Torella dei Lombardi Vintage Car and Motorcycle Rally

Classic engines in the shadow of Castello Candriano

The Vintage Car and Motorcycle Rally in Torella dei Lombardi is a young event that has quickly become a staple of the Irpinia motoring calendar. Launched in 2025, it takes place in June, turning the center of this small town in the province of Avellino, Campania, into an open-air museum for a morning. Cars and motorcycles that shaped Italian and European mechanical history are displayed in the open, ready to be admired, photographed, and discussed by their owners.

The concept behind the event is simple yet effective: bringing together two worlds that usually remain separate—the mechanical heritage of historic vehicles and the architectural and landscape beauty of the Campanian Apennine villages. The result is a day where the roar of a vintage engine blends with the walls of a fortress of Lombard origin.

Castello Ruspoli Candriano, the event's backdrop

The heart of the rally is Castello Ruspoli Candriano, the manor that dominates Torella dei Lombardi. Its origins date back to the Lombard era, when it featured a quadrangular layout with a central courtyard. Between the 15th and 16th centuries, the Caracciolo family transformed it into a noble residence, adding cylindrical towers, a marble portal, and a hanging garden. In 1889, Umberto I granted Giuseppe Caracciolo the title of Marquis of Candriano; the property later passed to his nephew, Camillo Ruspoli, giving the castle its current name.

Today, the complex houses a civic museum and a hospitality venue with a restaurant, giving the rally a unique character compared to traditional town square gatherings. Vehicles are parked near the walls and the portal, allowing participants to alternate between viewing the cars and exploring the historic interiors with guides from the Pro Loco Candriano.

A morning open to everyone

The format is that of a static rally, not a race: there are no timed laps or skill tests, just a convivial gathering held throughout the morning. Registration opens early and is free; it is followed by a guided tour of the castle, a buffet aperitif for participants, and, around noon, an awards ceremony with institutional greetings. Those wishing to extend their stay can book lunch at the castle restaurant.

The public can attend for free without registration: visitors are welcome to walk among the vehicles and chat with the owners. This is the most authentic spirit of the Italian-style historic vehicle rally—a heritage that doesn't stay locked in a garage but returns to the road, among the people.

Who promotes the rally

• Meccanica Service di Sicuranza Mosè and the ACI Global Delegated Center, event promoters
• Scuderia Avellino Racing ASD, collaborating on the organization
• Automobile Club Avellino, granting patronage
• Pro Loco Candriano, managing guided tours of the castle
• Castello Ruspoli Candriano, hosting the event and participants' lunch

The network of partners highlights the nature of the event: it is not a commercial endeavor, but a grassroots initiative born from the local Irpinian artisan and association fabric, with the recognition of provincial automotive institutions.

Torella dei Lombardi, the home of the Sergio Leone family

The village hosting the rally is worth a visit beyond the engines. Situated at an altitude of 666 meters on a spur between the Ofanto and Ansanto valleys, Torella dei Lombardi has just over two thousand inhabitants. Beyond the castle, it preserves a 19th-century monumental fountain and the Church of Saints Giovanni and Paolo on the Girifalco hill. The town's name itself refers to the Lombard fortifications that marked its birth, documented as early as the 9th century.

Torella is also the ancestral home of Sergio Leone's family: his father, director and actor Roberto Roberti, was born here, and his mother, silent film actress Bice Valerian, passed away here. The town cultivates this cinematic connection, which adds to the still-vivid memory of the 1980 Irpinia earthquake that severely impacted this part of Alta Irpinia.

Who is it for?

• Owners and collectors of vintage cars and motorcycles looking for a rally in a unique setting
• Enthusiasts of classic motoring and automotive history
• Local families and children, for a free morning in the open air
• Visitors interested in the castles and villages of Alta Irpinia
• Photographers looking for mechanical subjects in a historic setting