Made in Italy Day and Flowered Balconies Competition
Two Matese villages in bloom for the National Made in Italy Day
About Balconi Fioriti Raviscanina
Made in Italy as told by two Matese villages
In the municipality of Raviscanina, in the province of Caserta, the Made in Italy Day is not celebrated in a conference hall, but through the streets of the town. The Pro Loco Rupecanina APS, leading the initiative alongside Pro Loco Ciorlano and the associations belonging to the Italian Pro Loco Union (EPLI), proposes an itinerary that unites two small towns in the upper Caserta area, at the foot of the Matese massif, in the heart of inland Campania.
The event is part of the national calendar promoted by the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy and adopts a precise perspective: intangible cultural heritage, artisan crafts, and youth creativity as the engine of an economy rooted in the territory. This is the origin of the title under which the initiative appears in the ministerial agenda: «Youth, skills, and creativity in Made in Italy for the Pro Loco system».
The «Balconi Fioriti» competition
The common thread of the event is the Balconi Fioriti (Flowered Balconies) competition, which invites local families to decorate balconies, windowsills, corners, and alleys with floral arrangements. The displays remain visible for the entire duration of the festival, transforming the two historic centers into an open-air path; a jury visits the competing balconies, and the announcement of the winners concludes the event.
- Floral displays spread throughout the historic centers of Raviscanina and Ciorlano
- Official ribbon-cutting and guided tour of the installations
- Award ceremony for the winning balconies on the final evening
It is a simple yet effective setup: there is no need for a stage or a grand production; geraniums on windowsills and the willingness of the inhabitants to reopen the doors of their village are enough. Visitors find themselves walking slowly, looking up, in towns that would otherwise be crossed in just a few minutes.
Raviscanina, the village of Celestine V
Raviscanina has a few hundred inhabitants and is dominated by the ruins of the Castle of Rupecanina, an abandoned medieval fortified village clinging to the mountain above the current town. However, the municipality's strongest bond is with Pietro Angelerio, the hermit monk elected pope in 1294 under the name Celestino V, remembered for his famous renunciation of the papacy: a local tradition, supported by the Pro Loco, places his birth right in the Castrum Rupecanina.
The small museum «Casa Celestino V» is dedicated to this memory and is a fixed stop on the visit, along with the small chapel of the Madonnina di Lourdes, which preserves the story of Geltrude Perrone. On the Ciorlano side, visitors can explore the medieval historic center, the Church of the Annunziata, and the Cistercian castle, which historians have often described as one of the hidden treasures of Campania.
The flavors of the Matese area
The gastronomic aspect is deliberately home-style and seasonal. At noon, the municipal auditorium of Ciorlano hosts a lunch featuring tastings of typical products from the Matese area; the final evening in Raviscanina concludes with a food stand serving pasta e fagioli (pasta and beans) and bruschetta with new oil, accompanied by dancing in the square. No gourmet cuisine here: this is the table of the Pro Loco, the one that brings the community together in the inland towns of Campania.
A project against depopulation
Behind the festive appearance lies a stated goal by the organizers: to bring tourists, curious visitors, and residents back to the Matese villages affected by depopulation, by enhancing the landscape, history, and local production. The collaboration between two Pro Loco associations from different municipalities, with the support of the EPLI network, moves in this direction: networking small towns that would struggle to build a cultural offering on their own, and entrusting their story to younger generations as well.
When to go and what to expect
The event unfolds in two distinct moments, April 25th and May 1st, with the floral displays visitable in the interval. It is a family-friendly event, suitable for those looking for a day outdoors away from the most beaten tourist circuits and who want to combine the visit with a hike on the Matese mountains or the discovery of other villages in the upper Caserta area.
Balconi Fioriti Raviscanina — edition 2026
A two-voice edition
For 2026, the Pro Loco Rupecanina APS and Pro Loco Ciorlano built a unique program spread over two municipalities and two days, included in the official agenda of the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy with the title «Youth, skills, and creativity in Made in Italy for the Pro Loco system». April 25th served as the inaugural day, with the public accompanied in the morning through the alleys of Ciorlano and in the afternoon in the historic center of Raviscanina; May 1st closed the festival with the competition awards ceremony.
