Maleventum Beneventum … land of witches, someone says (and I think so too), that it’s a really wonderful land full of places to visit and flavors to taste!
In my Sundays of Taste, where I accompany tourists to visit mysterious places and artistic landscape, we cannot miss Benevento.
One of the oldest provinces of Campania, rich in a history that dates back to before Christ, excites anyone visiting: I fell in love and you will be too when you decide to visit it.
Benevento can geographically be divided into three main areas:
- The city of Benevento, San Giorgio del Sannio and Pietrelcina
- The border area with Caserta: so Telese, Dugenta, St. Agatha of the Goths, the Taburno, Montesarchio
- The border area with Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise: that of Matesi mountains, Cusano Mutri, Morcone
What fascinates me most is that near Benevento you can visit many villages: small, delightful, perched and find out for each one the stories and legends that perfect fit for them.
Then every village has its local dishes and customs: Benevento is one of the provinces where are held during the year most fairs and festivals of the whole Campania region.
The history of Benevento is very ancient and will be the guides to tell you about it, just know that in ancient times was the main passage of the Romans to get in “Puglie”region, but even a legend has it that the city was founded by Diomedes after the destruction of Troy!
The territory offers very much for those who want to spend a day or even a weekend in search of the best quality wines and the best typical products from Campania, as well as unexpected and exciting excursions.
The food tradition is full of top quality dishes ranging from fresh cheeses to mature cheeses to the salami linked to the local hunting: wild boar in the first place.
Benevento is very busy from Easter until October, when you see it covered with colors and flavors brought by the many fairs and festivals that attract tourists from all over Italy and in some cases from all over Europe.
For lovers of outdoor sports and green tourism in Benevento you can really indulge: hiking, horseback riding, rafting, hang gliding, among the major sports that you can play, particularly between Telese and Cusano Mutri.
Cusano Mutri with Morcone and Sant’Agata dei Goti remain among the most beautiful and well-known villages of Campania: perched on steep hills and lying along them. You will go crazy with their colorful streets rich in legends.
However, the main town remains Benevento: beautiful!
Believe me! I’m loving it, perhaps because it is a rich and lively city but at the same time maintains its tranquility of “country town”; much more like a northern city than a city of Campania; it gives me the idea of Ferrara!
In Benevento there is a mix of ancient and modern history together, ranging from the Roman theater to the church of Santa Sophia to the Fortress of Rettori.
All through a beautiful walk through the main street of Benevento.
Finally, for devout Catholics, I can not forget to talk about Padre Pio and the pilgrimage to Pietrelcina, the birthplace of the Saint.
Very close to Benevento, Pietrelcina is a symbolic place of Padre Pio and the receptor each year by thousands and thousands of pilgrims tourists.
I want to finish this beautiful walk in Benevento stopping in one of the oldest and most famous liquor industry of Italy and the world, and that with a bit of pride I can say is unique : The Liquor Factory “Strega”.
Unique and distinctive flavor, along the it turned from the digestive liquor to become the base for many cakes : pastiera, baba, nougat .. and those who come here, cannot miss to visit the Store.
Witches and Wizards ….I’m waiting for you in Campania to make you stay in the land of gourmets !
See you on the next trip!
