, services, housing, and local development so both daily workers and weekend residents are supported.

Residents present in the valley

Residents move in regular, predictable ways: going to work, taking children to school, shopping for food, visiting doctors, and meeting family or friends. Understanding village-to-village movements helps plan roads, public transport, parking, and services.

Resident movement is different from tourist movement. Tourists come mostly on weekends, holidays, and summer. Residents move every day, following work and school routines, so their mobility is steady across the week.

Some municipalities have more permanent residents, such as Rocca Sinibalda, Belmonte in Sabina, Castel di Tora, and Longone Sabino. Others fluctuate more with short-term visitors and weekend residents.

First pattern: only a small number of people live in the Turano Valley all year. Many villages are quieter during the working week.

Second pattern: visitors outnumber permanent residents. On many days there are more tourists and short-stay visitors than full-time residents.

Third pattern: some residents behave like tourists - owners of homes in the valley who live elsewhere (often Rome) and return only for weekends or short stays. This can make weekend resident counts lower than weekday counts, the opposite of what you might expect.

Tourists present in the valley

Tourist activity shifts between weekdays and weekends: weekdays are calmer; Saturdays and Sundays are busier. The valley is mainly a weekend escape for people from nearby cities such as Rome and Rieti.

On weekends, visitor numbers rise sharply. Rocca Sinibalda and Castel di Tora are the most visited, attracting people seeking lake views, walks, food, and relaxation. Ascrea and Colle di Tora also draw many visitors, becoming lively social hubs in good weather and warmer seasons.

During the week, activity is lower but continues. Rocca Sinibalda and Castel di Tora remain the most visited, followed by Colle di Tora and Ascrea. Weekday visitors often have flexible schedules, are retirees, remote workers, or are staying multiple days.

Reason one: weekend leisure travel. Many who work in cities come to rest in nature, arriving Friday or Saturday and leaving Sunday. Lake and mountain scenery make short breaks attractive.

Reason two: tourist facilities. Places with more hotels, guesthouses, rentals, and second homes attract more overnight visitors. Castel di Tora is well prepared for weekend trips; Rocca Sinibalda’s second homes and rentals support longer stays.

Reason three: local events. Festivals, fairs, and seasonal celebrations often on weekends can quickly multiply visitor numbers for a day or two. Ascrea, Colle di Tora, and Rocca Sinibalda often feel these peaks.

Reason four: second-home owners. Many people living and working in Rome keep homes in the valley and return mainly on weekends and holidays. They feel like locals but appear as tourists in the data, boosting weekend counts.

Overall, weekday-to-weekend differences show how closely the valley is tied to nearby urban centres for short breaks, events, and second-home returns.