From Sala Consilina to Pertosa

The third day brings us to meet a still different Tanagro: if on the first day he was a child, and on the second he had become a young adult, today we see him grappling with a more rigid and controlled situation. Probably to help him harness his new strength, the stretch of river leading from Sala Consilina almost to Polla has been rectified so that the waters can flow serenely through the fields.

Polla, a thousand-year history on the banks of the river

Welcoming us to the first stop on today's leg is Polla itself, another town, a bit smaller than Sala Consilina, located on the left bank of the Tanagro. Polla, too, gives an exciting perspective on the history of these lands, which dates back to Roman times. One of the city bridges that crosses the Tanagro, in fact, belongs to that very era, as does the Lapis Pollae, or Lapide di Polla, an epigraph related to the Via Popilia found right on the municipal territory. Recounting how Polla's history and society evolved are its palaces, a source of pride for the families who owned them, and its churches, deeply anchored in the spirituality of its citizens. Although our journey is centered on nature to be traversed at a leisurely pace, here in Polla it is interesting to make a quick trip to the railroad where a beautiful steam locomotive from the early 1900s can be seen. After all, it is important to know the past to understand the present and study new solutions for the future, don't you think?

Steam locomotive 835 in Polla station

What about water? Of course, Polla is crossed by the Tanagro and makes its contribution to the river's growth: there are springs on its territory, too, such as the one that for a long time fed an important fountain, the Spring of Our Lady of Loreto.

Return to the right bank: Pertosa

After a tour of the town center comes the time to cross the very ancient bridge to return to the heights on the right bank of the Tanagro, where Pertosa stands. If before we were in a small town, now we are back in a village, and not just any village: here coexist the ruins of a painful past, stuck in an eternal moment by the Irpinia earthquake, and a present that clamors for its rebirth and joy for life. A walk among the buildings painted in bright colors, contrasting with the stones of the oldest portals, puts an irrepressible joy in one's heart. Now we just have to choose what to do: whether to follow some trails inland, perhaps even on horseback, or to rest to conserve our strength for tomorrow-it's going to be a busy day! Whether we choose one option or the other, a taste of Pertosa's white artichoke, perhaps raw, with a drizzle of local olive oil, can only help to refresh the body and spirit!

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