Vallo della Lucania: Culture, Festivals and Nature in Cilento

Culture and History in Vallo della Lucania

The Teatro Auditorium Città di Vallo della Lucania Leo de Berardinis has a stage equipped for artistic and cultural activities, 538 seats on two levels and approximately 900 square metres of equipped space in the basement. The Teatro Leo De Bernardis is named after the actor, playwright and director Leo de Berardinis.

Several religious buildings take visitors through different historical periods. The Cappella della Madonna di Lourdes, also known as the Cappella di San Biagio, was built in 1595. The Cappella del Crocefisso was originally dedicated to Saint Catherine of Alexandria. The Conservatorio di Santa Caterina was founded in Capocasale in 1626. The Chiesa di Santa Maria delle Grazie and its adjoining monastery were built at the end of the 15th century by the confraternity of the same name.

Individual furnishings also give the churches a precise historical profile. The Cattedrale di San Pantaleone houses an organ built in 1784 by the brothers Silverio and Francesco Carelli, who were born in Vallo. In the Cappella della Madonna di Lourdes, an 18th-century nativity scene preserves its own religious and artisanal tradition.

Museums of Art, Everyday History and Botany

The main collection of the Museo Diocesano includes the Polittico della Trasfigurazione di Torchiara by Marco Pino da Siena and his collaborators, dating from 1577; the Polittico di Laurino by Cristofaro Faffeo, dating from 1482; the polittico di S. Nicola di Stella Cilento by the Maestro di Stella Cilento, dating from around 1520; and a Dittico by the Maestro dei Polittici Francescani. The Museo delle Erbe presents a permanent ethnobotanical exhibition with more than 2,000 plant specimens, traditional uses of plants, natural preparations, dye plants and a wood collection.

The MAF – Museo delle Arti Femminili displays artisanal, artistic, industrial and communicative objects connected with women's lives over the past three centuries. The Badia di Santa Maria di Pattano can only be visited by prior reservation with an authorised expert guide; the reservation must be made at least one day in advance. Under a glass floor, remnants of walls and thermal facilities from the Roman imperial period are visible.

Processions, Festivals and Local Cuisine

The historic procession “SURGITE 'A STU' PAESE 'BBONA GENTE” takes place every year on 18 and 19 July, involves more than 200 participants in costume and recreates the Cilento uprisings of 1828. The festival of the patron saint San Pantaleone reaches its climax from 27 July through 29 July, inclusive, and includes both religious and secular events.

On 27 July, the silver-clad bust of Saint Pantaleon is carried in a procession through the streets of Vallo della Lucania from the Cattedrale di San Pantaleone. In September, Mani in Pasta focuses on regional cuisine: fresh homemade pasta, including fusilli and cavatielli, is prepared in the square and sampled together with local products such as wine and sweets.

Practical Information for Your Visit

Visits to the Museo Diocesano are scheduled from Monday to Saturday, from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., with last admission at 12:00 noon. Guided tours can also be arranged at other times by reservation; the museum is closed from 1 August through 31 August, inclusive. The “Percorso dalla Badia di Pattano a Novi Velia” is one of the hiking routes connected with Vallo della Lucania.

More Destinations for Planning Your Trip

More destinations for planning your trip include Agropoli, Arenabianca, Laureana Cilento, Salitto-valle, Torraca, Furore, San Mauro Cilento and Monte San Giacomo.

To the higher-level travel overview: Salerno.