Vintage Car Rally "Rediscovering the Ancient Tratturo"

A rally following the tracks of the ancient shepherd's path

"Rediscovering the Ancient Tratturo" is a touring vintage car rally created by the Promo8 Sociale - Benevento Car Classic Club association, which since 2023 has brought together historic motoring enthusiasts from Campania every year along the SS 90 bis. The choice of this state road is no coincidence: its route follows the old 'tratturo', the ancient transhumance track that connected Sannio to Irpinia, which in turn largely overlaps with the Via Appia Traiana, the Roman road celebrated by ancient sources as the Regina Viarum (Queen of Roads). The result is a hybrid event, halfway between a motoring rally and a cultural journey: you drive slowly, stop in villages, visit museums and archaeological sites, and sample local products.

The 2026 edition in Buonalbergo

The fourth edition took place on Sunday, May 24, 2026, with Buonalbergo, a small town in the upper Sannio region in the province of Benevento, as its destination. Crews arriving from all five Campanian provinces drove in a column along the SS 90 bis to converge in Piazza Garibaldi, the town's main square, where over 60 historic vehicles over thirty years old were displayed in a static exhibition. The coincidence with the Sunday market multiplied the audience: between the market stalls and the polished coachwork, the square became an open-air museum for a day.

The day combined ritual and celebration. The local priest blessed the citizens and the participants with their cars; Mayor Michele Gambarota and the municipal administration, who sponsored the event together with the Pro Loco of Buonalbergo, welcomed the crews and received the event's trophies. "These events serve to enhance customs, traditions, and landscapes that would otherwise remain unknown and undervalued," the mayor summarized, highlighting the importance of the gathering, which for a small inland village is also a concrete opportunity for tourism promotion.

The ViATor museum, the cultural heart of the stage

The most original moment of the 2026 rally was the guided tour of the ViATor museum - Via Appia Traiana, a research workshop, set up in Palazzo Angelini and inaugurated in July 2025. It is the first exhibition space entirely dedicated to the Via Traiana, which is now inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list along with the Via Appia. It features multimedia stations activated by presence sensors, a large floor map that guides visitors along the Roman route within the Buonalbergo territory, and synchronized monitors that create a dialogue between the real landscape and the ancient road. It is the perfect setting for a rally born precisely to rediscover forgotten routes.

Previous editions

• 2023 - First edition, May 28, titled "Route 90 Bis - Rediscovering the Ancient Tratturo", in partnership with RuoteBianche, the Irpinian Association for Historic Cars and Motorcycles.
• 2025 - Stage in Casalbore, in the province of Avellino, Sunday, June 29, with a static exhibition near the Norman Castle and a visit to the local museum.
• 2026 - Fourth edition, arrival in Buonalbergo on May 24, with over 60 vintage cars.

What to see along the route

• Columns of Italian and foreign historic cars registered over thirty years ago, from post-war economy cars to eighties sports cars.
• The agricultural landscape of upper Sannio and the Irpinian border, amidst badlands, olive groves, and wheat fields.
• Static exhibitions in the squares of the villages crossed, always with free admission for the public.
• Tastings of local products offered by the Pro Loco: bread, cheeses, cured meats, and wines from the Benevento area.
• The final award ceremony with the presentation of trophies to the crews and host entities.

Buonalbergo and the Via Traiana

Buonalbergo, a hillside village between the Miscano and Tammaro valleys, preserves one of the most evocative stretches of the Via Appia Traiana and the famous Ponte delle Chianche, a multi-arched Roman bridge still visible in the landscape. In a region where major tourist flows are concentrated on the Gulf of Naples and the coast, events like this rally tell the story of the 'other' Campania: the inland, Apennine one, made of slow roads and layered history. For those who love vintage engines, it is also the most elegant way to traverse it.