Archeofestival - Avella stop
A free day exploring the Palazzo Baronale, the MIA, and the Roman archaeological sites of Avella
About Archeofestival Avella
Archeofestival in Avella: a free day in ancient Abella
Every year, Archeofestival, a traveling exhibition dedicated to the archaeological, historical, and anthropological heritage of Campania, devotes one of its stops to Avella, a town of just over seven thousand inhabitants in the Province of Avellino, on the western edge of Irpinia. For a full day, the historic center and the town's archaeological areas are opened to the public free of charge, with guided tours, workshops, and meetings organized by local associations.
The route: from the Palazzo Baronale to the funerary monuments
The meeting point is Piazza Municipio, where participants are welcomed into the courtyard of the Palazzo Baronale. From there, the route continues to the MIA - Immersive Archaeological Museum, housed within the palace itself: seven rooms and educational areas tell the city's history through projections, graphic displays, talking paintings, and virtual reality stations, spanning from Roman Abella to the Middle Ages and the 19th century. The museum is fully accessible and includes stations dedicated to blind and visually impaired visitors, with 3D reproductions and audio descriptions.
The visit then continues outdoors in the Archaeological Area of the Roman Amphitheatre Park—the performance venue built in the 1st century BC in the southeastern sector of the ancient city, on an area previously occupied by Samnite dwellings—and concludes in the afternoon at the Roman Funerary Monuments Park, the monumental necropolis that preserves some of the most remarkable funerary evidence in inland Campania.
A festival spanning all of Campania
Founded in 2023 and grown into a true regional tour, Archeofestival is promoted by the «Terramare 3000» Archaeological Group of Poggiomarino and carries the subtitle «Peoples, languages, and cultures of Campania in comparison». Each edition has a central theme and is divided into about ten stops distributed between the Sarno Valley, the Nola area, the Vesuvius and Pompeii region, the Phlegraean Fields, the Caserta area, and Irpinia. The formula never changes: everything is free, including visits to archaeological sites and museums, but booking is mandatory to allow organizers to manage groups effectively.
Who organizes the Avella stop
The day in Avella is coordinated by the «Amedeo Maiuri» Avellano Archaeological Group, chaired by Prof. Pietro Luciano, who welcomes visitors and accompanies them on all guided tours. Collaborators include the Archeoclub d'Italia of Pompei APS «Legio I Adiutrix», which brings historical re-enactment workshops in costume to Avella, the «Le Ali della Vita» APS Association, the Pro Loco Abella, and the Italian Volunteering Movement (Mo.VI) Campania OdV.
Who is it for?
- Families and children, thanks to the accessible nature of the tours and practical workshops
- Schools and groups, for whom activities are also free
- Fans of Roman and Samnite archaeology
- Those who want to discover an Irpinia different from the mountain villages, closer to the Vesuvius and Nola world
Avella and archaeological Campania
Avella is one of the key sites for understanding the stratification of ancient Campania's cultures: born in the Oscan sphere, it passed under Samnite influence and then became a Roman city named Abella. It still preserves the amphitheatre, the monumental necropolis, and, just outside the town, the Grotte di San Michele along the Clanio river. Archeofestival is arguably the best opportunity of the year to traverse all this heritage in a single day, guided by those who study and protect it every day, at no cost.
Archeofestival Avella — edition 2026
The 9th stop of Archeofestival 2026
The fourth edition of Archeofestival, titled «Playful spaces, sacred times», explored the relationship between ritual, festival, and community in ancient and contemporary Campania throughout 2026. Presented in Poggiomarino in January 2026, the festival crossed the region from January to July with a dozen events: Santa Maria Capua Vetere and Capua, Succivo and Sant'Arpino, Atripalda and Mirabella Eclano, Pontecagnano, Bacoli, Boscoreale and Longola, Pagani and Nocera, Benevento, Avella, Castellammare di Stabia, the Phlegraean Fields, and finally Poggiomarino for the closing ceremony.
