ArcheoSpritz

An aperitif inside an archaeological park

ArcheoSpritz was born from a simple yet effective idea: to open the Historical and Archaeological Park of Compsa during the most beautiful hour of a summer day and transform it, for one evening, into a meeting place. It is not a conference or a ticketed show, but a shared aperitif among the stones of ancient Compsa, as the light fades over the Ofanto Valley and Lake Conza. The event is scheduled for Friday, August 28, 2026, at 6:00 PM and is part of the Estate Conzana 2026 program, promoted by the Municipality of Conza della Campania together with the Pro Loco Compsa, the Youth Forum, and local associations in Irpinia, in the heart of Campania.

Compsa, the city brought back to light

The venue is no ordinary backdrop. Conza della Campania is the heir to Compsa, a center of the Irpini—one of the four Samnite tribes—and later a Roman municipality noted in ancient sources for its role in the Second Punic War. The earthquake of November 23, 1980, destroyed the village perched on the hill, and the population was relocated to the current town of Piano delle Briglie. Instead of being erased, the ruins of the old town were excavated and preserved, revealing the Roman forum, the amphitheater, paved street layouts, a thermal bath complex, funerary urns, and the remains of the cathedral with its monumental 1741 cross. Walking through this perimeter today means crossing two layers of history: the ancient city and the 20th-century town frozen in time.

What to expect

ArcheoSpritz is designed as a moment of light heritage appreciation: guests arrive in the late afternoon, explore the archaeological area when the August heat has subsided, and conclude with a toast in good company. It is a formula that many Italian archaeological parks have adopted in recent years to attract those who do not usually visit museums, and in Conza, it holds special value for the community: a chance to be together, literally, inside the town that no longer exists.

• Date and time: August 28, 2026, from 6:00 PM.
• Location: Historical and Archaeological Park of Compsa, Conza della Campania (AV).
• Context: Closing event of the Estate Conzana 2026.
• Setting: Open-air archaeological area with views over the Ofanto Valley.

A piece of the Post Fata Resurgo project

The initiative is linked to the Post Fata Resurgo project—«after fate, I rise again», a motto that perfectly summarizes Conza's history—supported by the Fondazione Con il Sud and driven by the Associazione Gioventù Conzana along with local and university partners. As part of this journey, the park has hosted archaeology and epigraphy workshops, educational activities, and outreach events aimed primarily at local youth: ArcheoSpritz represents its most convivial and open-to-all version.

Estate Conzana, the host program

The municipal summer calendar runs from June to the end of August, alternating sports tournaments, food festivals, children's theater, book presentations, musical evenings in Piazza Sandro Pertini, and nature outings at the WWF Lake Conza Oasis, one of the most important wetlands in Southern Italy for birdwatching. ArcheoSpritz ideally closes this journey on August 28, just after the astronomical evening dedicated to the lunar eclipse on the 27th, leaving visitors with the most iconic image of the town: the ruins of Compsa in the sunset light.

Why it's worth the trip

For those visiting Irpinia, ArcheoSpritz is an opportunity to discover a site that is normally open only by reservation, at a time of day when the archaeological area is at its most photogenic. It is also a great starting point for a weekend in the upper Ofanto Valley, between the nature oasis, the villages of Alta Irpinia, and the wineries in the hinterland of the province of Avellino.