The Balconi Fioriti competition
The heart of the edition was the Balconi Fioriti competition, with arrangements created by families residing in the two villages and visitable throughout the event period. The guided tour of the installations followed the ribbon-cutting on the afternoon of April 25th, while the jury carried out inspections ahead of the announcement of the winners.
The meaning of the initiative
The organizers indicated an explicit goal: to bring tourists and visitors back to the Matese villages affected by depopulation, by enhancing the landscape, history, and local production. The initiative took place in collaboration with the Pro Loco associations belonging to the Italian Pro Loco Union (EPLI).
Programme Balconi Fioriti Raviscanina 2026
Saturday, April 25th, 2026 — morning in Ciorlano
- 9:00 AM — Meeting in Piazza Vendettuoli with a welcome toast and first visit to the Balconi Fioriti set up for the competition
- Walk through the medieval historic center, visit to the Church of the Annunziata and the Cistercian castle, described by historians as one of the hidden treasures of Campania
- 1:00 PM — Lunch at the municipal auditorium with a tasting of typical products from the Matese area
Saturday, April 25th, 2026 — afternoon in Raviscanina
- 3:30 PM — Meeting in the Town Hall council chamber with a welcome toast and institutional greetings
- Visit to the chapel of the Madonnina di Lourdes, which preserves the memory of Geltrude Perrone
- Visit to the «Casa Celestino V» museum, dedicated to the pope originally from the Castrum Rupecanina
- Ribbon-cutting of the «Balconi Fioriti» competition and visit to the village's floral displays
- 8:00 PM — Conclusion of the day with greetings from the authorities to the guests
Friday, May 1st, 2026 — final evening in Raviscanina
- Award ceremony for the winners of the «Balconi Fioriti 2026» competition
- Musical performance by Beppe Zona
- Dancing in the square, in front of the Church of the Sacred Heart
- Food stand with pasta e fagioli and bruschetta with new oil
Highlights Balconi Fioriti Raviscanina 2026
- The Cistercian castle of Ciorlano and the Church of the Annunziata, open for the occasion
- The «Casa Celestino V» museum in Raviscanina, dedicated to the pope born, according to local tradition, in the Castrum Rupecanina
- The chapel of the Madonnina di Lourdes and the memory of Geltrude Perrone
- The open-air path among the displays of the «Balconi Fioriti» competition
- The tasting of typical Matese products in the municipal auditorium of Ciorlano
- The evening of May 1st with Beppe Zona, dancing in the square, and bruschetta with new oil
Prices Balconi Fioriti Raviscanina 2026
Practical information — Balconi Fioriti Raviscanina
How to get there
Raviscanina is located in the upper Caserta area, at the foot of the Matese, about fifty kilometers from Caserta. By car, it is best to exit the A1 motorway at Caianello and continue towards Alife and Sant'Angelo d'Alife. The most convenient train station for those arriving from Rome or Naples is Vairano-Caianello, on the line via Cassino, from where you continue by car; the reference airport is Naples-Capodichino.
On-site
Ciorlano and Raviscanina are just a few kilometers apart, and on April 25th, the program moves from one to the other: having your own car is practically essential. The historic centers are visited on foot, with some uphill sections and cobblestone paths: comfortable shoes are recommended.
Costs and information
Available sources do not indicate an entrance fee for visits, the ribbon-cutting, or the evening in the square. The lunch with typical products and consumption at the food stand are paid. For competition entries, updated schedules, and any reservations, it is best to contact the Pro Loco Rupecanina APS or Pro Loco Ciorlano directly.
Where to stay
Accommodation in the two municipalities is limited to a few small facilities; for longer stays, there are agritourisms and bed and breakfasts in the plain of Alife and in Piedimonte Matese, both a short drive away.
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Where does it take place — Balconi Fioriti Raviscanina
Centro storico di Raviscanina