A Week of Wines, Vines, and Traditions

Benvenuti a Napoli! Dan and Maria extend a warm welcome as you arrive in the vibrant city of Naples.* Our journey begins with a quintessential Neapolitan experience—a stop for un caffè and a delicious sfogliatella, a pastry that originated in this historic city. From Naples we make our way to the enchanting medieval town of Sant’Agata dei Goti, where our home for the week awaits: the magnificent 17th-century Palazzo Rainone Mustilli.

Nestled in the heart of Sant’Agata, the palazzo is surrounded by rich history and serene beauty. The chants of cloistered nuns can sometimes be heard emanating from the nearby convent. The palazzo is a short stroll from the original Mustilli winery, the birthplace of the renowned Falanghina wine. The Mustilli family, particularly Paola, will be our gracious hosts, offering us an intimate glimpse into their centuries-old winemaking tradition.

In the late afternoon, Paola will lead us on a private tour of the original centuries-old wine cellar, which reaches a maximum depth of over fifty feet and was made by tunneling into the tufo rock. We’ll learn the winery’s history and take part in a wine tasting in the cantina (wine cellar) of the original winery sampling some of the famous Mustilli wines.

The wine cellar that we tour, the Falanghina that we taste today, and Paola herself were featured on Tucci in Italy (Season 2, Episode 1, Naples & Campania). See the trailer on Instagram.

After our tasting, we’ll head to a family-run pizzeria located in Sant’Agata’s historic center to start a hands-on pizza-making class. Under the guidance of our pizzaiolo Vincenzo, we’ll knead the dough and learn the secrets behind the perfect crust. Once prepared, the dough will be left to rise overnight, ready to be baked into your very own pizza tomorrow.

Afterward, we’ll return to the palazzo to relax before our welcome dinner, a true farm-to-table experience prepared by Signora Maria, a local contadina (farmer). Her dishes, crafted with ingredients from her farm, promise to be a highlight of our first evening together.**

*The program starts at noon on Monday at Naples Capodichino Airport, regardless of when you arrive in Italy. Dan and Maria will be at the airport arrival area late morning.  If time permits and you are staying in a local hotel, we will do our best to arrange to meet you at the hotel, rather than have you make your way back to the airport.

We suggest that you plan on arriving in Naples before the first day of the program to get the most out of your Vita Villaggi experience. If you’re interested in a pre- and/or post-extension trip, you can find more information here. If you’re simply looking for a place to stay in Naples for a night or two, we recommend the following hotels there:  Hotel San Francesco al Monte and Starhotels Terminus.

**Note: In Italy, dinner is typically enjoyed later in the evening, around 8 pm or so. We’ll be dining in true Italian style throughout our stay.

Today, we delve into the rich history and culture of Sant’Agata dei Goti. After breakfast, we go on an historical and gastronomic tour led by Rosangela, our very knowledgeable guide eager to share her hometown. The tour starts with coffee and cornetto (a typical Italian breakfast) and an introduction to Italian coffee culture. As we stroll through the heart of the town’s historical center, Rosangela will share stories of the town’s past and its hidden treasures. We’ll visit local churches with historic frescoes and mosaics. We’ll also stop at family-owned eateries to savor local specialties such as the local taralli called Nfrennule and ravioli made with the prized mela annurca–apples only grown in this area.

Our tour culminates with a lunch traditionally prepared for field workers, known as a colazione. Ours will be prepared by Marisa at her small gastronomic bottega using heirloom and local products. Marisa prides herself in offering products particular to the local farming area that are organically grown and ethically sourced. Our lunch will include a slow-rise bread made with stone-ground native non-GMO grains and an over thirty-year-old sourdough starter. The bread will be used to make two types of sandwiches, one with prosciutto from the famous black pigs of Casertano that are semi-free range and one made with eggs (a pane e frittata) from a native species of ancient hens of the Sannio that are raised strictly free-range.

After this lunch, the afternoon is yours to relax and explore the town at your own pace. In the evening, we make our way back to the pizzeria we were at last night and complete our pizza-making adventure, making pizza with the dough we prepared the night before.

This morning, dress casually and comfortably because we are heading for a hands-on harvesting experience in San Lorenzello, Maria’s birthplace. After breakfast, we make our way to the Fappiano winery. This is a special place for Maria as the vineyards are close to the family land that Maria’s father used to own while she was growing up. This hands-on, immersive experience led by Mario includes harvesting the grapes, observing the grapes being crushed, learning how the wine is bottled, and touring the cantina (wine cellar). We’ll meet the owner and learn about his award-winning wines, including one awarded Tre Bicchiere by Gambero Rosso.

We will then have an authentic harvest pranzo. These midday meals are prepared by the casalinghe, or homemakers, as it is customary to feed those that help with the harvest. The meal is usually eaten in the vineyards picnic style; but we will be “roughing it” just a bit less by having ours in the farmhouse.

Dinner tonight is at an excellent osteria in the historic center of Sant’Agata, where we’ll enjoy a tasting menu showcasing the best of the region’s culinary offerings, including the much-loved pane cotto.

