Irpinia has no centre: it is a province of hills, valleys and scattered villages, and you visit it by car. That is why it pays to pick one base and come back to it every evening. Prata di Principato Ultra sits in the middle: the Greco di Tufo wineries five kilometres away, Avellino twelve, Montevergine and Benevento within half an hour, Taurasi in twenty minutes. This itinerary is built for three full days, with an optional fourth for those who have more time.
The distances given are road distances from Via Roma 4, calculated on OpenStreetMap without traffic. Opening hours of museums, wineries and sanctuaries change with the seasons: we mention them where we know them, but always check before setting off.
Day 1: the Greco di Tufo hills
Start with the wine, because it is right at hand. Prata is one of the eight villages of the Greco di Tufo DOCG and the wineries are minutes away: Tufo at five kilometres, Santa Paolina at six, Montefusco at eight. Almost all of them open by appointment: a phone call the day before is enough to arrange a visit with a tasting.
In Tufo, besides the wineries, there are the medieval castle and the memory of the sulphur mines that made the village’s fortune from the late nineteenth century to the 1950s: some wineries offer precisely a walk through the vines above the old galleries. Montefusco, on its panoramic ridge, keeps the Bourbon prison with the Museum of the Risorgimento and the Capuchin convent of 1625; prison visits are booked by phone. The dedicated wineries guide goes into detail.
Day 2: Montevergine, Avellino and Abellinum
In the morning drive up to the Montevergine sanctuary, 21 kilometres away: by car all the way to the top, or by car to Mercogliano and then by funicular, which returned to service on 29 March 2026 and covers the climb in about seven minutes. The sanctuary, founded in the twelfth century by William of Vercelli, holds the icon of the Madonna known as “Mamma Schiavona” and an abbey museum. Walkers will find the trails of the Partenio park towards the Campo Maggiore plateau.
The afternoon is for Avellino, 12 kilometres away: Corso Vittorio Emanuele with its evening stroll, the Cathedral with its crypt, the Clock Tower, the Bellerophon Fountain and the Villa Comunale gardens. Ten minutes away, in Atripalda, lies the archaeological area of ancient Abellinum with its museum in the Palazzo della Dogana dei Grani: it opens in the morning on weekdays and is closed on Sundays.
Day 3: Taurasi or Benevento
On the third day you choose between wine and history. To the east, Taurasi (21 km) is the capital of Irpinian Aglianico: the Castello Marchionale houses the Regional Wine Shop of Irpinia, and on the way you pass Mirabella Eclano with the archaeological park of Aeclanum, a Roman town on the Appian Way.
To the north, Benevento (24 km) is seen on foot in half a day: Trajan’s Arch, free to visit, the Roman Theatre, the church of Santa Sofia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2011 as part of “Longobards in Italy”, and the Museo del Sannio. Nougat is the right souvenir. Those with a religious interest can continue to Pietrelcina (37 km), the birthplace of Padre Pio.
A fourth day, for those who stay
With an extra day you head to upper Irpinia, where distances grow: Zungoli (44 km), one of Italy’s “most beautiful villages”, with the tuff caves where podolico caciocavallo cheese matures and a Norman castle; the Goleto abbey at Sant’Angelo dei Lombardi (53 km), from the twelfth century, freely visited outside prayer times; Lake Laceno (50 km) on a plateau among beech woods; Nusco, at 914 metres, known as the “balcony of Irpinia”. These are full-day destinations, to be chosen one at a time.
When to go
Spring brings Cantine Aperte, the open-cellars weekend at the end of May. Summer is the season of village festivals: in 2026 Torrioni held its fusillo, porchetta and Greco festival in mid-July, Lapio its Fiano Love Fest and Taurasi its Calici di Stelle in early August, while on 25 July Prata celebrates Saint James. Autumn has the Greco harvest, the Tufo Greco Festival in early September, the straw-cart procession of Mirabella Eclano in September and the chestnut and truffle fairs of Montella and Bagnoli in November. Winter has the bonfires of Nusco in January and Candlemas at Montevergine on 2 February. Dates change every year: check them with the municipalities and local associations.
Quick questions
Do I need a car?
Yes. The sights are scattered and buses run on commuter timetables. From the A16 motorway, Avellino Est exit, the house is ten kilometres away.
Can I arrive by train?
Avellino station has no service until 2027. The useful station is Benevento, 24 kilometres away, with regional and Intercity trains; from there you need a rental car or the bus.
How much does a winery visit cost?
It depends on the winery and the number of glasses: ask when you book. Almost all of them want a phone call the day before.
Can I fit in Naples and Pompeii?
Yes, as a day trip: Pompeii is 61 kilometres away and Naples 69, about an hour on the motorway. See the guide on a weekend from Naples.
Opening hours, fares and access can change: check the official websites before setting off. .