In Avella, Saturday, May 16
The Avella stop was the ninth in the calendar. The meeting point was set for 9:30 AM in Piazza Municipio, with a welcome in the courtyard of the Palazzo Baronale by Prof. Pietro Luciano, president of the «Amedeo Maiuri» Avellano Archaeological Group. The morning opened with a cultural impromptu with migrants, organized by the «Le Ali della Vita» APS Association, followed by a guided tour of the MIA - Immersive Archaeological Museum and then the Archaeological Area of the Roman Amphitheatre Park, where the Archeoclub d'Italia of Pompei APS «Legio I Adiutrix» set up a historical re-enactment workshop dedicated to Pompeian women and the sailors of the Classis Misenensis, the Roman fleet of Misenum.
After the lunch break, the afternoon was dedicated to the Archaeological Area of the Roman Funerary Monuments Park, the monumental necropolis that extends along the ancient road axis exiting the city.
An entirely free event
Like all Archeofestival activities, the day in Avella was completely free, including visits to archaeological sites and museums, with mandatory booking via the form downloadable from the festival's official website. The initiative took place with the support of the Italian Volunteering Movement (Mo.VI) Campania OdV and the collaboration of the Pro Loco Abella.
Programme Archeofestival Avella 2026
Saturday, May 16, 2026 - 9th stop of Archeofestival
- 9:30 AM — Meeting at Piazza Municipio and welcome in the courtyard of the Palazzo Baronale by Prof. Pietro Luciano, president of the «Amedeo Maiuri» Avellano Archaeological Group
- 10:00 AM — Cultural impromptu with migrants, organized by the «Le Ali della Vita» APS Association
- 10:30 AM — Guided tour of the MIA - Immersive Archaeological Museum, by the Avellano Archaeological Group
- 11:30 AM — Guided tour of the Archaeological Area of the Roman Amphitheatre Park, by the Avellano Archaeological Group, with historical re-enactment workshop «Pompeian women and sailors of the Classis Misenensis», by the Archeoclub d'Italia of Pompei APS «Legio I Adiutrix»
- 1:00 PM — Lunch break
- 3:00 PM — Visit to the Archaeological Area of the Roman Funerary Monuments Park, by the Avellano Archaeological Group
Mandatory booking by filling out the form available on www.archeofestival.it or by calling +39 339 670 4336.
Highlights Archeofestival Avella 2026
- Entirely free admission and guided tours, including museums and archaeological areas
- The MIA - Immersive Archaeological Museum in the Palazzo Baronale, with projections, talking paintings, and virtual reality stations
- Historical re-enactment workshop in costume about Pompeian women and the sailors of the Classis Misenensis
- The Roman Amphitheatre of Avella, built in the 1st century BC on an area already occupied by Samnite structures
- The Roman Funerary Monuments Park, among the most remarkable monumental necropolises in inland Campania
- Cultural impromptu with migrants, a moment of meeting and inclusion in the courtyard of the Palazzo Baronale
Prices Archeofestival Avella 2026
Practical information — Archeofestival Avella
Where and when
The meeting point is Piazza Municipio, in front of the Palazzo Baronale, 83021 Avella (Province of Avellino, Campania). The stop takes place over a single day, usually on a Saturday, between spring and early summer.
Bookings
Participation is free but booking is mandatory: fill out the form published on www.archeofestival.it or call +39 339 670 4336. General information on the festival: [email protected]; scientific coordination Linda Solino, tel. +39 329 975 6435.
The MIA outside event days
Outside of Archeofestival, the MIA - Immersive Archaeological Museum of Avella can be visited on Saturdays from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM and Sundays from 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM (tel. +39 333 8847353 or +39 081 8251044).
Where to eat
The organizers suggest the possibility of having lunch in town with set menus every year: in 2026, the agreement was with Ristorante Hermanos, at Via Parroco Ercolino 4, with menus starting at 20.00 and 25.00 euros upon reservation.
Tips
Bring comfortable shoes: the archaeological areas of the amphitheatre and funerary monuments are visited outdoors on uneven ground. Avella is located at 207 meters above sea level in an inland hilly area, and spring mornings can still be cool.
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Where does it take place — Archeofestival Avella
Palazzo Baronale — MIA Museo Immersivo Archeologico
Piazza Municipio, 83021 Avella