Summer Mangialonga

The Summer Mangialonga: walking and tasting Irpinia

The Summer Mangialonga is the August event that combines hiking and mountain cuisine in Montella, in the province of Avellino, in the heart of inland Campania. The principle is simple and ancient at the same time: you walk for a few hours along the trails of the Verteglia Plateau and stop, stage after stage, to taste the local products. No races, no stopwatches: the pace is one of conviviality.

The Verteglia Plateau, the natural stage

Verteglia is a vast karst plain that opens up at over 1,100 meters above sea level within the Picentini Mountains Regional Park. Centuries-old beech forests, pastures, sinkholes, and springs create a landscape that becomes a cool refuge for the people of Irpinia in summer. This is where most of the outdoor activities promoted by the Municipality of Montella and local associations are concentrated: excursions, camping, workshops, and astronomical observations. The Summer Mangialonga is its most delicious variation.

A proven format

The formula follows that of the Picentini Mountains Mangialonga, the food and wine excursion proposed by the same organizers in spring and winter: early morning meeting, departure on foot, breakfast in a mountain hut, aperitif stops along the route, and a final lunch. In the spring editions, the route touches the Acqua degli Uccelli hut (1,415 m), the Campolaspierto clearing (1,293 m), the Coste di Santa Caterina (1,375 m), and Monte Forcella (1,420 m), ending at the Candraloni Mountain Hut (1,180 m): about 13 kilometers in six hours of walking, accessible to anyone with a minimum of training.

The flavors encountered along the way

• Typical Irpinian products served at stops along the route;
• Local fresh pasta and sausage prepared on-site for the final lunch;
• Cheeses and cured meats from the Picentini mountains;
• Irpinian wines, land of Taurasi, Fiano di Avellino, and Greco di Tufo.

Montella, after all, is also famous for its PGI chestnut, the star of the historic Chestnut Festival every autumn: one more reason to return to the town in another season.

Who organizes it

The event was born from the collaboration between the Pro Loco Montella «Alto Calore» and the AMA Next Generation association, founded in 2020 to enhance, protect, and promote the territory of Montella and the Picentini Mountains Regional Park. The same association manages the Candraloni Mountain Hut and the AMA Camping experience on the plateau, which enlivens Verteglia every summer with music, outdoor cinema, and workshops.

When and how to participate

The Summer Mangialonga is part of the Montella Summer calendar, the program of events that the Municipality of Montella publishes every year between July and August together with local associations, including festivals, shows, sports, and high-altitude appointments. Participation is by reservation, with limited spots: this is the formula that allows for the organization of gastronomic stops along the route. Those arriving from outside the region can easily combine the day with the discovery of the historic center of Montella, the Sanctuary of the Most Holy Savior, and the villages of the Upper Calore Valley.

Why it's worth the trip

In a region that tourism almost always associates with the sea, the Summer Mangialonga tells the story of the other Campania: that of the inland mountains, beech woods, springs, and a peasant cuisine that has remained authentic. It is not a mass-market event, and that is precisely its merit: you walk in a group, chat, eat together, and return to the valley with the feeling of having truly known a piece of Irpinia.