Casalbuono to Sala Consilina

Padula: architecture and waters

Our first stop of the day is Padula, and not by chance: after all, even though today we rely on the ancient Roman road, our eyes always remain on the Tanagro, and this is a very important place for our river. It is precisely in the shadow of the beautiful Charterhouse of Padula that the Tanagro, after calling to itself the waters of all the streams encountered so far, can finally call itself an adult, and officially take the name of "river." A visit to the largest monastery in the South is undoubtedly exciting, but there is also another place in this village that holds a respectable record. It is the Early Christian Baptistery of San Giovanni in Fonte, one of the oldest in the entire West. In addition to its historical value, this place has a special connection with the waters of the Vallo di Diano: its baptismal font, in fact, does not need to be artificially filled, because it rises at a natural spring that, by fate or miracle, for centuries decided to give its best on Easter night. And, trust me, it will be really hard to find anywhere else a baptismal font that can look like this one!

Baptistery of San Giovanni in Fonte

Sala Consilina, crossroads of histories and cultures

Continuing northward, we come to Sala Consilina, a town more than a village, overlooking Basilicata and Calabria, but above all, a witness to the history and spirituality of this land. In its territory, in fact, there are numerous testimonies to the past, such as the Sanctuaries of San Michele and Sito Alto, not to mention the numerous archaeological finds housed in the municipal Antiquarium Museum.

On the banks of the river

Between villages, the history of the Vallo di Diano also shows itself in the landscape made up of cliffs, waterfalls, Cilento and Mediterranean flora and fauna, reminding us of what all these lands must have looked like before today's anthropization. The river also plays its part, offering stretches where its course becomes more lively, perfect for the adventurous who want to try their hand at canyoning and rafting activities offered by local associations.

Space for traditions: appointment with the table in Sala Consilina

In the midst of so many wonders, the sun is beginning to set, and it's time to regain strength to prepare for a new exciting day. What does Sala Consilina offer us? A nice plate of "Canistreddi e nocchi," for example, a recipe linked to the tradition of threshing, cooked immediately after finishing the wheat harvest or, in the winter period, linked to the slaughtering of the pig: "canistreddi" are long strips of braided pasta that, united with "nocche," slightly longer homemade pasta , were served at the table topped with meat sauce or pork or, more simply, with sauce and local pecorino cheese. The sweetest ritual dish are the "Cavati fritti," dumplings of leavened dough ncavated on the bottom of a basket to obtain a surface decorated in relief, fried and, in the best cases, sprinkled with sugar: they have always been considered the typical village dessert to be cooked during the big feast days.