Today we’ll travel to the town of Guardia Sanframondi where we’ll visit two very well-regarded wineries. La Guardiense Winery is one of the largest cooperatives in Campania and a key player in wine production there, dedicated to innovation and sustainability. In 2025, Gambero Rosso (one of the most authoritative awards in the national wine scene) named it the “Best Italian Cooperative Winery of the Year.”

Later, we’ll visit nearby Terre Stregate Winery in the same town. This winery is quite different than La Guardiense. It is family-run rather than being a cooperative and is much smaller. Nevertheless, it produces wines of the highest quality, which are consistently awarded Tre Bicchiere by Gambero Rosso.

We’ll then return to Sant’Agata where you can rest at the palazzo or explore the town.

For dinner, we’ll head to Melizzano for an exceptional multi-course dinner at a delightful Michelin-mentioned “zero-kilometer” restaurant. The menu offers traditional dishes elevated to new heights made from locally sourced, seasonal ingredients by the owner-chef Angelo D’Amico who has worked in top restaurants, both in Italy and abroad. The contemporary Mediterranean-style décor and the large windows offering a beautiful view of the surrounding mountains offer the perfect setting.

Today, we explore two villages of the Sannio region, each with its own unique charm. This morning after breakfast, we depart for Cerreto Sannita, a small town of approximately 4,000 people. The town itself dates back a thousand years but the buildings we see date back to “only” 1688 when the town was rebuilt after it was destroyed by a powerful earthquake. We will make our way to the family-owned La Mozzarella d’oro, an excellent local caseificio (a place where cheese is made). Ana Cenicola and her family are opening their laboratorio so we can see milk be transformed into the iconic mozzarella, as well as other specialty cheeses.

After our tour, we will make our way to the Ceramic Museum. Cerreto is known for its master ceramicists and potters who maintain traditional pottery making techniques and color palettes. The museum is housed in a 17^th century building originally built as a convent for cloistered nuns. Through the years, it has also served as a monastery and even a jail. Today, it houses this gem of a museum, the town hall, and a courtyard which is often used for concerts and art exhibits. After a brief tour, we will meet a master potter for a demonstration of these traditional methods. After our visit, we wind our way through the Matese mountain region to the small hamlet of Pietraroja.

Here, we visit a very well-regarded, family-run prosciuttificio (i.e., a place where prosciutto is made). The Di Biase family continues the centuries-old method of producing prosciutto, creating what has become the gold standard in the Sannio region for this delicacy. We will have a tour of the cellars where the prosciutto is cured in a controlled environment. Our lunch will feature their famous prosciutto and other local specialties cooked by the Di Biase family in their surprisingly tiny kitchen. We will dine in the cozy, ancient home turned restaurant/museum that has been lovingly maintained by the family.

We return to Sant’Agata where you can either rest or explore more of the town before heading out for a light dinner.

Today, we’ll have a leisurely morning before our visit to another small, family-run, award-winning winery: Antica Masseria ‘A Canc’llera. This winery is located in the same town where we harvested grapes earlier in the week, San Lorenzello.

On our way back to Sant’Agata, we’ll stop in Telese Terme where we’ll spend the rest of the day.

We’ll first visit the studio of Salvatore Troiano, a talented local artist who transforms clay into modern interpretations of traditional Neapolitan symbols, such as the horn and the Pulcinella mascot. Salvatore’s classically trained in multiple disciplines including sculpting, painting and photography. He embarked on a journey of working with terracotta and creating traditional Pulcinella and the iconic cornicchio (horn) after studying the history of these symbols and their importance in Neapolitan folklore. We love his work.

Then, we’ll go to the pedestrian area of the city where you’ll be on your own to shop, stroll, have un caffe, and sample Italian pastries or gelato.

Dinner will be in Telese Terme as well at a very well-regarded local trattoria.

Today we’ll attend a Grape Festival (Festa dell’Uva) in Solopaca, another town in the Sannio known for its wine. The highlight for many, however, will be the floats made from grapes glued one by one. Great pains are taken to ensure that the design of each float is kept secret until the actual parade. As you might imagine, the Grape Festival celebrates wine as much as it does the grapes. There will be plenty of stalls offering street food typical of the area as well. We’ll have some of it for lunch today.

We’ll then head back to Sant’Agata de’ Goti where you can enjoy a leisurely afternoon packing, exploring more of the town, or just sitting on the roof top terrace of the palazzo taking in the great view.

Our farewell dinner at a restaurant in the heart of Sant’Agata de’ Goti, inside the Palazzo Viscardi. This restaurant is the creation of the siblings Gabriele and Gianna Piscitelli and offers an elevated dining experience. Chef Gabriele will prepare a creative menu based on seasonal ingredients. The wine selection is extraordinary, and Sommelier Gianna will share her extensive knowledge and provide excellent suggestions. This dinner will serve as a fitting end to our unforgettable week in the Sannio.

We have our final breakfast together before departing for Naples Capodichino Airport. Time to bid farewell to the Sannio and return home with memories of a week filled with history, culture, and incredible food. Whether you’re going back home or taking advantage of a trip extension, safe travels and arrivederci!