Montecampano: Hillside Setting, History and Rajo Olives

Montecampano is situated on a high hill overlooking the valleys of the Nera and Tiber rivers. The town combines this distinctive setting with historic traces, a road within the walls and a special olive variety. If you would like to get to know Italy not only through individual sights but also through the interplay of terrain, townscape and local culture, you will find several concrete points of connection here.

Hiking with a clearly stated duration

The Sentiero 740 connects Fornole and Montecampano. The route is 6.7 kilometres long; the average walking time is between 1 hour 50 minutes and 2 hours.

Landscape between hills and mountains

The area around Montecampano includes Monte Arnata. The surrounding area also features Monte San Croce, Poggio Genzana and Monte Sassofreddo. Together with the town’s elevated position, these features create a landscape in which views across the valleys are just as important as the surrounding elevations. These different aspects may play a role in your travel planning if you would like to combine historic townscapes with impressions of the landscape.

Castle, church and roads within the walls

The old castle of Montecampano has been known since ancient times as the castle of “Mons Campanus”. The parish church of San Pietro in Vincoli, on the other hand, shows no recognisable traces of its medieval origins. Both buildings represent different aspects of the town’s history: the castle is associated with a traditional name, while the church shows no visible signs today of its medieval beginnings.

An old clock is located on a passage bridge leading from one building to another. Via Cansacchi runs within the walls and is lined with beautiful buildings.

Historic destinations in the wider area

The ancient site of Ocriculum is located in the area around Montecampano. The Castello Orsini di Vasanello is also nearby. The wider regional area is additionally home to the Palazzo ducale and the ancient site of Rovine di Carsoli. If you are focusing your stay on historic places, Montecampano thus offers a concrete connection to several different examples of regional history, without all the destinations necessarily belonging to the same period.

Rajo: an olive variety with a distinctive local connection

Rajo is an autochthonous olive variety. Here, this means that the variety is found only in this area. Montecampano is also home to a stand of Rajo olive trees estimated to be between 400 and 600 years old. In addition to the castle, church and walls, the variety and the old trees give the town another clear connection to local culture and the landscape.

Discover Montecampano according to your interests

Montecampano is particularly suitable as a destination if you would like to consider several facets together: the high hill with views of the Nera and Tiber, the Sentiero 740 between Fornole and Montecampano, the buildings within the walls, historic destinations in the surrounding area and the Rajo olives. This allows you to balance your trip to Italy between activity, local history, architecture and regional character, and choose the location of your accommodation according to the personal focus of your trip.

More destinations for planning your trip to Italy

If you would like to compare more places: Papigno, Cecalocco, Piediluco, Monteleone D'orvieto, Macerino, Collelungo, San Marino, Rotecastello.

Go to the main travel overview: Terni.