Out In The Valley
My favorite thing about being able to travel among our region is heading to those less touristy spots. It’s picking a random village and spending the day roaming its streets and admiring the architecture and way of life. It’s being able to explore without paying entrance or parking fees and moving freely around when something catches your eye or a scent wafts under your nose. One of the very first villages that we picked to visit was Sant’Agata dei Goti. I had read an article about it and immediately wanted to visit. The main reason: Sant’Agata dei Goti rises steeply on a tuff spur in the Caudina Valley, at the foot of Monte Taburno. When seen from afar, Sant’Agata seems the natural continuation of the rock on which it resides. It’s truly a magnificent view! Yet, I ended up discovering so much more and falling in love. So much so that I have been here twice in the almost now three months that we have been in Italy!
Sant’Agata dei Goti is a town that has a history of several centuries and traditions behind it. Between destruction and occupation, over time the locality of Sannio has been able to resist various vicissitudes. The old village, once known as Saticula, was first occupied by the Romans, after an exhausting battle with the Samnites, and later conquered by the Lombards. It was the Romans who first camped on the fortress. In the Middle Ages Saticula then underwent a series of dominations: Longobards, Normans, Swabians and Angevins followed over time. In the sixth century the village changed its name in honor of Sant’Agata. Today, the village still protects and remembers the traces of its long history.
The alleyways, the houses, the characteristic tuff, and the monuments of the historic center all display the history of time. But there is one more thing you can find in Sant’Agata dei Goti that helps to fully express the identity of this village: the churches. The Church of the Annunziata is quite an impressive sight! Renovated in the 15th century, you enter through a detailed marble portal with a wooden door. Inside are a set of Baroque and 16th century decorative elements. The walls are adorned with frescos, including one that tells the Last Judgment.
Lindsay View All →
Our roots will forever be from here, America, born and raised. Yet, life requires us to move more frequently than we care to count. Whether living stateside or abroad, you can always find us traveling somewhere. We scout out places that you only think you can dream of one day seeing and we seek out those that aren’t found in guidebooks. We then bring them to life here in our travel memos, so hopefully, one day you too can visit them or at least be able to live vicariously through us. This blog isn’t just about crossing off places from a bucket list. It’s about absorbing and learning how other cultures grow and fit into the same world that we do. Life is short and the world is big. Enjoy and get out there!
American Roots. Traveling Boots. 