The Amalfi coast and the Sorrento peninsula are areas rich in history. Like a jewel, among these, the mountain range of the Lattari Mountains is nestled . In fact, just above the coast, you discover this wild area, which boasts numerous trekking routes and traditions of centuries-old memory.
The historical re-enactment of the crossing of the Lattari Mountains, in honor of Giustino Fortunato, stands out among all the customs .
The historical reenactment
Every second weekend of October , wearing period clothes, the historical path imagined by Giustino Fortunato in 1876 is retraced. Made by the historian the following year, this itinerary is organized today for the re-enactment.
Divided to be completed in three days, the path winds its way from Cava de ‘Tirreni to Agerola passing through the Colli di Fontanelle until it ends at Punta Campanelle .
You can take part in the crossing yourself, by registering online , to keep the memory of Fortunato alive , on a 120 km long route .
Alta Via dei Monti Lattar i is therefore not a simple excursion, but a real experience .
Armed with the same desire to conquer peaks and satisfy the eyes with the beauty of the Lattari Mountains, the organizing members of the commemoration walk every year, in period clothes, the traces left by the famous politician.
History and foundation
The project came to life thanks to the volunteers of Alta Via dei Lattari 1876 : Giovanni Petrolini, Paolo Casaburi, Daniele Erra and Angelo Sorrentino . Born from the desire of the members to pay homage to the memory of their ancestors and the figure of Giustino Fortunato, this re-enactment knows how to excite those who participate in it and enhance the territory of which it is spokesperson.
The group’s goal is to keep alive the memory of Giustino Fortunato, an Italian politician and historian. The idea was born in the wake and memory of the Eroica sporting event : the Tuscan cycling event that recalls the cycling of the past.
Who was Giustino Fortunato
Giustino Fortunato was an illustrious Southern historian .
The politician, born in Rionero in Vulture (PZ) in 1848, was also a hiker and mountaineer. Deep connoisseur of the south and its problems, he loved going to the mountains.
In 1876, while he was in the city of Cava de ‘Tirreni , Giustino Fortunato began to think about the route that would lead him to Punta Campanella , a mythological place, home of Athena first and Minerva later. That same year the attempt to cross the Lattari failed, but Giustino did not lose heart and at 6 am on October 15, 1877 , in the ” most beautiful autumn morning “, the journey began.
Giustino Fortunato made the crossing of the Lattari from Cava de ‘Tirreni. In the Apennines of Campania , his publication on the Campania area, he describes and praises this path. It also enriches the narration of scientific and naturalistic annotations. He praises the splendid panoramas that he is given to enjoy, describing the landscape with an attentive eye.
The route and the stages
Today the Alta Via dei Monti Lattari, identified by the CAI as path 300 , is part of the Sentiero Italia .
The path was thus imagined by Fortunato. 120 km long, it touches all (or almost) the peaks of the Lattari Mountains, joining the eastern hinterland of the Amalfi coast with the western end of the Sorrento peninsula .
The stages of the journey for this re-enactment are three and must be completed following the days established by the program:
- the departure is established from Contrapone di Cava de ‘Tirreni , to reach the Alta Via dei Lattari, at Pietrapiana . From the sharp ridge the valleys are dominated. From here you proceed on a slight up and down to the Chiunzi pass , from where the climb to Cerreto begins . From the flat summit of the Cerreto, the gulfs of Naples and the Amalfi Coast are dominated. From here on, the path continues along the San Erasmo plains , crossing the Monte Rotondo pass to reach Agerola ;
- the second day is the hardest but also the most satisfying: you reach the highest peak of the Lattari, Monte Molare . From here the view is breathtaking, seeing both the point from which you started and the one you should arrive at. After the conquest of 1444m, the path continues towards Monte Comune , the roof of Positano and from here the beautiful descent towards the Colli di San Pietro , where a carriage leads to the Colli di Fontanelle ;
- the Alta Via, starting from the hills of Fontanelle, continues halfway along a stretch called the Path of the Sirens , which dominates the Sireuse (Galli Islands) . After a descent you reach the small square of Torca . The journey continues to Recommone and finally Nerano . From the beach of Nerano, with a last effort, you cross the hill of San Costanzo , finally towards Punta Campanella .
Participate in the historical reenactment
The invitation to be part of this unique and unrepeatable moment is addressed to you, who are a curious explorer. To savor this historical-naturalistic experience, you just need to be trained on average, accustomed to medium-mountain and long-lasting excursions. The use of objects, clothing and equipment referable to that era are recommended, in order to get closer and experience the emotions that struck the Fortunato in 1877.
Experience the Alta Via dei Monti Lattari as you’ve never seen it before, discovering the path traced by Giustino Fortunato thanks to the guys from Alta Via dei Lattari 1876 !
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