Alvito

Clinging to the slope of Monte Morrone, this delightful medieval small town features a peculiar horseshoe-shaped plan and the remains of an ancient castle in its upper part. The old town is characterized by small squares and very narrow alleys and steps, to climb the slope on which the village is built.

Population: 3,031 alvitani
Elevation: 496 metres asl

Park centres
Valcomino Centre of Operations, dedicated to nature, history and traditions in the villages of the Comino Valley

Excursions
A fine 50-minute walk on an ancient cobblestone path, from the lower town to the castle; tour of the old town; Fossa Maiura and its surroundings, the "ghost villages".

Historic sites
Palazzo Ducale (now seat of the Town Hall); Palazzo Panicali, featuring two dovecotes; the town gates, especially Gothic-style Porta Vado Grande; Church of Santa Maria del Campo, showing traces of Byzantine frescoes; Parish Church of San Simeone; Convent of San Nicola; fountains; walls of the ancient castle and circular towers in the hamlet of Castello.

Interesting facts and places
Fossa Maiura is a 100-metres deep karst hollow. Not far from there, the ancient villages of Curtignale and La Cappudine are veritable "ghost villages": they were abandoned several years ago, and their stone remains show habits and rules of a disappeared peasant civilization.

Celebrations
San Valerio Martire, Patron Saint (on the Saturday after Pentecost); San Rocco (August 15th-16th); Patron Saint festivals in the hamlets; Santa Maria del Campo (last Sunday of August); Sant'Onofrio (second Sunday of September), Santa Mesia Elia (fourth Sunday of September).
The programme of "Agosto Alvitano" includes the pan'a moll festival, sport tournaments, film projections, stand-up comedies, arts and craft exhibitions organized by local masters, theatre plays in vernacular language staged by the local "Gabriele D'Annunzio" amateur dramatic society, concerts and balls.
Festival of farro (an ancient variety of wheat) in December; Carnival parade of allegorical floats in February.

Traditions
Val di Comino book prize in October, taken care of by the Centro Studi; "Castello Reggae" in the hamlet of Castello at the end of summer; "Agosto Alvitano".
Ceramic, wrought iron and embroidery craft.

Gastronomy
Pan'a moll' (stale home-made bread with vegetables, legumes and pork rind), sagne con fagioli (pasta with bean sauce), polenta con le spuntature (cornmeal mush and spare ribs), caciate (panzerotti filled with ricotta cheese, candied fruit and chocolate) and the traditional torrone at Christmas.