Briganti di Colliano Equestrian Gathering

A horseback gathering in the upper Sele Valley

The Briganti di Colliano Equestrian Gathering is a day dedicated by the I Briganti di Colliano association to riders and those who love slow travel through the mountains of the Salerno province. The meeting point is the Piano di Pecora picnic area, in the municipality of Colliano, Salerno, Campania: a plateau at the foot of the Monti Eremita-Marzano Nature Reserve, where beech and alder trees shade the tables and benches, serving as the base for the association's outdoor activities for years.

This is not a fair or a food festival; it is a genuine gathering designed for those arriving with their own horses or those wishing to rent one. It follows the classic Italian equestrian tourism format—morning registration, group excursion, and a shared lunch upon return—set against a landscape rarely touched by mass tourism.

The route: trails of Monte di Pruno and the Sele River

The heart of the event is a long, singular ride. After breakfast and registration, the group leaves Piano di Pecora to take the trails of Monte di Pruno, descending toward the Sele River in the Sele-Tanagro district. These are the same mule tracks that local memory links to the post-unification brigandage: mountain passes and clearings that once connected the upper Sele Valley with Irpinia and nearby Basilicata, now popular hiking, mountain biking, and—naturally—horseback riding paths.

The return is scheduled for lunchtime in the village of Bisigliano. The day concludes in a convivial atmosphere with a prize draw for local food products, perfectly capturing the spirit of the event, where the social aspect is just as important as the sport.

How the day unfolds

• Early morning: Arrival at the Piano di Pecora picnic area, breakfast, and rider registration.
• Departure: Horseback excursion through the trails of Monte di Pruno and along the Sele River.
• Midday: Return and lunch in the village of Bisigliano.
• Afterwards: Convivial gathering and gastronomic prize draw.

Those without a horse can still participate: the association provides rental horses upon reservation. Registrations close a few days before the event, as the number of riders must be coordinated with the organizers in advance.

About I Briganti di Colliano

The I Briganti di Colliano association works year-round on outdoor activities in the upper Sele Valley. Their base is the equipped Piano di Pecora picnic area, where they offer horseback riding, pony rides, introductory riding lessons for children, mountain biking, archery, themed trekking—including truffle hunting, the "black gold" for which Colliano is renowned—and educational farm activities during the weekends of June, July, and August. The equestrian gathering is the moment when these daily activities become a collective event, open to riders from outside the area.

Colliano and its territory

Colliano is a small town of just over three thousand inhabitants in the upper Sele Valley, on the eastern edge of the province of Salerno, bordering Basilicata. Its territory consists of eight scattered hamlets—including Bisigliano and Collianello, a village with Norman roots—and forests rising toward the Monti Eremita-Marzano, where it is not uncommon to spot kites and buzzards. Local gastronomy revolves around truffles, mountain cheeses, and cured meats, celebrated every autumn by the historic National Truffle Market Exhibition.

Who is it for?

The gathering is designed for riders with a minimum level of independence in the saddle, as the excursion lasts most of the morning and covers mountain trails. Beginners should consult with the organizers beforehand, as they can suggest the most suitable setup or propose shorter walks held during summer weekends. For those seeking an immersion in inland Campania, far from the routes of the Amalfi Coast and Cilento, this is one of the most genuine experiences of the Salerno summer.