Monteverde Experience - The Path of the Ancient Palmenti

Three days in the heart of Alta Irpinia

Monteverde Experience - The Path of the Ancient Palmenti is a slow-travel experience held in Monteverde, a small town in the province of Avellino, Campania, overlooking the Ofanto river valley. This is not a typical stage-and-audience festival: it is a collective three-day trek that combines hiking, guided tours of the village's heritage, and tastings of local products, designed to showcase a territory that remains off the beaten path.

The rock-hewn palmenti

The central theme of the itinerary is the rock-hewn palmenti, ancient basins carved directly into the stone where grapes were once crushed by hand. Scattered along the trails surrounding the town, these artifacts tell the story of an ancient peasant viticulture, with evidence in the area dating back to around the year 1000. Walking from one palmento to another means reading the landscape like a document: terraces, dry-stone walls, ridge paths, and sudden views over the valley.

The village and the medieval castle

Monteverde is part of the Most Beautiful Villages of Italy circuit and has been awarded the title of Europe's Most Accessible Village: a significant detail, as it reflects the town's commitment to making alleys, stairs, and viewpoints accessible to those with mobility challenges. The path winds through the historic center, perched at an altitude of 740 meters, and reaches the medieval castle, which has undergone significant restoration. Once an episcopal seat in the 11th century and a Grimaldi fiefdom between 1532 and 1641, Monteverde preserves a historical layering that is surprising for a town of only a few hundred inhabitants.

Nature: Foresta Mezzana, the petrified forest, and the black stork

A major part of the experience is dedicated to the natural environment of eastern Irpinia, one of the most pristine areas in the region.

• Foresta Mezzana, recognized by FAI as a «place of the heart», with its silent woods.
• The petrified forest, which holds ancient geological evidence.
• The black stork, a rare and elusive species linked to this territory, to which the path dedicates a specific moment of discovery.
• The banks of the Ofanto, the river that defines the landscape on the border between Campania, Basilicata, and Puglia.

Traditional flavors and hospitality

Alongside the hikes, the path offers an authentic food and wine dimension: tastings of local products and shared tables that celebrate the peasant cuisine of Alta Irpinia and the hospitality of local families. This is not an accessory part of the experience, as in these towns, food remains the most direct way to truly connect with the community.

Who promotes the initiative

The event is promoted by ANAP Puglia and ANAP Campania, the Confartigianato pensioners' association, in collaboration with the Pro Loco of Monteverde and with the patronage of the Municipality of Monteverde. The 2025 edition was attended by, among others, regional presidents Pietro Giulio Pantaleo (ANAP Puglia) and Pasquale Salierno (ANAP Campania) along with Mayor Antonio Vella.

Who it is for

The path is designed for walkers who are not necessarily experts: the routes are hiking-oriented but accessible to those with a minimum level of fitness. The approach of the initiative, born within an association and attentive to the theme of accessibility, favors a slow pace, pauses, and storytelling. It is an opportunity to discover a corner of Campania where mass tourism has not yet arrived, in a season—late summer—when the colors of Irpinia are at their best.