Irpinia to discover

Do not miss the medieval villages and castles, such as Sant'Angelo dei Longobardi, with its castle and the ancient Abbey of Goleto, built on the remains of a temple dedicated to the Sun god, the fortress of Monteverde, with the lush Zampaglione woods, Rocca San Felice, land of the goddess Mefite, first protecting deity, then transformed into a goddess of the underworld due to the lake in the Ansanto valley, indicated by Virgil as the gateway to the underworld, unique in the world for the gaseous fumes of carbon dioxide that cause the water to boil in a non-volcanic area. Nature lovers cannot fail to pay a visit to Lake Conza, WWF oasis, a resting place for birds along the migration route between Tirreno and Adriatico, with more than 100 recorded species.

The land rich in clay has fostered since ancient times the creation of ceramic artefacts. Over the millennia this practice has become a real art, reaching up to present day in increasingly complex and precious forms. Examples are the ceramics of Ariano Irpino and Calitri, which sometimes are actual sculptures, with bright colours and elegant shapes. The artistic production of the wrought iron of Sant'Andrea di Conza is also of great interest and has earned the local smiths prestigious international awards.

Salami and cheese are among the excellences of the region that are featured on the tables of Irpinia. The ageing in caves keeps the authentic aroma of the meats and the quality of the cheeses, to rediscover the taste of the past, that added value that makes the typical products ambassadors of this territory's culture. Soppressata, lard, capocollo, caciocavallo, pecorino, intense and genuine flavours, to be served with good bread cooked in a wood oven and seasoned with precious local olive oil, to be watered with a good glass of wine, D.O.C. naturally. Taurasi, Greco di Tufo, Fiano di Avellino are among the most popular. The wineries of Irpinia are a universe to be discovered, made of history, passion and honesty.