Description
Amidst opulent monasteries, mysterious hermitages, ancient baptistries, earthly cathedrals and pathways to discover our past and the life-giving laws of the earth, this itinerary guides you through a journey that touches on themes of meditation, natural contemplation and the evolution of faith over the centuries.
The stages
The stages of this journey allow visitors to make a wonderful pilgrimage through the heart of the Province of Salerno, discovering places of importance and hidden gems, from the Certosa di Padula (Charterhouse of Padula) to the Eremo di San Michele alle Grottelle (Hermitage of San Michele alle Grotelle), from the Grotte di Pertosa-Auletta (Pertosa-Auletta Caves) to the Battistero di San Giovanni (San Giovanni Baptistry) in Fonte. Completing the trip are visits to two unique museums: the Speleo-Archeological Museum and the Soil Museum, both in Pertosa. These museums are focused on the first human settlements in the Grotte di Pertosa (Pertosa Caves) and on the understanding of the laws governing the Earth's ecosystem.
Visit to the Certosa di San Lorenzo (San Lorenzo Charterhouse)
Duration: 2 hours
The Carthusian Order founded the first monastic complex in Campania, before the Carthusian monasteries of San Martino in Naples and San Giacomo on Capri. The Certosa di San Lorenzo in Padula can also claim the title of the largest and most opulent monastery in Italy, mainly thanks to the regal magnificence of its Baroque forms. And even at a European level, the Certosa di Padula is considered, thanks to its vastness and lavishness, as one of the main structures of its kind.
Show moreVisit to the Eremo di San Michele alle Grottelle (San Michele alle Grottelle Hermitage)
Duration: 45 minutes
Hidden in the greenery, this ancient hermitage is a testimony to the long and fascinating transition from the multiform forces of Paganism to the universal order of Christianity. Originally, the eremo di San Michele alle Grottelle (San Michele alle Grottelle hermitage) was a place of worship dedicated to the God Attis, the mythological lover and chaperone of Cybele, the ageless goddess of animals and nature, whose creative and destructive powers he represented. It was subsequently consecrated as a Christian shrine, dedicated to the Archangel Michael.
Show moreVisit to the Battistero di San Giovanni (Baptistry of San Giovanni) in Fonte
Duration: 1 hour
A spiritual rebirth point, this Christian baptistry is one of the oldest in the West, and was built on the ruins of an older pagan place of worship.
Show moreBreak for lunch
Duration: 45 minutes
Visit to the Grotte dell'Angelo di Pertosa-Auletta (Pertosa-Auletta Angel Caves)
Duration: 1 hour
Exploring the Pertosa-Auletta caves leads to a marvellous underground world of fantastical and almost alien-like shapes and colours, which are in fact the heart of our land.
Show moreVisit to the Museo Speleo-Archeologico
Duration: 1 hour
The Pertosa Speleo-Archeological Museum is exclusively focused on the discovery of the first human settlements in prehistoric times, and aims to inspire reflection on the past, present and future of mankind. A truly fascinating and unique journey through the world, an exhibition that, through the use of the most modern tools, offers a journey into the most ancient past of the human experience, where our ancestors began the steps of the course that has led up to the present day.
Show moreVisit to the Museo del Suolo (Soil Museum)
Duration: 1 hour
The Pertosa Soil Museum takes you on a journey that is one of its kind in Italy and has few equals in the rest of the world. A captivating and thought-provoking experience, in search of a vibrant hidden world, the world below ground, on which our very existence depends.
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