Visiting Benevento in a Day: the Itinerary

A little itinerary to visit Benevento in a day. In this walking tour in the old town centre, we will see some of its symbol and discover the traces of Lombards, who made the town one of their outposts.

There’s always a particular and personal reason that brings travellers to visit a specific place, a determined town. Sometimes it’s because you saw pictures that made you dream, sometimes it’s because many people suggested it, sometimes it’s because you studied a part of its history for a university exam. Thanks to my studies, I travelled a lot with my imagination, many texts aroused my curiosity and invited me to organise a travel or a trip in a particular place. 

Leggi in italiano

Such a thing happened, for example, when I was studying for my German philology exam and my program included an insight in Lombard history and customs in Italy in general and in Apulia in particular (it’s incredible how much of the customs of this people from the North are in southern traditions and customs!). Among the most important towns for Lombards there was Benevento, a southern outpost of their reign. When you spend months listening to lessons, taking notes about their history and influence in the places where they lived and then another month of full immersion to prepare the exam, at a certain point you get the desire to crown all that path with a nice visit in one of the Lombard towns of Campania par excellence. At last my curiosity got satisfaction! I organised a day in Benevento and visited the town. Today, I suggest you the same itinerary that I prepared back then to visit Benevento in a day. I reached the town by car and, if you choose this means of transport to get here, I suggest to park it near the centre of the town and to wander on foot, in particular because this itinerary is based through the streets of the old town centre. Let’s get started!

     1.    The Municipal Villa

One of the green areas of Benevento on the higher point of the old town centre, realised between 1875 an 1880, is the Municipal Villa. Walking in this big English-garden-styled park, surrounded by pine trees, cedar trees, horse chestnuts and secular trees creates a peaceful atmosphere. The little lake with swans and ducks is the added value that makes the walk become a romantic memory.

To add an additional romantic touch, don’t miss the view of the town. We’re on the higher point of the old town centre and from here the gaze flies on the town and on the valley. Think how beautiful it can be at the sunset...

     2.      The Rocca dei Rettori

Walking out from  the Municipal Villa, we are in front of the Rocca dei Rettori, the castle of Benevento. It’s composed of two elements: the Great Tower of Lombard period, and the Palazzo dei Governatori of 1320.

Before the arrival of Lombards, where now there’s the Rocca, Romans built a thermal building; walking in the garden of the palace, you can see its remains. In the Middle Ages, it became the headquarter of the Papal governors, the Rettori, from which the present name Rocca dei Rettori.

     3.      The Church of Saint Sofia and the Museum of Sannio

Venturing in the old town centre, we reach the Lombard church of Saint Sofia and its monumental complex, that hosts the Museum of Sannio and guides you through the history of Benevento and of the area of Sannio. This church is one of the symbols of Benevento and of the presence of Lombards in town. Do you remember that this visit has been inspired by the study of Lombards in Italy? So, you’ll understand that this stop is the centrepiece of this itinerary. I dedicated a whole blog post to this church and to the museum, so I invite you to click here to read it.

     4.      Trajan’s Arch

From Corso Garibaldi, where we are, let’s turn right to take Via Traiano; in front of us, at the horizon, there’s triumphant Trajan’s Arch. It was built to honour the government of Emperor Trajan and to inaugurate Via Traiana, an alternative to Appian Way that linked Benevento to Brindisi. Some statues that decorated the arch in the past now are in the Museum of Sannio.

During the Middle Ages, the arch was included in the walls of the town and called Porta Aurea. Pope Pio IX, in 1850, ordered to break down the buildings leaned to the Arch to isolate it and now we see it in all its beauty closing Via Traiana.

     5.      The church of Saint Ilario

Little far from Trajan’s Arch there is the little Lombard church, built on pre-existing ruins, that caught my attention with its name. The church of Saint Ilario is a little but fascinating church that, being deconsecrated, hosts inside the video-museum of the arch. Around the church there are the ruins of a convent that once was adjacent to the church.

I want to stress the fact that the museum is accessible by everyone and a particular attention is reserved to younger visitors and those who, unfortunately, are less lucky. Thanks to the availability of audiovisual instruments, the usage of sign language and of Braille, also disabled visitors have the possibility to visit the complex autonomously.

     6.      Strega liqueur

One of typical products of Benevento is Strega liqueur. In every bar, it’s the most loved ingredient to aromatize coffee and the delicacies created by the inspiration of barmen. The best thing to do, besides taking a seat to a little table and making a tasty pause, would be visiting a store Strega, but it’s a bit far from where we are. Don’t get discouraged. Along Corso Garibaldi there’s a shop, very well stocked, that is where I stopped, Euroliquori. Besides different bottles of the famous liqueur, there’s also a good assortment of sweet delicacies aromatized with the Straga. My favourite? It’s chocolate Magie Strega! And if you’re wondering, they’re gluten free!

If you are thinking that buying these products in Benevento isn’t something unmissable, because you can find Strega liqueur everywhere in Italy, let me tell you something: a product has never the same taste that it has in the place of production. I’ve eaten the chocolate I was talking about before many times, also at home, but that that I ate in Benevento, walking in the old town centre had a taste that I’ve not found when I’ve bought it at home. Suggestion? Maybe, but this is the reason why you taste local products when you travel!

That’s the end of our day in Benevento. There are many other things to see and I hope to go back there soon to continue my visit, maybe staying a couple of days. I must admit that visiting Benevento in a day can be a bit tiring, because of the several interesting things that it offers, but if you have not much time, this can be a good itinerary to appreciate the town and let it enter your heart.