Masseria 'a Duchessa: Land, Flavours and Traditions

A farmhouse returned to the community

The Masseria «'a Duchessa», widely known as the former San Pio X Institute, is a landmark of Santa Maria a Vico, a town in the province of Caserta overlooking the Suessola Valley in Campania. Following the municipal administration's acquisition of the complex and the opening of its gardens to the public, the farmhouse has once again become a communal space. For three days, it transforms into an experiential village dedicated to trades, traditional products, and dialogue between businesses, institutions, and the local area: not just a market, but the symbolic restoration of a place to its people.

Craftsmanship, training and Made in Italy

The event is promoted by Asso Artigiani Imprese Caserta, chaired by Nicola De Lucia, with the patronage of the Municipality of Santa Maria a Vico and CSV Asso.Vo.Ce. ETS. The most prestigious recognition, however, came from the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy, which included the event in the national calendar of initiatives authorised to bear the celebratory logo of Italian excellence, as part of the National Made in Italy Day.

The guiding theme is training: more than just a product showcase, the festival aims to be an opportunity to pass on artisan skills and bring together craftsmen, producers, technicians, and administrators. The programme includes conferences and seminars on sustainable agriculture, Industry 4.0, and urban regeneration, alongside spaces reserved for third-sector organisations.

The «L'Olio della Mia Terra» competition

The most anticipated highlight is the promotion of the olive oil supply chain with the «L'Olio della Mia Terra» competition, reserved for amateur producers of extra virgin olive oil from the 2025 Suessola Valley harvest, organised in collaboration with local municipalities. The awards ceremony is held on Sunday afternoon during the technical conference "Valorising olive oil as a source of income. A prospective analysis": a concrete way to give economic dignity to an olive-growing heritage often confined to family self-consumption.

Zero-kilometre flavours

The area dedicated to food and drink offers a gastronomic journey with zero-kilometre tastings and show cooking, built around Caserta's agricultural produce. Alongside the tastings, there are exhibitions of traditional products and artistic crafts from the province, with producers present to personally describe their processes and raw materials.

• Exhibitions of traditional products and Caserta artistic crafts
• Guided tastings and show cooking with local raw materials
• Educational workshops on ancient trades for school groups
• Vintage car and motorcycle rallies in the farmhouse courtyard
• Conferences and seminars on sustainable agriculture, Industry 4.0, and urban regeneration
• Outdoor sports activities and spaces dedicated to associations

Vintage engines, sport and families

The weekend changes pace: the farmhouse courtyard hosts vintage car and motorcycle rallies, while the green areas host outdoor sports activities. Friday is entirely dedicated to schools, with workshops that immerse children and teenagers in the techniques of ancient trades and the local product supply chain. Admission is free, making the festival an ideal destination for families looking to spend a day in the open air just a few kilometres from Caserta and Nola.

Santa Maria a Vico and the Suessola Valley

Santa Maria a Vico stands along the historic Appian Way, in the natural corridor between the Caserta plain and the Caudina Valley. It is a land of olive trees, vegetables, and small family businesses, where craftsmanship has endured alongside agriculture: the festival reconnects these two threads, offering a contemporary reading of what the province of Caserta can still produce.

Why attend

• An event recognised by the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy
• The opportunity to visit the gardens of a monumental farmhouse recently returned to the public
• The «L'Olio della Mia Terra» competition, dedicated to extra virgin oils from local amateur producers
• Tastings, show cooking, and artistic crafts from the province of Caserta
• Free admission for everyone