Discover Baselice: Culture, Caves and Hiking Trails

Baselice between Palazzo Lembo and the Fortore landscape

Palazzo Lembo was built at the end of the 18th century by the Lembo family on the remains of a medieval castle. In 2011, the palazzo was recognized as a “Meraviglia d’Italia.” For you, Baselice’s cultural side therefore begins with a building that combines medieval origins with the architecture of the late 18th century.

Palazzo Lembo and its cultural traces

Some rooms on the upper floor of Palazzo Lembo contain frescoes from the late 18th century; their period of creation therefore falls within the era when the palazzo was built. They recall the frescoes of the contemporary Reggia di Caserta. The same palazzo houses the Museo Civico Paleontologico del Fortore, which also includes a collection of minerals and rocks. Architecture, painting and natural history thus come together in a shared cultural setting.

At the Fontana di Frode, urns for holding cremated remains were found. At the Fontana dell’Ancino, another tomb containing 17 bronze coins was discovered. The two sites add concrete archaeological traces to the cultural impression.

Caves and the landscape around Baselice

The Grotte di Ripa di Troia were carved into tuff and consist of three caves located around the municipality of Baselice. According to tradition, they were inhabited by a Samnite warrior; his tomb was found near the caves in 1971. The cautious wording of this tradition is as much part of the character of the site as the documented discovery of the tomb.

Monte Barbato is also important for getting your bearings in the landscape: it reaches a height of 945 m. From the hiking route, you can enjoy a view of the entire valley of the Fortore River, the Monti della Daunia and the peaks of the Matese.

Planning hikes and your stay

One hiking route leads from Baselice via Monte Barbato to San Giovanni a Mazzocca. Another path begins at a viewpoint above Baselice near the Agriturismo Regio Tratturo and initially follows a trail along the edge of a pine forest. When choosing accommodation or a hotel in Baselice, you can therefore organize your days according to your preferred focus: visits to Palazzo Lembo and the Chiesa di San Leonardo Abate, or hikes with views over the Fortore Valley.

The Chiesa di San Leonardo Abate is located near Via Roma in the center of the municipality of Baselice. This allows you to combine historic buildings, archaeological sites, caves and hiking trails into different daily itineraries for your trip, without having to commit to just one way of exploring.

Discover more destinations

Dugenta, Cerreto Sannita, Cusano Mutri, Luzzano, Beltiglio-San Giovanni, Ponte, Torrecuso, Montesarchio

To the higher-level travel overview: Benevento.