100 Km del Matese

A vintage car rally in the heart of the Matese

The 100 Km del Matese is a cultural and tourism event dedicated to historic motoring that brings dozens of vintage cars and motorcycles to the roads of the Alto Casertano every year. Born and raised in Piedimonte Matese, the gateway to the Matese massif, the event is organized by the Club Antichi Sanniti (CAMAS), an ASI-affiliated association that has spent years working to promote the area's automotive and cultural heritage.

This is not a speed race: the format is that of a touring rally, starting from the central Piazza Cappello, with road books handed out to crews and a caravan moving leisurely through historic villas, villages, and the landscapes of the Matese Park. It is a unique way to visit the province of Caserta, in Campania: the pace is set by the vintage vehicles, and every stop becomes an opportunity for a guided tour or a taste of local products.

The route: from San Leucio to Casertavecchia, and the Matese villages

The route changes slightly each year, but always revolves around a precise idea: connecting the most iconic places of the Terra di Lavoro and the Matese. Recent editions have included stops at:

• Real Belvedere di San Leucio, a UNESCO site and former Bourbon silk factory, featuring the silk museum, historic apartments, and Italian-style gardens;
• Casertavecchia, the medieval village on the Tifatini hills, where stops are accompanied by guided tours and tastings;
• San Gregorio Matese and its Villa Comunale, overlooking the plateau;
• Alife and the plain crossed by the Volturno river, with final refreshments and awards;
• Matese towns such as Castello del Matese, Cusano Mutri, Cerreto Sannita, and Pietraroja, visited in past editions.

Motors, culture, and gastronomy

What distinguishes the 100 Km del Matese from more conventional rallies is the blend of automotive passion and a cultural program. The stops are not just checkpoints: they include visits to monuments, accompaniment by actors in period Bourbon costumes, static displays of the cars in town squares, and social moments featuring Matese cuisine. Cheeses, cured meats, homemade pasta, and wines from the Benevento-Caserta area are a staple of the journey, as are the photography contests and prizes for crews in costume offered in some editions.

The public who are not participating with a vehicle can still follow the event: the passage of the caravan and the stops in the squares are freely accessible and represent, for enthusiasts, a small open-air museum of Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Lancia, and historic motorcycles.

A smile for research: the charitable dimension

For several years, the event has been linked to the motto «A smile for research»: the funds raised support the Alessandro Zazzarino Association, which is committed to research into neuroendocrine diseases. In the 2026 edition, the theme of inclusion was made even more explicit with the participation of a specially equipped Alfa Romeo Duetto, under the aegis of ASI Solidarietà.

In the national ASI calendar

The 100 Km del Matese is registered in the ASI Calendar under the Marco Polo Trophy category, the Automotoclub Storico Italiano circuit reserved for cultural and tourism events. This recognition places the Caserta appointment on a national stage and explains the presence of crews from outside the region.

Piedimonte Matese, the starting point

Piedimonte Matese is the main center of the Alto Casertano, at the foot of the massif that gives the event its name. Its historic center, convents, the Torano stream, and its proximity to the Matese National Park make it an ideal base for a weekend. The departure from Piazza Cappello and the stop at the Giardini Egg, the redeveloped municipal green area, are now two fixed stages of the event.

How to participate

Registration is reserved for crews with vintage vehicles and is done by sending the application form to the Club Antichi Sanniti; regulations, the program, and forms are published on the club's website. For information, you can write to [email protected] or contact the organizers by phone.