THE BENEVENTO WITCHES NIGHT OUT!
The ancient Celtic feast of Hallowe'en has really taken on in Italy and there are themed celebrations in many parts of the country. However, Benevento, an ancient Roman, and subsequently a Lombard, town in the pre-Appennine mountains of Campania, is where “witch-hunters” come closest to experiencing a weekend imbued with the true “witching atmosphere”. On Hallowe'en weekend (30th October - 1st November 2026) the magic programme, which also extends over the surrounding area, offers a series of events for both adults and children, as well as themed guided tours through haunted streets, visits to the local Witches' Museum, tastings of Strega, the popular local digestive liqueur – so called after the legendary local covens - plus a candlelit concert on the evening of the 31st October in the noble Palace of Paolo V.
Benevento, in fact, is known as the “Town of the Witches”, Medieval writers described them gathering under a local walnut tree to hold their infernal rituals This legend has naturally been debunked by modern scientists who believe that the story of the witches derived from ancient practices of pagan worship, involving the goddess Diana, from whom the local name for witches – Janare - derived. In fact, this name is still commonly used all over southern Italy today.
Tel.: Comune (Ufficio Culture & Tourism) +39.0826.772111 or consult the Benevento Facebook page.